OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17057, 31 January 1921, Page 9

OBITUARY.

PRINCE KROPOTKIN. (By Cable—Press Association— Copyright.) (Australian und N.Z. Cftblo Awosiatioo > (Received January 30th, 0.5-p.m.) MOSCOW,- January av. death is announcod of Prince Kropotkin. The late Prince Kropotkin, although of aristocratic origin, was noted chiefly for his advanced tnought. He was born in 1842, and educated at the Petrograd University. His interest went originally to the study of geography, and he became secretary to'the Physical Geography section of the. Geographical Society, and made many journeys of exploration in Siberia, Manchuria. Finland, and Sweden. In 1872 he joined the Interhatioal Working Men's Association, and was arrested and imprisoned. He escaped from a. military hospital in 1876, and came to England. Later, at Geneva,' he founded the Anarchist paper, "Le Ravolto," and was expelled from Switzerland in 1881. Two years later ho was condemned at Lyons to five years' imprisonment, but. was liberated m 1386. His publications comprise several valuable "geographical, historical, and literary works, also a wido range of revolutionary propaganda. Mil JOSHUA TUCKER.

I There passed away at Ashourton, on I Saturday morning, ono of tlio most energetic, straightforward, and successt ful hiisincfs men of tlio town, and ono of the best pioneers that New Zealand has had, in tho person of Mr Joshua Tucker. Flags were immediately flown at half-mast at all of tho principal business places, and there was a general feeling of profound regret at the loss of such a worthy and highly esteemed resident, who "for nearly half a century had been well known throughout the w-liolo of the Ashburton district, andi further afield as ■well. The late Mr Tucker was born ou October 9th, 1845. at North Molton, on tho borders of JE-xmoor, Devonshire, and was educated at the Wesleyan day school, in South Molton. In, 1864 he entered tho London and South Western Railway Company's service, and remaineel a, railway employee until he left for New Zealand. At tho ugo of 26, in 1871, he decided to take Tip life- in the colonies, and sailed m the ship Zealundia, with his brother, Mr Caleb 'luckcr, who, for many years, has been in business at Rakaia.- He went on the land for a period of two years, and. at the end of that timo joined tho firm of W. Montgomery and Co., timber and coal merchants, who opened a branch in Ashburton in 1875, under .Mr Tuckor's management, Mr Tucker afterwards taking over the business himself. Subsequently, Mr Tucker took Mr J., 6. Restell into partnership, and the business was carried on under tho title of '"fucker and Restell." Subsequently ho had as a partner tho late Mr C. Bean, father of tho Rev. Canon W. S. Bean, of Christchurch, and_ later still ho carried on the business in his own name, till finally it became known as tho present "Tuckers', Limited." Mr Tucker first entered public, life in September, 1885, -when ho was elected a member of 4ho Ashburton Borough Council, on which body ho served for about threo months only. Hft :waselected a member of the Upper Ashburton Road Board, in 1892, and served on til at body for 28 years. He was elected chairman in x l9lß, and filled that position until his death. Ho was appointed a member of tho Ashburton High School Board or 'Governors in May; 1907, and was elected chairman _ tha following year, and hold that position . continuousiv up to the time of his decease. Ho took' a keen and active interest'in all that pertained, to tho welfare of the Ashburton High School, and largely helped in raising it from very small proportions to its present high position amongst the High Schools in" tho Dominion. He also heldjor a considerable period a seat .on the Ashburton Technical School Board. . Another held in which Mr Tucker for many years did splendid work was .that of tho Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Ho was one of its earliest members, and was elected, tre.apurer iu 1905, another position that_ lie | held without an interval till tho time, of his death. • In addition to being treasurer, ho was an active general worker, and his work as one. of the. supervisors and organisers at the annual shows was invaluable. Ho was also a past-president of the Association, and chairman of the Finance Committee tor many vcars. Ho was also a very successful" breeder and exhibitor of Jersey cattle. The lato Mr 'Tucker was one of the oldest members of the Ashburton Couutv Racing Club, and though Jio was rarely, if ever,-seen on a racecourse, he took great interest in the welfare of the club. He was an active member of tlio old Ashburton Caledonian Society during tho years when successful Caledonian gatherings were regularly held in Ashburton. Ho .had been a director of the Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society since 1905, and ; chairman of directors since 1917. Mr Tucker was first married in 1871 to Miss Maynard, daughter of the late Captain Maynard, of Redruth. There were seven children of tho -marriage—Captain F. G. Tucker, at present in the Army in South Africa, who fought through tho Boer war, and right through the Inst war; Messrs W. 11., R. J., and E. J. Tucker, who are each members of tlio -firm of Tuckers, Limited; Mrs Arnott, of Melbourne: Mrs A Silcock,'Ashburton; and Mrs.L. J. McDonald, of Masterton. His first wife predeceased him by 30 years, and later ho married Miss Jamieson, a daughter of tho late Mr William Jamieson, tho only child of this marriage being Mr J. H. Tucker, who for about 18 months has boon resident in Christchurch. At a meeting of tho committee of the Ashburton A. and'P. Association, held on Saturday afternoon, the president, Mr W. J. Taylor, feelingly referred to tho death that morning of the treasurer, Mr Joshua Tucker, and tho good work ho bad done for the Association. No man, he said, had dono more, or worked more zealously, for the welfaro of tho Association, than Mr Tucker. He had been instrumental in tho building of the present large produce shed, tho re-arrangement and improvement of all the sheep and cattle pens, and had done an immense amount of otb?r good work. Mr Taylor moved that tho meeting stand adjourned lor a week, when any motions of sympathy could be taken. The motion was carried, tlio members standing in silence.