MR. J. R. KIRK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 14

MR. J. R. KIRK.

ONE OF GISBOIiNE'S BUSIEST MEN. . Ab the senior partner in the firm of Messrs. Kirk, Burnard, and Siovwright. Mr. J. B. Kirk, barrister-at-law and . Revising Barrister for the Poverty Bay district, leads a busy life, but lie manage* ■ nevertheless to devote a great deal of time to publio affairs. Some .timo a member of , the Gisborne Borough Council, he for a / period occupied the position of Deputy. I Mayor. .

Mr, -Kirk is a member of the Cooli Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, PJ™ J dent of the Overseas Club, a ]?eliow of the Royal Colonial Institute,- London, and holds a oommission as captain . to'i the Territorial Force. Education claims a ■ largo share of Mr. Kirk's attention. He is president of the Poverty Bay School Committees' Association, a governor of the Gisbonie High School, member of tho ICaiti School Committee, member of t'ho Hawko's Bay Education Board, and, was also a member of tho Royal Commission on Education which sat lust year. Mr. Kirk is vice-president of tho Gisborno: Chamber of iCommerce,: and one of the most progressive members of that body. Broad-minded, his activo, support can bo relied upon in, any intelligent movement , which has for its aim tho progress of th« town and district. Ho has already .been approached by influential citizens with ft request that, lie should contest the Gisborno seat at the next general election. Should lie- consent to t do so. his exceptional business capacity combined with liis wide popularity would mako mm a very strong candidate. _ • Previous to taking up his residence ax Gisborno, Mr. Kirk practised his profes--fiion nt Naseby (Otago), and was twioo elccted Mayor of that town..

applied to him for work. Ho would alwnys • End employment of. some kind for ,th« . applicant, even if by force of circuui- • stances it had to bo something which could yield him (the employer) no profitable return, ilo has been known to era- , ploy men digging wood from p. swamp rather than forsako his principle of never ' refusing work to an applicant. "'Work for all was his motto, and ho adhered , strictly to it. Ho accumulated consider- : able wealth, but no ono grudged him hi« , own largo share of tho general, prosperity . which he had done so much to promote, lie died in 1878, leaving a very valuable ' estate to the relatives who survived him, ■