CITIZEN'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 15

CITIZEN'S DEATH

MR. R, A. AICKIN CAREER IN BUSINESS CHURCH AND FREEMASONRY A prominent member of the business community in Auckland and a man whoso active interest in many other spheres won him widespread respect, Mr. Reginald Arthur Aickin, chairman of directors of C. Aickin and Sons (Auckland), Limited, died in a private hospital yesterday, aged 59 years. Mr. Aickin was a son of the late Mr. Casement Aickin, sen., and was born at Iliversdale, Avondale. Ho was educated at the Mount Eden and Ponsonby schools and tho Auckland Grammar School and his early business training was gained on the staff of tho Hkraid and in tho auctioneering business of tho late Mr. Carpenter Arthur. Subsequently he became secretary of the Northern Coal Company Limited, but relinquished this post to join his father and a brother, tho late Mr. Hugh Aickin, in tho family business, which had been founded in. tho year of his birth. Humanitarian Activities At no time did Mr. Aickin aspire to any great prominence in public life, but his work for the Anglican Church and for the Masonic Order in Auckland was conspicuously devoted. He served as a vestryman of several churches, the last being St. Alban's, Dominion Road. Tho possessor of a fine voice, he was at various times a member of the choirs of St. Jude's Church, Avondale, the Church of the Epiphany and All Saints', Ponsonby. Much of his

time and energy was given to humanitarian activities associated with the Church. Similarly in Freemasonry he attained wide popularity and esteem and was master of Lodge Maungawhao, Mount Eden. . . . Outside his own business activities, Mr. Aickin was a member of the council of the New Zealand Institute of Creditmen and an honorary director of tho New Zealand National Creditmen's Association (Auckland), Limited. He was a fellow of the Accountants and Auditors' Association and an associate of tho New Zealand Society of Accountants. Service in Depression During the depression he took a leading part in organising a voluntary association which sought to promote the modernising of buildings in order to givo much-needed relief to the building trade. He became the first president of the organisation and liis own personal efforts led many property-owners to undertake work of permanent value and at tho same time to provide for numbers of tradesmen and their families. Mr. Aickin always took a keen interest in outdoor sport and until some years ago he was a member of tho West End Bowling Club. His main sporting interest, however, was cricket, of which he was an enthusiastic patron and which ho still followed even when illness prevented him from attending matches. Mr. Aickin is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters, and there are three grandchildren. Two of his brothers, Mr. Hush Aickin and Mr. Casement Aickin, the well-known surgeon, predeceased him in 1934 and 11)36 respectively.