THE LATE JAMES CLARKE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1920, Page 4

THE LATE JAMES CLARKE

AN APPRECIATION. It is probably a providential psycholo< gieal provision that denies to some ofu( the ability to calmly analysis and ex. press with any degree of certainty oui innermost emotions, and the spontaneoui vocal expression is in all likelihood th» nearest approach possible ito a true re cord of one's feelings. That at least it the conclusion that forces itself upoi one at this moment, when endeavorinf to visualise for composition sne'B senst of the immense personal and civic lost this community lias sustained througl the tragic passing of our First Citiidn In the heyday of his virile manhood, an< in the- full enjoyment of domestic fellci' tatieri, having earned the confidence o» his fellow-citizens, to speak not of tli< personal regard and affection of hnndreds of his fellows throughout thi length and breadth of the Dominion, it ii difficult to realise that life here for bin is no more. .

Had I attempted, &» I was asked, t< pen these few inadequate words Of ap< preciation a day ago, I should have aek« ed: "Do we realise what we have lost it New Plymouth through the death of Mr James Clarke?" But ithere is no need t« ask that question. Sunday's wonderful tribute of respect far more than ade' quately silences doubt. From thousandl of citizens of New Plymouth and Tara< naki respect was paid ito a most worthj Mayor "and fearless public man, whosi every public action bore the impress ol transparent honesty and good jlldg< ment; whose tolerance, to the unknow< ing, almost savoured of laxity; whos« abhorrence of all cant and hypocrisy wag proverbial, and to whom every decent fellow was of his brotherhood.

For a man so young in years, and with his way for himself and his dependents to make in the world, "Jim" Clarke rendered service to this town at great sacrifice to his own interests, and can never be repaid. Not that he ever thought it so, or dreamt that he was doing mors than his share Thnt was the way ol our friend. Never were any of his multifarious public duties negleeted that lie might devote time to hiji own when these interests clashed, and it has beet well for New Plymouth that in Jamei Clarke it had an Aristides whose shoul ders were broad, and whose spirit wai willing and cheerful, to .larry the com' munity worries. He truly understood an< practised the duty of citizenship. But while we honored and respectei

lim as our Mayor, it was as our friem

and chum that we valued him, ant mourn him now. The catholicity of liii friendships was something almost be yontl one's comprehension, but he possessed in unusual development thai "something" that promptly ripened acquaintance into friendship, His genial ity was undoubtedly a quality that drew we honiiletical mortals to him, but i 1 required a solid supporting programim other than geniality to keep us all togcther, in close companionship. I an not sufficient of a discerning wizard t< describe the characteristics of his peculiarly natural guilelessness. Deceit wai quite foreign to his nature, indeed to hit comprehension. He was invariably forhenrant. towards men's weaknesses, and tolerant of all men's opinions. Mentally alert and physically strong, lie enjoyed at all times the good things offering in life without being obsessed by any of them. He possessed a keen sporting instinct, and long ago was foremost in the government of many branches of Dominion athletics. A ath« lete himself, he was known as one who always played the game. And though lie Ims gone, young in years, it seems to me he never coulil have grown old. Neither the grind of business nor tlio strain of public life could ever have blunted his peculiar sense of humor and boyish Irresponsibility.

Liks us all he was probably not without li s human' failings, but of "Clarkey" it ran be truly said "he was utterly without. vice." He was above everything natural, unassuming and unostentatious In short., he was a man's man. His like '.'an ill be spared, but his going will not have been in vain if it a\vak«ns in the consciences of soma of our citizens the fact that they still have their public duty to perform. JIM McIEOD,