OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20459, 1 February 1932, Page 11

OBITUARY.

MR B. M. CLARKE. The death took place last week at Dargaville of Mr Eric Mauley Clarke, for many years a dentist in the town, who retired recently. Born at Southampton 74 years ago, Mr Clarke was the second son of Colonel Koss Clarke, K.E., P.E.S., F.B.AS., who for 27 years was in charge.of ™ e ±rl " gonometrical Department of Ordnance Survey, Southampton, and published a number of books dealing with the science of trigonometry. Mr Clarke was educated at Eton and came to New Zealand in 1878 in the ship Albion. *rom 1880 to 1884 he was master in mathematics at Lincoln Agricultural College, Canterbury, and was an assistant master at Wanganui Collegiate School from 1888 to 1896. While in Wanganui Mr Clarke studied dentistry and qualified as a surgeon dentist in 1899. Subsequently he practised his profession at Feilding, Kimbolton, and Norsewood before going to Dargaville in 1920. He was actively interested in Boy Scout work and was a past master of the Tongariro Masonic Lodge. MR EDWARD WALTER. (FBBS3 ASSOCIATION TELEORAM.) STBATFORD, January 30. The death has occurred of Mr Edward Walter, a former M.P. for Stratford, aged 66. Born in Cornwall, he came to New Zealand in 1886. After a year in the Waikato and Hawke's Bay, he took land at Douglas, where he lived until his death. He rendered long service on local bodies, being chairman of the Stratford County Council. He defeated Mr B. Masters for the Stratford seat in 1925, but lost the seat at the next election to Mr W. J. Poison. He had been ill for the last six months. MR J. L. BECK. By tho death of Mr James Laurian Beck, music in the Dominion, especially in Christchurch, has lost one of its most prominent and devoted teachers of the violin, as well as a violinist of merit. Mr Beck's musical capabilities were of a high standard, covering theory, harmony, and orchestration. In the last-named branch of the art his work was widely known, as he had been commissioned to orchestrate for most of the musical societies throughout the Dominion. Mr Beck was born in Perth, Western Australia, and came to New Zealand with his parents at an early age, settling in Wanganui, where the greater portion of his life was spent. One or tho features of his teaching in Wanganui was orchestral work, m which he had much success. In December ho gave a successful students' orchestral recital, the advent of which promised well for Christchurch music. Mr Beck received his early instruction in the violin from Mr John Armstrong, of Wanganui, and when he went to London to further his studies he was a pupil of Eugene Polonaski, a Russian violin virtuoso, J. G. Gregory, and Dr. J. F. Karn. His works snowed a thorough knowledge of mußic, together with an originality that clearly showed tho composing spirit. He was proud of his son. Haydn, whom he taught when a child. The result of his teaching was so distinctive that the boy was hailed as a brilliant violinist and toured through New Zealand, giving many successful concerts. So far advanced was young Beck that the Brussels Royal Conservatorium readily accepted him as a student, and a private pupil of Ocsar Thomson, the famous Belgian violinist. Mr Harold Beck, the well-known 'cellist, also received his first tuition from his father. __ Mr Beck married Miss Wilma Kobler, daughter of Mr and Mrs Fred Kobler, of WnnEanui, who predeceased him twenty years ago. He is survived by one daughter, Mrs Ralph PaScoe, of Perth, and two sons, Mr Haydn Beck, of Sydney, and Mr Harold Beck, of Christchurch. Ho had two sisters, Mrs H. Marquet (Christchurch) and Mrs W. Davidson (Wanganui) and a brother, Mr F. Beck (Wellington).