The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Brown, Hon. Nicholas John
Brown, Hon. Nicholas John, M.H.A., J.P., son of Richard Brown, was born at Hobart in 1838, was educated at the Hutchins School, Hobart, and has since been engaged in pastoral pursuits. He has been member for the Cumberland District in the Tasmanian House of Assembly since Jan. 1875. He was Minister of Lands and Works in the first Fysh Ministry from August 1877 to Dec. 1878, and held the same post in the Giblin Ministry from Dec. 1882 to August 1884, and in the Douglas and Agnew Ministries from that date till March 1887. Mr. Brown was one of the representatives of Tasmania at the Sydney Convention of 1883, at which the draft of the Federal Council Bill was agreed to. In March 1886 he was appointed one of the Tasmanian representatives in the Federal Council; but when the Fysh Ministry came into power he was objected to as a political opponent, and has not since taken his seat. In March 1891 Mr. Brown was one of the representatives of Tasmania at the Sydney Federation Convention. In July 1891 he was elected Speaker of the House of Assembly in succession to Mr. Reibey.