Obituary: Frank Clarke

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Fighter for the poor. Born in Hertfordshire, England ,1922. Died in Auckland last Saturday, aged 78.

Frank Clarke's new car in the early 1970s was a source of fun to those who knew him. It was a Skoda. And Frank had a ready response: what other new car could a true socialist buy?

The Czechoslovakian car wasn't flashy, sold for a modest $2500, and would keep half the mechanics in West Auckland in business for the next 10 years. His humour - and seriousness about lifting the living standards of workers, state tenants and pensioners - won the Te Atatu battler widespread affection and gratitude.

Frank, born John Francis Josh Clarke, put it down to his austere upbringing in England. His parents lost job and home during the 1920s, and at two-and-a-half years old Frank, and his elder brother Vic, were sent to an orphanage. They went on to Blaisdon Hall, an agricultural school. Here, under the guidance of the Salesian Brothers, the boys learned their specialties - growing bumper tomatoes and helping others.

When the Second World War broke out, 15-year-old Frank joined the Royal Navy, serving four-and-a-half years in submarines. He learned about socialism during calls at Russian and Baltic ports, and what he saw of the war made him a stalwart of the peace movement. "I didn't want another generation to live through what we did."



After the war he came to New Zealand, married Thelma, and they became sharemilkers at Wellsford.



In Auckland, he went to work as a safety officer and dangerous goods inspector, union official, and was secretary of the Auckland Trades Council from 1981 until 1986. A contemporary socialist and trade union official, Bill Andersen, recalls him as "a balanced mixture of socialism and Catholicism who applied Christianity to life."

Some of Frank Clarke's greatest victories were early last decade as president of the Combined Beneficiaries Union. One of many challenges against state agencies was an appropriate 70th birthday present - stopping a rent rise for 246 state tenants.

He quit the union in 1996 because he wanted to step up his political lobbying and did not want it to suffer by losing government funding. The Poverty Action-Fair Deal Coalition and Citizens Against Privatisation became outlets for his energy and ideals.

In September, he left his sick bed to tackle the Waitakere City Council over a $100 flat fee for water, then asked the Ombudsman to investigate the rating policies of Go Waitakere. He said that as a Justice of the Peace he felt morally compelled to take them on.

Frank Clarke credited his achievements to a strong partnership with Thelma. Buying office equipment to keep the wheels of protest rolling meant few luxuries for their retirement. They ran a big garden for an unemployment scheme, finding jobs for 52 young people.

He is survived by Thelma, daughter Barbara and son Peter.

* An informal memorial gathering will be held at the Te Atatu Tavern from 2 to 4 pm today.