MR GEORGE GOULD

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23353, 12 June 1941, Page 8

MR GEORGE GOULD

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER TRUST’S TRIBUTE Tributes to Mr George Gould’s work for the Waimakariri River Trust were paid at yesterday’s meeting of the trust, when. a motion of condolence with his relatives was passed on the motion of the chairman (Mr i. W. Freeman). , “Mr Gould was a commissioner, and an elected commissioner, for more than 10 years," said Mr Freeman. He brought to this table a fund of commercial and farming knowledge possessed by very few men in this province. Much conference had made nim a ready man and a wise counsellor He had a remarkable aptitude for selecting essential and rejecting irrelevant matter even in confused discussions, and this faculty of reducing any problem to its simplest forpi made him a most helpful member of any body such as ours, whose functions must be partly deliberative and partly executive. Mr Gould’s special knowledge, no less than his wide experience of affairs, was of great value to the trust. He had a wholesome respect for our old river, having watched and studied its dangerous vagaries for years. His experience was also of the greatest value to the trust in the management of the considerable area of land which through our operations came into our ownership. . „ “Mr Gould had been a leading figure in the commerce of Christchurch for more years than most of us can remember. He was one of the earliest scholars of Christ’s College, and he became one of the Fellows of the College- He was a director and for terms chairman of directors of several of the leading companies of this city. I think Mr Gould would wish to be remembered, however, for his activities m the service of the community. He was for many years chairman of St. George’s Hospital, he was the chief promoter of the Christchurch War Memorial, and it was mainly by his energy, foresight, and courage that the chief feature of our city, Cathedral square, was saved from defilement some 10 years ago. “He was known in the farming community as a connoisseur and judge of all classes of stock—cattle, sheep, and the thoroughbred horse. His interest in animals, and his love of them, was one of his outstanding characteristics. "Mr George Gould was a man of many parts. We, who knew, him well, held him in respect, esteem, and affection. We have lost a most valued colleague, and Canterbury has lost a most valued citizen. Men of such quality can ill be spared. We deeply regret his passing; we shall' honour his memory always and we sincerely sympathise with his family.’’ _____