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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Mr. Archibald Clements

Mr. Archibald Clements, J.P., Hobson Park Road, Auckland, is a prominent and well-known colonist, and was born at Keadue, County Roscommon, Ireland, in 1840. He was educated at the national school of his native place, and when fourteen years of age he entered the service of an old-established business firm in Mohill, with whom he remained four years. Mr. Clements then went to the page 428 city of Londonderry, where he obtained an appointment in the leading business firm, and displayed such marked aptitude and commercial knowledge that, although quite a youth, he was appointed manager, and held the position for over seven years with credit to himself and the proprietors. Wonderful accounts of the Australian goldfields were then appealing to the popular imagination, and Mr. Clements, with the enthusiasm and hope of youth, left his native country, with the determination of achieving success at the Antipodes. He landed in Melbourne in 1861, and remained for over eighteen months in a Melbourne office. About that time the Otagogoldfields were much talked about, and Mr. Clements determined to try his fortune in New Zealand. After his arrival in Otago he experienced ups and downs for a few years on the various goldfields. He first tried Hogburn (now Mount Ida) where he was fairly successful, but joined Clarke's “rush,” and was one of the first to peg out a claim on that field. Some time afterwards he left for Auckland, where he arrived in 1863, during the time of the Maori troubles, and joined the 3rd Waikato Militia, whence he transferred, later on, to the commissariat transport corps. He served his adopted country for a considerable time in that connection, and then entered into business as general storekeeper and merchant at Cambridge. In this sphere his early training and talent for trade were of great advantage, and in a short time his business became the leading one in the district. During the twenty-eight years of his residence in Cambridge Mr. Clements's name was intimately connected with every movement that had for its object the improvement and welfare of the town and district. His success enabled him to acquire large and valuable landed property. Clements' Park, of 250 acres, adjoining the town, forms part, of the Clements' Park Estate, on which he resided for over twenty years. Mr. Clements carried on an extensive business at the Thames in connection with his Cambridge business, and also built two fine hotels. During his long residance in Cambridge Mr. Clements occupied many public positions; the was one of the members of the first road board, and was also mayor of Cambridge. Mr. Clements has twice revisited his native land. On his first visit he married the eldest daughter of the late Mr. William Rose, of Ballinlee, County Longford, and sister of the late Rev. John Henry Rose, M.A., vicar and dean of Clerkenwell, London; and of the issue of the marriage, there is one surviving daughter. Before leaving the Colony on his second visit to Ireland, Mr. Clements suggested to the late Sir George Grey, a proposal for bringing out a number of superior immigrants, of both sexes. Sir George was highly pleased with the idea, and Mr. Clements brought out about fifty young men and women, the greater number of whom have become prosperous colonists. About 1891 Mr. Clements left Cambridge for Auckland, where be now leads a life of retirement. He has been a Justice of the Peace since 1877, when he and the late Mr. Andrew Diworth were the first two honoured with the commission on the late Sir George Grey coming into office. Mr. Clements is at present a visiting Justice of the Auckland gaol, and a trustee of the Auckland Savings Bank, For some years he was a member of the Waikato Hospital Board. Mr Clements' name appears in the list of New Zealand war medallists, who are classified in the appendix to Gudgeon's “Defenders of New Zealand.”

Hanna, photo. Mr. A. Clements.

Hanna, photo.
Mr. A. Clements.