THE LATE DR. HOCKEN.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13739, 21 May 1910, Page 4

THE LATE DR. HOCKEN.

A MAN IN A MILLION. Mr Justice Chapman, in an interview published by the Wellington "Post," paid a remarkable tribute to the late Dr. Hocken. "Among Dr. Hockeu's own friends,'' said the Judge, "what was most striking about him was his own personality. That is something which it is impossible to describe. His unlimited geniality was a characteristic that was known to all. There was no man at any period in the history of Dunedin, and perham I might say in the history of New Zealand, who hnd a wider circle of friends and acquaintances. In his frequent tours of New Zealand he sought out every human being who could possibly give him information about its history, and wherever he went his peculiar personal magnetism displayed itself in such a way that every door was open to him. This is no exaggeration. Ho must have felt it himself, because he seemed without embarrassment to be able to walk into almost every house in New Zealand. Everywhere he was welcome, not merely ns. a well-known may, but as a. personal friend Naturally he was better known and mora appreciated in Dunedin, where he lived for the greater part of half a century ' Dr. Hocken and thc members of his family are intiVnately known literally to the whole population there, and I can only say that wherever he moved his visits were appreciated -by all and sundry. His house was recognised as a houso of call for all visitors to New Zealand, but that was not tho limit, because i\ may be fairly said that it was a house of call for all sorts and conditions of peopi-.. Rich nnd poor, .il found the doctor available for advice, nnd assistm-ie in all circumstances. Those who knew him intimately only became, casually- aware from time to time of tho {-.mount of assistance that he gave to poor people in tho way of advice .md paeuniary rid, and in effecting reconciliations between people who had the misfortune to have ~ family quarrels, and in doing everything that would, tend to make" tho lives of his friends and casual acquaintances run more smoothly. That ia the phase of the doctor's character and disposition that cannot he adequately described. He was one of that type of man who was always ••heerful, never boisterous. In his_ work ho showed endless industry without being flurried. In his personal relations 'with his fellow men Ill's disposition was much the same. Full of humour and of remarkable stories of. past times, which were a source of never-failing intort.-;t to his hi'irers. he had a similar capacity for listening to narratives of the same kind. Companionship with Dr. Hocken, in short, was always a source of genial pleasure to those who had that privilege. I can only say, in fine, that I have only been able to say a few words on the subject as thoy occur to mc at the moment, aud I confess myself incapable of really expressing what every iran who has long lived in Dunedin must rc-eognivo as tho real clviracter and disposition of the late Dr. Hocken."