THE LATE MR SYDNEY JAMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 39

THE LATE MR SYDNEY JAMES.

It seems hardly realisable as a fact that our veteran secretary has really gone to his long home. His resignation of the office he had held pretty well continuously since 1860, his illness, his death and burial— these have all taken place well inside the short space of three months. From one point of view, it seems hard that our old friend should not have lived awhile to enjoy the leisure which he had earned by a lite of constant application to duty. Looked at in the proper light, however, those who genuinely mourn his loss on account of the sharp snapping of pleasant personal connections will see that, tho sudden taking off is not to be deplored on Mr James's account. He had come to the ripe age of 76, and had lived a busy lite, and some men ot his stamp, endowed with keen mental activity, outlasting their bodily strength, do not take kuidly to retirement, but rather chafe and tret, teeling themselves out of place in their quiec surroundings. - Then, again, Mr James was, I happen to know, quite prepared for death. He felt beforehand that ins days were numbered. That was what he told me himself in a short confidential chat atter I hoard that he had sent in. his resignation. Yet ha was not at all case down at the prospecc. He faced it with no more concern tnaa he would have shown if asked to get ready for another race meeting-. They tell me that this preparedness was exhibited to the veiy last. .Such i» the end of a good man — the natural wind-up to a life in which duty and responsibility were faced. lam no preacher, but his death has its lesson for us all. The prophet's desire, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his," crimes a considerable amount of meaning 'to the reflective min f ]. The righteousness that sstan<i3 to a man when lie sees -Death coining is not the righteousness of churchgoing or a following of forms, but the righteousness that consists of doing one's duty by his fellows and securing the approval of a good conscience. That was Mr Sydney James's stand-by, and many a good racing man has found the same comfort. On his account we need not mourn. Our sympathy is rather with the widow and family he has left behind. To these sorrowing ones 1 tender heartfelt condolence, not only as from myself, but on behalf of other sporting writers and the racing community generally. Some account of Mr James's official career having been lecently published, a brief summary ol facts will now suffice. He was born at Wals>all, Staffordshire, on the 23rd January. 1825 ; came .to Adelaide in 1849 : made a short trip to England; started in. business with Mr T. Loader in Melbourne in 1852 ; arrived in Dunedin in 1858 by the steamer Queen ; became lessee of the club stables; was appointed secretary to the Otago Jockey Club on its formation in 1860 ; was secretary to the Duke of Edinburgh race meeting in 1869; and was made secretary of the Dunedin Jockt-y Club when that body was created in 1870— a post ho held till June of 1900, when, through failing health, he lesigned. In this long career he made lIO3IS of friends, 1 and we, shall remember him pleasantly as a competent secretaiy, a man of high character and extensive knowledge, and one who possessed the organising as well as the administrative facult3', ivhile those of us why knew him personally will ever bear htm in mind as a man of cultivated taste and loyal to the lafct degise in his friendship?. On Saturday afternoon, though the weather was cold and wet, -a large numbei of citizen? of all ranks attended the funeral. Dean Fitcliett read the burial service of the Church of England, and the Masons also conducted a service. The Dunedin Jockey 'Club made a point of being strongly represented, Mr Solomon (vice-president) being acconpanied by Messrs Bullock, Coughlan, Grindley, Meenan, Mills, and Vigers, whilst amongst the mourners I also noticed Mr Carr, rSlr Philp, Mr Arthur Smith, the Hon. Hugh Gourlcy, Mr John M'Donald, Mr George Dope, MiPhilip Ma«on, Mr Lachlnn Maclean, and others who either in the past or at present have had experience of the club's working and thus seen Mr Sydney James's fine management. The Gore Club sent Air Latham to do honour to the metropolitan's first secretary, and the Tuapaka Club's president, Mr Hugh Craig, was there, vrhilsi, the many messages ot condolence to t!;e family included telagrams from the Gore, "Winton, Alexandia, ynd Waikouaiti Clubp.