FROM “BLUEY” TO SUCCESS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11652, 17 October 1923, Page 3

FROM “BLUEY” TO SUCCESS

WHAT HARD WORK CAN BRING MB JOHN GORDON’S CAREER. Mr John Gordon, whoso appointment as a member of the Dominion Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Revaluation Board is announced, has had a most interest* ins career. The story of his life is an object-lesson to tha young New Zealander starting on the land. It shows how a young man of grit and determination,, coupled with hard work and Honesty oi purpose, can steadily step from the bottom of the J adder to the topmost rung and retire to comfortably and deservedly enjoy the fruits of Lis labour, the incidents of his past life and the reputation be has earned with the people with whom he has laboured and shared the trials and tribulations borne with such fortitude by the early pioneers of New Zealand.

New Zealand has always offered opportunities to men whoso courage and inexorabL appetite for work made them face difficulties as they arose and 1 grapple with them fearlessly. It was the men of that calibre that 6et the founda- | tions of the Dominion, which holds the i proud position it does to-day in overseas j countries. In back yeare—in both isI lands —these mem literally sprang to the j fere. They were men who tackled the ■ very humblest of callings, and, winning [out with credit, gained high and responr feible positions in the community which ! their, hard labour and oourago brought jto them. Among these stalwarts can he placed Mr John Gordon, who hold© to-day in the field of primary industries and land matters a position equal to any of his contemporaries in the Dominion. He trill brinjj to his new sphere of action an extensive knowledge and eonnd judgment, which' must be to the interests of the soldiers on the land and to the good of the cointry. Born in Aberdeen. Mr Gordon came to New Zealand in 1680, with not only the characteristics of . his countrymen—grit and canniness—but with a ripened knowledge of farming in all its branches. He landed in Lyttelton on a_ Saturday, eager to tackle any sort of farm work to get a footing? in the country. On the following Monday he had, without aid, secured a job on a farm at Methren, Canterbury. He worked hard at his Methren job for some time, and became familiar with the conditions of the country. Then the roving spirit for fresh fields and experiences got him. He humped his r 'bluey A to Totara (Oamaru), and took up shearing. That step proved to be the crowning turn in his career. For his capabilities and hard work were recognised bv the late Thomas Meek, who promptly placed Mr Gordon in charge of nis large wheat-growing areas at Hakataramea (North Otago). Later — after a period of a little over four years —Mr Gordon waa offered, and accepted, the working control of "Newlands,” one of the properties of the New Zealand loan and Mercantile Company at Temuka, near Timaru. Subsequently Air Gordon was selected from a large number of applicants to take charge of a property known as "Woodlands,” at Taupiri (Waikato), comprising 87,000 acres. It was at Woodlands that Mr Gordon accomplished high destination as an agriculturist, farmer, and manager. At the time he took over " Woodlande” the property .was carrying only 2000 head of cattle and about a similar number of sheep. In a very short time "Woodlands,” under Air Gordon’s management, ; supported 42,000 sheep, 5000 head ot cattle, and two or three hundred horses. The property was later cut up. and the last to buy a piece of it was air R. McCallum, ex-M.P. for Wairau. Whilst at

"Woodlands,” Mr Gordon acquired a farm at Eureka, between Hamilton and Morrinsville, which he worked for many years until it was cut up for closer settlement. In 1909 Mr Gordou purchased a property nearer Hamilton, in which town he at present resides. Though actively engaged as a practical farmer all his life, and controlling big interests in land and stock, Mr Gordon, beside*- serving as a member of local bodies, was frequently engaged as a valuer of property, both by banking institutions and by settlers. His knowledge in this direction will be especially valuable in the new position for which he has been selected. Two of the institutions for which hp u?ade valuations were the Union Bank of Australia and the Auckland Savings Bank. . Mr Gordon was a member of the Kirtkiriroa Road Board for over 20 years, and only gave up his active connection as ohairman of the board on leaving in 1910 on a visit to the Homeland. For seventeen years he was a member of the Waikato County Council, for ten of which period he acted as chairman. He also served as a member of school committees and on tbe Licensing Bench. Another outlet for Mr Gordon s untiring energy was in serving as an assessor in the Assessment and the Arbitration Courts.

Altogether, Mr Gordon, who is of very genial temperament, has bad a most successful career. "1 have always had success,” remarked Mr Gordon a short time ago, "and this in a country in which a young man of perseverance, and who is not afraid of hard work, con succeed.”