THE LATE HENRI CLAPCOTT.

Evening Star, Issue 10425, 21 September 1897, Page 2

THE LATE HENRI CLAPCOTT.

The late Mr Henry. Clapcott wen a descendant of ah old .English family, who designed and educated him for the Episcopal priesthood. On coming to look out for himself in the world, when age had matured his. ideas, his conclusion was that another vocation was more in consonance with ideas of usefulness; so, along with a brotherhaving received their due portion—resolved to emigrate, and, strange to say, that instead of being tempted by the English settlement of Canterbury, both madechoice of the Scotch (Otago), arriving here by the Berniou in December, 1848. .Their attention was directed to the South, and after examining the country in 1852 took up a large rtin at Popatuna, where, as sheep .farmers, the brothers carried on business for maDy years. In 1864 deceased wa9 appointed a trustee of the Dunedin Savings Bank, and was in the «ame year elected for the Wakatipu district as a member of the ProA incial Council, and became Treasurer in the Paterson Administration, his colleagues in office being tie late Hon. James Paterson, Hon. H. J. Miller, James Adam (Bon Accord), and the lnjte John Cargill. On April 18, 1865, the Executive resigned, being defeated on a vote of no-confidence in their financial management. In the same year Mr Clapcott was proposed as Superintendent of the Province on the retirement of Mr Harris, but afterwards withdrew, leaving the contest to Messrs Dick and M'Glashan, the former being elected. Thereafter he withdrew from public life, the smiles cf fortune having been withdrawn from him, and his subsequent career was a somewhat checkered one, holding a number of positions of a less ostentatious character. Declining health for Borne time past causud hia retirement into private life, and he closed his career on the 19th inst., at the age of sixtyseven'. The funeral takes place to-morrow. ' LM.I.