DE GARIS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1925, Page 4

DE GARIS

A FRIEND’S TRIBUTE. AUCKLAND, January 14. A mail who knew de Gnris in Australia for several years. being at times in close association with him, and now is in New Zealand, expressed to-day keen regret at the trend of events which culminated in his arrest. 1 know very well,” be remarked, ‘‘that I am not the only one who will feel a very real sympathy with J. 11c is a wonderful man in many ways, and beyond all doubt is a born organiser.”

How directly de Garis’s personality appealed to those who worn associated with him was. said his Triend, indicated in many ways. He aimed always at getting his schemes carried through to completion, and having deputed a phase of a particular enterprise to any one man, lie did not care what money his employee spent, or what lines he followed, so long as the matter was finished at due date and to his satis-j faction. ‘‘Although at the moment he is under a cloud, I cannot believe him to be other than the straightforward I man I found him. 1 never knew him to cause an injury to anyone if he could avoid it. Generally speaking, I j do not think he had a definite idea of J the value of money. He was. 1 should j say, purely an organiser as distinct from a financier, and if lie were engaged in any big undertakings in that capacity he would be a fine acquisition to any group of finnaeiers putting out capital for development purposes.”