ROUS-MARTEN, CHARLES (1841-1908) was born in Sussex, the son of a London merchant, William Marten, F.S.A. (1809-92), who suffered considerable losses through the failure of a bank and came to New Zealand in the ship Palmyra in 1857 hoping to re-establish his fortunes. He had intended going to the north, but left the ship in Otago (Mar 1858) and took up a run at Ryal Bush, Southland.

Charles received most of his education before leaving England. He early evinced an interest in science and engineering, and his acquaintance with W. Conyers led him to enter the Railway department, in which he soon rose to have charge of a country station. He had already some ambitions in public life. At the age of 23 he entered the field for the Riverton seat in the General Assembly, but owing to a hitch his nomination miscarried and Hankinson was returned unopposed (Feb 1866). In Aug 1867 he unsuccessfully contested the Waihopai seat in the Provincial Council as an advocate of railway extension. Marten's interest in railways continued, and in later life he was a recognised authority in the engineering world. His knowledge of locomotive construction and running speeds was outstanding, and for many years he was invited to travel in trains in Great Britain and Europe to observe the performance of new engines. His educational equipment led him towards journalism, in which he gained his earliest experience in Invercargill and afterwards moved to Wellington. Joining the staff of the Evening Post (in 1877) he rose to be sub-editor and finally editor.

Marten was widely read, had a sound knowledge of music and the literature of music, and possessed one of the finest musical libraries in the colony. He was a member of St Peter's choir in Wellington, and sang tenor solos in many oratorios produced in New Zealand. He was a keen meteorologist. For some years he contributed to scientific papers observations taken in Southland, then the most southerly station in the world. On the strength of these he was elected a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. He was a member also of the Royal Geographical Society. Marten was a staunch Anglican, and for some years was a lay member of the Wellington diocesan and the general synods. In 1883 he resigned the editorship of the Post and paid a visit to England. After his return he accepted the control of the New Zealand Times. In 1890 he went to London as representative of the New Zealand Herald, The Press and the Otago Daily Times (and later of the Evening Post), a position which he held with distinction until his death on 21 Apr 1908. Marten married Emily, daughter of W. Hickson (q.v.).

Evening Post, 29 Nov 1892; The Press, 23 Apr 1908; Southland Times, 24 Apr 1908.

Reference: Volume 2, page 133

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