M. B. Cooke

Mr Montague (Montie) Burgoyne Cooke, staff member for 22 years, Honourary Life Member and former secretary of the Association died in Christchurch on August 23, 1990, aged 84 years.

Monte Cooke was born in Timaru in 1906, was educated at Geraldine D.H.S. and entered Lincoln College in 1925. He completed the three year Certificate course and began work as a farm overseer and instructor at Wesley College, Paerata. Following a short period as instructor in agriculture at the Ashburton Technical College, he spent three years on the Wilden Estate, Heriot, before becoming manager of the Sea field irrigation farm in 1932.

Four years later he joined the State Advances Corporation and remained there for ten years, interrupted by war service and secondment to the Department of Agriculture.

In 1946 he joined the College staff under Professor Hudson and organized many short courses for returned servicemen. When the demand for these courses slackened off he took an ever-increasing interest in the Rural Field Cadet Training Scheme and in the Valuation and Farm Management Course. From 1951 he lectured in Rural Valuation and was appointed Senior Lecturer in 1957. In this capacity he also conducted correspondence courses in Rural Valuation for the New Zealand Institute of Valuers and in addition acted as an examiner. Mr Cooke authored several textbooks published by Lincoln College and contributed articles to the New Zealand Valuers Journal.

His name along with those of Bevin, Flay and Garret will be indelibly printed on the VFM Diploma Course with which he was associated for so many years. His lecturing style was dynamic and unique, his demand for precision unparalleled, as was his organising ability.

As secretary of the Old Student's Association, Montie Cooke served with seven presidents over a thirteen year period. He was elected to Honourary Life Membership in 1983.

Montie Cooke retired from Lincoln College in 1969 and for a period of 17 years until 1986 he practised in association with Robertson Young Telfer as a Registered Valuer in Canterbury, entering full retirement at the age of 80.

As well as being known to literally hundreds of students and staff during his 24 years at Lincoln College, Mr Cooke also rose to achieve considerable eminence in administrative circles. He was a member of the Valuers Registration Board for twelve years from 1967 and during the period 1974 to 1978 he was an additional member of the Administrative Division of the High Court.

Mr Cooke's service to the valuation profession was outstanding. His interest in the affairs of the New Zealand Institute of Valuers commenced prior to 1938 since he was Secretary of the South Canterbury Sub-branch of the Institute from the inaugural meeting in 1938 to 1946 and subsequently served for many years on the Canterbury/Westland Branch Committee including a term as Branch Chairman. From 1959 until 1967 Mr Cooke was a National Council Member representing the Canterbury/Westland Branch of the NZ Institute of Valuers and was National President of the Institute in 1964 and 1965.

Mr Cooke was a Foundation Member of the Institute in 1948 and was elevated to Fellowship Status in 1949. In 1970 he received the ultimate accolade from the profession when he was unanimously elected a Life Member.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen, a daughter and two sons. (Obituary: 1990 Alumni Magazine, p77-78)

M. B. Cooke's message to the celebrations of VFM 1938-1988 (1988 Lincoln College Magazine p54-55).

College staff (February 1946 - December 1968).