OBITUARY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 October 1924, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR JAMES BARKLA. A VARIED CAREER.' The death took place at his residence in Victoria Street yesterday of one of Hawera’s most esteemed citizens, in the person of Mr James Barkla. The late Mr Barkla has been farming in this district for many years, and during the past two and a half years has been living in retirement in Hawera. The late Mr Barkla was born in Cornwall 62 years ago, and when 18 years of age went to Colorado in the sensational days of the gold rushes. He later returned to England, and then went ranching in Mexico, where he remained for two years. He again returned to the Old Country for a short time, but the spirit of adventure then took him to Johannesburg, where he installed one of the first power-driven drills in one of the. big mines. He, however, took ill with fever and had to return to England, where for 16 years he was engaged in farming operations, which experience stood him in good stead when he came to New Zealand and took up land at Ararata. He later acquired more land at Tawhiti and took up his residence there until he retired and decided to spend the evening of life in Hawera. . He was one of the founders of the Farmers’ Co-op. Society, and had served on the directorate of the Hawera Dairy Co. and the Ararata Dairy Co. For the last five years he has been a prominent member of the Hawera Bowling Club. Deceased was one of Nature’s gentlemen, and wa3 highly thought of by all who knew him. He was always thoroughly straight in all his dealings, and his death may be regarded as a distinct loss to the district. He leaves a widow and six sons. The sons are: James Frederick, farmer, of Inaha; Thomas, Taranaki representative of the Gane Milking Machine Co.; Stanley and Leslie, farmers, of Tawhiti; Leonard, representative of the Gane Milking Machine Co. at Palmerston North; and George, who is still going to school.