MR. JOSHUA TUCKER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9430, 29 January 1921, Page 5

MR. JOSHUA TUCKER.

HIS, DEATH ANNOUNCED. LONG YEARS IN PUBLIC SERVICE r The deepest regret was expressed , throughput the Ashburton County at the announcement of the death of Mr Joshua Tucker, at his residence, Belt Road, Allenton, to-day at 9.30 a.m. Mr Tucker had passed the Biblical span of three score years and ten and was m his 76th year ? and his death removes one of the links with Ashburton' 8 early history afld his well-known figure will be greatly missed about Ashburtoju Mr Tucker was for many years one of the best-known and most respected residents of Ashburton. The keynote of his character has been defined as geniality, a kindness and consideration towards all. It has been well said of .him that "his word was his bond," and at the close of his 45 years of life m the Ashburton. County, and his long; term of office on local bodies, there is no man to gainsay this fact. He at all times proved himself to be a true friend and. a trusty colleague. No man will be more missed than he from the every-day life of the community. Mr Tucker was; born on October 9, 1845, at North Molton^ on the border of romantic^ Ehcmoor, Devonshire. He received his education at the We'sleyari Day School m- South Moltoi*. '1n'1864 he entered , the* ' London ktid! Soxi^h Western Railway Company'i r3 Bsfr ; ic'e and . remained') a railway employed } until he left for-ixNew^i Zealand. At the .age; or ' 26, m , the, 3<terJ 1871, Mr Tucker'decided to take' 1 top 'life m the colonies and sailed- m the ship "Zealandia" with his brother, Mr Caleb Tucker, now of Rakaia. , He : went on to' the.. land for, a period of two years, and at the end of that time joined the firm of. W. Montgomery and Co., Ltd.;. tiiriber and coal raerenants, ' who o^nfe'd ' a branqh m Ashburton "m 1875. He was appointed manager, but afterwards took/ over the business himself. Mr Tucker had a partner on two occasions. He entered into partnership with Mr Restell at one time and later with Mr Bean. Subsequently the business bore his own name until recent years, when it became Tucker's Limited. In PubUo Life.

Mr Tucker gave long and valuable service on public bodies m Ashburton. His first entrance to public iife was made m September, 18S6, when he was elected to the Ashbuiton 'Pciough Cotmcil, but he resigned this position m November of the same- year. He has ■» honourable record of 28 years' service as a member of i the Upper Ashburton Road Board, joining the Board on May 30, 1892, as member representing the newly-constituted Allenton ward. He was elected unopposed on that occasion and m every succeeding election up to the present time Allenton residents showed their satisfaction m his work by returning him without opposition. He was elected chairman of the Road Board m June of 1918, a position which he held until his decease. 1 Perhaps the most permanent record of Mr Tucker's public life will remain m the Ashburton High Seh'oqJ^to the progress; tif 'frHjeh 1 he flevbtfed,"! in' a remarkable degree 1 those qualities . of enthusiasm and keen interest for ' which he was justly noted. Appointed to the Board of Governors , m May, 1907, Mr Tucker 'was elected chairman m the following year. By his indefatigable energy and his faith m the school's future, he was largely responsible for the great enlargement which , took place m its activities and institu l ti6ns during his chairmanship, whicft' continued to the date of his death. Among the improvements added to the school during his term of office were the Assembly Hall, Friedlander Hall, science laboratory and extra class . room, boarding establishm-""* fo^girls^ and boys, gymnasium, fi»* nnd tennis courts, swimming baths ; »nd a great improvement to the school grounds generally, which were m a very rough state at the commencement 'of his term of office. His policy of extending the curriculum of the school, especially to include domestic science for the girls and agricultural science combined with practical training for the boys resulted m the great advance m numbers of pupils and m the usefulness of the institution. Mr Tucker also sat for x a short time on the Board of the Ashburton Technical School.

Fanning Interests. Another institution which holds 'Mr 1 Tucker m grateful,: memory for his un>' tiring service and-.- zeal is< the Ashburton: A. and P. Association, of which J he was one of the earliest members. He served on the comimttet£'-fbr many years before hiß presidential term m 1903. He proved an able , president and was respon.sitya. fox iie flection olj the brick protruTO" kireS which still stands on the grounds. The particular^ ly successful show of- his yeaT""' was worked tip largely by his. enthusiasm^, For some years he ikd& van- exhibitor 1 ' of Jersey cattle, m which breed he always took a special interest. Jh 1905 he was elected treasurer .to the Association and has done. -good work m that office and as chairman of the finance committee has helped m ways and means for ihe various projects of the- Association. Among private institutions with which he was. connected is numbered the AsKburtqn Permanent (Building and Investment , Society, of which he has been a director 6ince December, 1905, and chairman of- directors since March, 1917. He was also one of the oldest members of- the Ashburtori Racing Club. "Mr Tiicker was first married m 1871 to Miss Maynard, daughter of the late Captain Maynard, of Redruth. There were seven children of the marriage:— Captain F. G. Tucker, at present m the army m South Africa; Messrs W. R., R. J., and E. J. Tucker, all of the firm of Tuckers' Ltd., Mrs Arnott, of Melbourne. Mrs A. Silcock, of Ashburton, and Mrs L. G, McDonald, of Masterton. His* first wife predeceased him by 30 years, and later he married Miss Jameson, the only child of the marriage being Mr J. H. Tucker, now of Christchurch. Flags were flown at half-mast by -most of the Ashburton business firms to-day as a mark of respect to the late Mr Tucker. *. . ' The funeral will move from, his late residence, Belt ' Road, Allenton, on Monday, at 2.30 p.m., for the Ashburton Cemetery. All the local bodies with which tne deceased . gentleman was connected, as well as many local firms, will be represented.