CONNETT, JAMES BAXTER (1843-1919) was born at Exeter, Devon, educated at King's College there, and married (1864) Miss Lavinia Snell. He arrived in Queensland in 1865; managed a cattle run for two years and moved to Taranaki (1867), taking up land at Bell Block.

Connett took an immediate and prominent part in the affairs of the province. In 1872 he was elected to the Provincial Council for Grey and Bell, which he represented until the abolition. From 1872-74 he was honorary secretary of the Agricultural Society. He was a member of the harbour board for many years (1875-78, 1885-95, 1897-1917) and chairman (1902-17). He was chairman of the New Plymouth Cooperative Society (1891-1904), the Taranaki Freezing Co. (1895-1901), and the Taranaki Producers' Freezing Co. (1901-07); and during the same period was a director of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society (1882-1919) and chairman (1904-19); director of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory (1885-1907), the New Plymouth Gas Co. (1893-97), and the Stratford Bacon Co. (1898-1906). In local government he was chairman of the Waitara West road board (1883-84), a member of the Taranaki county council, chairman of the Bell Block school committee (1894-95), member of the Taranaki charitable aid board (1894-96), the New Plymouth borough council and the Taranaki land board (1902-11) and a member of the executive of the harbour boards association (1904-16). He contested the Grey and Bell seat in Parliament against F. A. Carrington.

Connett died on 29 Mar 1919 and his widow on 23 Jun 1926.

Taranaki P.C. Proc.; Taranaki Herald, 29 Mar 1919; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Parltry Record.

Reference: Volume 1, page 103

🌳 Further sources