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Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1927, Page 2

Tun name of Sir IT. IT. Johnston should be fairly familiar to the people on this side of the world. He was in many respects one of the great men of the age. Quite apart from hi-, almost. miraculous versatility, a writer in a contemporary thinks that he deserved to be called great because of the extraordinary practical achievements that are to be credited to him. Trained first as an artist, he travelled all over Europe while still very young, studying architecture and foreign languages. Ho came hack to London, studied zoology and anatomy, and then through love of adventure, went on a long series of journeys through the Dark Ointment. following Stanley's footsteps to the Upper Congo and beyond Famous now for liix explorations and for hi- successful handling cf native races, he helped to organise British administration in Nigeria. Then in Fast Africa lie assisted in putting down the slave trade arumd the groat lakes. B.v this time the idea of the All Red “Cape to Cairo” route appealed to him, but be did more Ih.u.ii any other man but Cecil Kliodc.s to make the dream a reality. All through the intense activity of hi- middle life lie was painting, making researches into African botany and zoology, and compiling an immense amount of valuable material dealing with the ethnology and the .social life of the African negro. When at. last lie retired from his many official positions he wrote n number of important .books dealing with Africa, its people, and its future. Finally, in bis old age. be took to writing novels to divert himself, and succeeded in amusing a large number of other people as well. A strong, courageous man. self-assertive, selfreliant. and amazingly versatile, he upheld the dignity and prestige of Britain wherever he went, and his name well deserve.-: a high place on the list of our ‘‘builders of Empire.”