FUNERAL OF MR. AITKEN

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 280, 20 August 1921, Page 8

FUNERAL OF MR. AITKEN

NOTABLE GATHERING OF CITIZENS THE CITY’S TRIBUTE OF RESPECT / -fl . The respect and esteem felt by the citiBons of Wellington for the late Hon. J. G. W. Aitken was demonstrated in striking njanner yesterday at the funeral. Ono of the largest gatherings of mourners ever seen in. the city assembled in and around St, John’s Church, Willis Street, whore a special service was held 'before tho cortege started on its way to the Karori cemetery. It is not too much to say that every section of the community and every shade of public opinion was represented. The late Mr. Aitken had made for himself an extraordinarily wide sphere of public and private usefulness, and his helping hand had been over at the disposal of those who needed it. These facts were silently acknowledged by those who assembled yesterday to pay to him a last tribute of affectionate regard. Tho Presbyterian Church, of which ho had been a pillar, was particularly strongly represented. The business community had sent hundreds of its members, and practically every public body and social organisation in Wellington had its share in the city’s tribute to a prominent citizen. The ActingPrimo Minister (Sir Francis Bell) and other members of the Ministry and of the Legislature were present. The service in St. John’s Church was eolomnly impressive. The Rev. Dr. J. Gibb, who conducted) the service, was supported by tho leading ministers of tho Presbyterian Church in Wellington. The coffin, with a great mass of wreaths, had been placed below the pulpit. Every seat in the church was occupied, and many hundreds of people stood in tho aisles or waited in the grounds and the Dr. Gibb, in tho course of a brief address, said that those present that day Fadi gathered to honour the memory of a noble man, a man of strong personality and many excellences, which had earned for him a remarkable, if not a unique, place in the affection and esteem of the community. His wide knowledge x his sound judgment, and his great common-sonse had been recognised and appreciated by a very wide circle of people. They had been manifest alike in the disposition of his own affairs and in the counsel that he tendered to those who sought his guidance. His associates in the mahy public, philanthropic, and religious bodies on which he served would he the first to endorse this- estimate. In shrewdness of judgment, in ability to discern tho essential, in omitting the irrelevancics which disturbed less perspicuous men, he stood pre-eminent. 'The late Mr. Aitken w»a also a worker of indefatigable industry. Few members. of the community were aware how many and how great were the burdens that he had carried. Only those more intimately associated with him could realise how heavy had been tho load carried on those broad shoulders.

"Ho toiled to the end,’’ said Dr. Gibb. "It was a touching sight to seo this once' strong man, upon whom death had manifestly set his seal, labouring painfully at his tasks—painfully, but with never a word of repining or complaint. It is .neither for his natural shrewdness nor his manifold labours that ho will be chiefly held in dear remembrance. His crowning characteristic was his absolutely disinterested love of his fellowmen. His public successes were a sheer triumph of character. He ever put the interests of others before his own. Effective as was the public service inspired by that high regard for tho interests of others, ho will he specially remembered for his private benefactions, for the service that he rendered to tho victims of misfortune or sin. To be in distress of body or spirit was an instant appeal to his overflowing sympathy. Only the great day of God will reveal how many fellow-beings he benefited, taking their hands and never hesitating to put his own hands deep into his pocket to relieve their necessities. It would be difficult to find his equal in unostentatious good, in self-denying devotion to the interests and the needs of his fellow-men.

"Ona word must be added. It is the most significant of the words that may be spoken concerning him. The secret of this life of his —I tell it who know—was that he was baptised into the Spirit of Christ. It was in unbroken fellowship with the liord Jesus Christ whom he loved that lie found, his abiding inspiration. We know ho was of a genial and kindly but you must go deeper than mere natural tendencies to account for his wonderful character. His lite was maintained by heavenly manna. It breathed the fragrance, the purity, and the beauty of the Evangel. Ido not claim that he was a perfect man. There has been only one perfect man. But weighing my words I say that I, who have known many men, never have known another man whoso life bo clearly and so graciously adorned the doctrine of Christ's fellowship." The organist played the Bead March from "Saul" at the close of the service. After the close of the service at the church the coffin was curried to the hearse by elders of tho Presbyterian Church, and was taken to the Karorl cemetery. It was followed by many hundreds-of people on foot, and by a Jong procession of njiotor-cara. Those who (wtflked, including the ipupils of Hoots College and St. Margaret's College, were given places on tramcnrs after they had reached Hill Street, and were conveyed to Karorl, where the service at the grave was conducted by Dr. Gibb in the presence of the largest gathering « mourners oV€r Ee6n in th® cemetery. /the- Government was represented at the funeral by the Acting-Prime Minister (Sir Francis Bell), the Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie), and other members of tho Ministry. The city members of Parliament were all present. The Legislative Council, of which the late Mr. Aitken was a member until shortly before his death, was represented by Sir Walter Buchanan, the Hon. Dr. Collins, the Hon. AV. Earnshaw, the Hon. W. J. Geddes, and other councillors. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. R. A Wright, M.P.) and the ex-Mayor (Sir John Luke) were accompanied by the city councillors and representatives of the corporation staff. Tho Wellington Education Board was represented by Mr. T. Forgyth (chairman), J. J. Clark, G. L. Stewart, F. E. Bakewoll, and A. MacDougall. The Technical Education Board was represented by Messrs. W.. H. Bennett (chairman), T. Ballinger, C. H. Lawrence, AV. W. J. Pascoe, and J. H. Howell (director). Major W. Hardham, V.C., and Mr. J. W. Pascoe represented the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. Mr. J. T. Martin, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and other members of the chamber, were present. The Central Chamber <.f Commerce was represented. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt and Mr. E. C. Jack represented the Wellington Town Planning Association. The Educational Institute, the Young Men's Christian Association, and Home for Aged Needy were among many other bodies whose officers and members had come to honour the memory of the late Mr. Aitken. The Public .Departments were represented by prominent officers, including tho Under-Sec-retary Jor. Int“rnaL.Affair,».(Mr.,,J. -JliSr K.pfcTho, bir-iness firms with which-Mr., Aitken, was connected, and many other prominent firms and companies, had representatives in the church and at the graveside. These included: Dr. Anson, Messrs. C. W. Earle, G, F. Johnston, and T. 9. Weston (directors), and A.

Sando, G. S. M'Nair, and R. B. Bell representing the Wellington Publishing Company. Mr. A. Menzies represented S'coullars Ltd. Among the many very old friends of Mr. Aitken present were the Bev. J. Paterson and Mr. J. Kirkcaldie.

A combined memorial service In memory of the late Mr. Aitken will bo held at the Y.M.C.A. on Sunday afternoon.