LATE MR. AITKEN

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 49, 26 August 1921, Page 11

LATE MR. AITKEN

MOTIONS OF SYMPATHY.

At a meeting of the office-bearers of St. John's Presbyterian Church, held on Wednesday night, the following resolution was passed:—"By the death of Mr. John G. W. Aitken, the congregation has sustained the loss of its most honoured member, the office-bearers of a brother, nay, a father, esteemed not less for his kindliness than his wisdom; and the minister a most loyal and helpful friend. The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand has in almost equal measure cause to mourn this bereavement. In the general work .of the Church Mr. Aitken took ever the keenest interest. To the Assembly and to many of its committees, notably the Board of Property, the New Century Fund, Home Missions, and. finance he rendered services and made contributions that have laid the- Church under an enduring debt of gratitude. Outside the Church, Mr.. Aitken laboured as strenuously for the public good. To every organisation that made for righteousness, that promoted philanthropy, that aimed at the betterment of the moral and social condition of the people, he gave the unstinted support of his time and means., [ft the City Council and Parliament, ' hath in the House of Representatives fnd the Legislative Council, he worked unceasingly for the general good with a zeal wholly free from personal ambition end selfishiends. Mr. Aitken was no common man. Gifted by nature-with a nhysio-je capable of enduring toil beyond the averago man's capacity, with a tenacious memory and much mental shrewdness, he would in any case have made his mark upon contemporary life. But his distinguishing excellence was his character. In tall the virtues that commend 1 the business man to his fellows he stood preeminent. Of" unblemished integrity, his word in every transaction was as good as his bond. But it was something more than this that earned for him the universal esteem and even affection of his fellow-citizens and of the Church. It was the conviction universally enter tamed that in him the community had a man who served because he loved to serve. His supreme quality x was bane volence. And to the Church it is a chief cause of thanksgiving that his love.of man, was inspired by his love of God Beyond all question the dominating fac tor in Mr. Aitken's character and life was his faith in Christ, in Whom he .with his wholo heart believed, and Whose will he ever sought humbly and reverently to do. As he lived so he died. He passed away trusting wholly in the mercy of God his, Saviour, through Whom he has now received. the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul. The office-bearers tender to the relatives of Mr. Aitken their deep sympathy and commend them in their bereavement to the compassions of the Most High. As the best tribute they can pay to his memory, they pledge themselves, as far as possible, to t?,ke up the burdens of the Church so long and so willingly borno by him who has now fallen asleep in the Lord."

Tile services'rendered to the community by the late Mr. J. G. W. Aitken were referred to at yesterday's' meeting of the Hospital Board. Mr. F. Castle, chairman, said that Mr. Aitken's death, was a great loss to the city. Mr. Castle moved: "That the board convey its sincere sympathy /to the relatives of the late Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, who was chairman of this board at its inception in April, 1910, and resigned in March, 1911, and'also records its high appreciation of his many valuable p-üblic services." The motion was carried, members standing.

The. following . motion of condolence was passed at the anniversary meeting of the Sailors' Friend Society last evening ':—"That this meeting desires to place on record its deep regret at the homecall of the late Hon. J. G. W, Aitken, a member of the committee, who, -by his wise counsel and devotion to the work, did so much to further the temporal and spiritual interests of men who used this building; further,; it desires to tender its keen sympathy to his relatives in the loss of so worthy a, citizen and friend."*

Reference to the loss suffered through, the death of Mi. J. G. W. Aitken was made by Mr. T. Shailer Weston at last night's meeting of tho New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.