DISTINGUISHED CAREER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22986, 15 September 1936, Page 10

DISTINGUISHED CAREER

TOURING ENGLISH JOURNALIST MR TOM CLARKE AT AUCKLAND (Special to Daily Times) . AUCKLAND, Sept. 14. Well-known in Fleet street as news editor of the Daily Mail under the late Lord Northcliffe, of whom he has drawn a striking portrait in “My Northcliffe Diary,” published in 1931, Mr Tom Clarke, now director of practical journalism at London University, was among the passengers on the Niagara, which arrived from Sydney. He is on a world tour with his daughter, Miss E. P. Clarke, and is returning to England after a visit to Australia, where he was at one time assistant editor of the Melbourne Herald and found material for his book. “Marriage at 6 a.m.” As a journalist Mr Clarke was more disposed to seek information than give it when interviewed, and he asked a number of questions about the Labour Government and the effects of the new industrial legislation. He inquired about the progress of the negotiations for an air mail service across the Tasman, and spoke enthusiastically of the oroposed Empire route to be operated by Imperial Airways. When the plans of the Pan-American AirWays were mentioned he expressed surprise that New Zealand should show a preference for an American air service before a British one. Mr Clarke visited New Zealand 10 years ag~.- and stated that he still had happy memories of the country. Appointed to his present position last year, Mr Clarke began his career in journalism in 1902. In the following four years he visited many parts of the Far East, and during the Russo-Japanese war he was special correspondent to the London Daily Mail and the Chicago Tribune in French Indo-China. Later he went to London as*>news editor of the Daily Sketch, and in 1911 he joined the foreign staff of the Daily Mail, to which he was appointed news editor on his return from the army in 1919 by the late Lord Northcliffe. From 1923 to 1926 Mr Clarke was assistant editor of the Melbourne Herald, and later he was editor and director of the News Chronicle, London, until 1933.