Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

OBITUARY.

MR J. C. WILKIN. A cable message received this morniiig announces the death in Paris of Mr J. C. Wilkin, managing director of the " Lyttelton Times" Company^ and a well-known figure in commercial and newspaper circles in Christchurch. Mr Wilkin was born in London in 1843, and came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship Travancore t which arrived in Lyttelton in March 1851. He entered the office of th© "Lyttelton Times" in 1856, over fi|ty years ago, and since then he has been associated., continuously with the commercial side of the journal, haying occupied the position of manager for the last twenty years. He started in the service as messenger boy, at a time when the "Lyttelton Times" was controlled Ly Messrs Crosbie Ward and C. C. Bowen. Later, Mr W- Reeyes purchased the interest of Mr Bowen, and a few years afterwards _ when the " Lyttelton Times," which practically meant the Hon W. Reeves and Messrs Ji, W. Hamilton and T. Maude, developed into the " Lyttelton Times" Company, Mr Wilkin mounted to a more prominent place on the clerical staff of the journal. He progressed steadily in the service, and in 1876 was appointed ' assistant manager by the late managing director, the Hon W. Reeves. When the company was formed officially in 1881, Mr Wilkin was appointed secretary, still retaining the position of assistant manager. In 1893, some time after the death of the Hon W. Reeves, Mr Wilkin, who had in the meantime acquired a considerable intereet in the company, was appointed a director, and since then he had occupied the position of managing director. In March last Mr Wilkin left with his wife and some members of hie family on a prolonged tour of the Old World. His health' deemed to suffer from the change, and on his way to join the steamer that was to bring him back to New Zealand he was taken seriously ill in Paris. An unsuccessful operation was performed, and he died yesterday. Mr Wilkin's career had been intimately associated with the growth of the _ " Lyttelton Times " from a small sixpenny bi-weekly to its present prominent * position amongst the daily papers of the dominion. When he entered the employ of the "Lyttelton Times." the journal had a circulation of from 400 to 600 copies twice a week. At that time the paper was published in Lyttelton, then the chief cepitre of the province, and it was not. until 1863 that the growth of Christchurch made necessary a removal to an office erected in Gloucester Street, on the site of the present* large building. The circulation grew with the population. _ Mr Wilkin saw the paper increasing in influence and prosperity, and was responsible for a good deal of the enterprise that has conduced to those results. Just prior to his departure from New Zealand early in the year he saw the instalment of a fourreel rotary Hoe printing machine, Papable of printing 24,000 twelve-page papers pei* hour, folded ready for delivery, the machine being made, necessary by the t fact that the circulation had increased during Mr Wilkin's connection with the "TLyttelfcon Times" from l.ass than 1000 per week tp close upon 20,000 copies per day, not to mention the separate circulations of the "Star" and the " Canterbury Times," Mr Wilkin was married in 1870,; and leaves a wiie, six sons and four daugbo-err-J. His wife and ' two daughters, Misses Alice and Zoe Wilkin, were with him in the Old' World. . The other members of the family are Mrs R. G. Thomas, wife of the Supreme Court registrar, Auckland ; . Mrs S. P. R. fOook, Masterton ; Mr J. Wilkin ; Mr F. Wilkin, Waiau ; Messrs Archie Wilkin, C. W r ilkin and AUan Wilkin, 1 Christchurch, and Mr G. Wilkin, . Palmerston North. ,

[Per Press Association.] NAPIER, December 19. The- death is recorded of Mr John "Vantier, who was prominently connected with the district for the past fifty years. He took an active interest in local politics, particularly in Harbour Board affairs. He was seventy-four years of age. f

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19071219.2.53

Bibliographic details

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9113, 19 December 1907, Page 3

Word Count
676

OBITUARY. Star (Christchurch), Issue 9113, 19 December 1907, Page 3

OBITUARY. Star (Christchurch), Issue 9113, 19 December 1907, Page 3