LAST TRIBUTES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 25, 9 November 1940, Page 6

LAST TRIBUTES

THE LATE DR. G. I. MILLER. VERY LARGE FUNERAL CORTEGE. Ashburton paid its last respects to its late Mayor (Dr. G. I. Miller) when the funeral took place at the Ashburton Cemetery this afternoon. The cortege was one of the longest ever seen in tho Borough, comprising about 250 cars, and all sections of the community in town and country assembled tot pay honour to the memory of a man who was deeply loved and- respected by everyone with whom he cariie in contact.

His many interests were evident from the large representation among the mourners of scores of local organisations, and there were so many floral tributes that two of the Borough Council lorries were required to convey them to the graveside, while there were many others on the casket. The chief mourners were: The Very Rev. George Miller (Dr Miller’s father), Messrs H. G. Gresham (Christchurch), Major Hunter, Messrs Nelson Saunders, Hugh Hunter, V. W. Russell. The bearers at the house were Messrs G. H. Nicoll, Major S. Hunter, Drs. A. J. Mason, W. R. Ryburn, Messrs Nelson Saunders and Hugh Hunter, while the coffin was carried from the hearse to the graveside byjseven members of the Ashburton Borough Council (Dr. J. Connor, Messrs H. W. Slier - ratt, H, W. H. Smallbone, S. Osborne, S. Mitchell, J. Thompson and A. H. Fenn). ' The Ashburton Silver Band, augmented by members of the Salvation Army Band, headed the cortege as it left the house and they played tho ’’Dead March” in Saul along Burnett Street and part of the way along East Street. There were hundreds of people on the sides of the street along which the cortege moved, and there were many expressions of genuine regret at the passing of Dr. Miller. The casket was preceded to the grave by the Ashburton County Scottish Society’s Pipe Band, Pipe-Major D. M ilson playing a Scottish lament. Tho Silver and Salvation Army Bands played two verses of the hymn “Abide With IMe.” A guard of honour was formed at the grave by several pupils of the Ashburton High School. The service at the cemetery was conducted byjthe Rev. R. S. Watson, M. who also conducted a short service at the house earlier. Wor. Bro. E. C. Bathurst (Ashburton Thistle Lodge) read the Masonic 'service at the cemetery. Representative Attendance. Among those who attended were tho Deputy-Mayor (Dr. J. Connor), Messrs S. Osborne, A. H. Fenn, S. Mitchell, J. Shaw, H. W. H. Smallbone, H. W. Sherratt, E. Buchanan, E. C. Bathurst, and J. Thompson (members of the Ashburton Borough Council), R. (C. Major (Town Clerk), J. R. Richardson (Borough Engineer), J. McElhinney (Borough Foreman), S. P. Taylor (County Chairman), J. Carr, H. C. B. Withell, C. A. Campion, F. Frampton (members of the County Council), H. A. Vefcey (County Engineer), G.. Kelly (County Clerk),* W. Bryant (Chairman of the Ashburton Hospital Board), J. H. Chapman (secretary, Hospital Board), W. G. Gallagher (member Hospital Board), G. A. Gilchrist (president, Chamber of Commerce and St. John Ambulance Association), H. Hefford, G. D. H. Hefford, C. Solway (Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade), R. D. Jennings (Ashburton Fanciers’ Society), R. A. Collins (chairman) and J, W. Bowden, W. H. Rundle, J. T. Thomas (directors) and F. Pritchard (manager, Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society), T. Wilson, R. G. Shearman and W. H. Amos (Ashburton Loan and Investment Society), R. H. D. Porter, A. Gregory (Ashburton Bowling Club), C. J. McEachen (Ashburton Competitions Society), E. A. Cockroft (headmastei-), R. McGregor, N. J. Hosking, G. V. Furby (secretary, Ashburton High School Board), Mrs J. Bennett (Ashburton Red Cross Society), Messrs E. B. Newton (Ashburton County Racing Club), the Revs. D. D. McLachlan and A. Mcßean, Dean J. J. McDonnelll, Messrs L. A. Charles (Borough’ Solicitor), R. Kennedy (County Solicitor), W. B. W. Bell, J. M. Mcßae (Ashburton Mail and Guardian Co., Ltd.), J, Sinclair, H. C. •McDonald, R. Totty, Sergeant-Major W. Edmonds, Messrs W. Crawford (Ashburton Technical High School), E. M. Gabites, W. G. Welsh, E. J. Daniel (Ashburton Returned Soldiers’ Association), S. H. Lill (Ashburton _ Masonic Lodge), G. ®. Argyle (Thistle Masonic Lodge), L. L. Aitken, L. W. Christmas, W. B. Thomas, D. Jones, G. Leahy, H. McElrea, J. Donn, Raymond Tucker, E. J. Tucker, James H. Tucker (Sydney), W. Thomas, W. JI. Sarney (president Ashburton (Club and M.S.A. and chairman Ashburton Borough School Committee), C, H. F. Maynard, J. Bathgate, V. Mulligan, L. B. Mace, A. Brown, H. Brown, J. W. Butterick, A. C. Vincent, H. Stevens, B. J. Evans, M. Turton, A. P. Matthews, W. R. M. Stewart, E. Edmiston, N. McAlister-, J. Suttio, T. E. Tarbotton, J. O’Connor, F. A. Hickman, C. J. Bonnington, R. L. Stephenson, M. J. Burgess, E. Brophy, L. C. Dunn, fe. W. Gower, J. Ewing, E. W. M. Cole, C. Ward (Postmaster), JI. L. Barker,'S. Smith, J. Ward, J. B. Cullen, Leo Cooper, JI. G. Ferrier (captain, Ashburton Golf Chib), L. C. Nash, H. G. Kemp, Drs. N. E. IT. Fulton and JI. S. Billcliff, R, M. Dunlop, A. Lane, J. E. Carter, D. JI. Moore (County War, Relief Fund), A. Flemington, J. Shearer, D. Shaw, E. Pasquali, W. R, Lane, L. T. Greenfield, N. Cornish, R. G. Ross and J. Lane (Ashburton High School Old Pupils’ Association), J. McQuilkin, T. Wilson, JL G. Sherbournc, G. Sliorbourne, R. Drummond, A. Etheridge, J. Davidson, S. Cox, J. Cocks, I. M. Hamilton, P. M. Harper, C. G. C. Harper, T. Lcwitt, H. Morris, M. C. Knox, N. Robilliard (president Ashburton Rugby Union), C. Wilson, R. Bruce, A. Bruce, G. J.'Anderson, D. M. Bruce, D. Mcßae, A. Christie, J. G. Marshall, H Lane (St. John Ambulance Association), R. C. McGregor, JI. N. Lewis, D. M. Miller, G. T. Russell, S. H. Truman, R. E. L. McDougall, W. Heenan,

J. Russell, F. P. Fogarty, J. A. Walker, L. Houston, R. B. Lambert, N. C. Jones, L. Hanrahan, R. J. S. Wilson, E. F. Nicoll (chairman, Ashburton Power Board), R. Bramley, JI. G. Royds, A. T. Saunders, S. J. Weeks, A. A. Todd, 0. G. Vial and O. Parsons (Ashburton Savage' Club), J. H. Browne, D. A. Miller, F. J. Chambers, R. T. Drennan, W. Denley, J. M. Romans, A. C. Wilson, R. D. Sheehan, JI. E. Parsons, A. Holmes, F. B. Robilliard and J. B. Nicoll (Ashburton Trotting Club), G. C. Nicoll, Captain C. JI. Moller, Senior-Sergeant J. F. Cleary, Messrs D. G. Wright, R, Gluyas, J. H. W. Bruce (Ashburton Scottish Society), W. S. Kerr, E. H. Childs, R. 11. Loy J. Mclntyre, A. JI. Hitchens*, W. •). Brown. y (Loyal Orange Lodge), R. Pearce, J. IT. Grigg, A. G. Holmes, R. It. Biggar, W. J. Sparrow, G. H. Lamb (Mayfield A.'and P. Association), R. W. Orr, E. .T._Wood, IL. Hay (Mid-Canter-bury Debating Union), H. Watts (chairman, Technical High School Board), tho Rev. W. N. Flett, Major Ri. E, Liddell, Mrs E. B. Condell (Ashburton V.A.D’s), Messrs D. JI. Leigh (Domain Curator), J. S. Barnett (representing the Mayor of Christchurch and the New Zealand Municipal Association), D. C. McKeelmie (Mayor of Geraldine), 0. W. Tyler (Mayor of Rangiora), J. F. Yeatman, E. >L Elliott, J. Young and Dr. J\ Cameron. The Wreaths. Over 150 wreaths were received. Among the sendees were the following: Ashburton Women’s Hockey Association], Mid-Canterbury Executive* of Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the Officers of the 3rd Field Ambulance, Captain A. N. Grigg, M.P., and Mrs Grigg, Ashburton Associated Auctioneers, Wright Stephenson and 00., Todds Drapery Ltd., Ashburton branch of Registered Nurses’ Association, Murray’s Ltd., Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of Christchifrch, the Staff of the Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society, Ashburton Golf Club, President and Executive and members of Municipal Association of New Zealand, tifir Session, and Board of Managers of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ashburton Fire Brigade, Directors of As'htbujrton Permanent Building and Investment Society, Chairman and members of Ashburton Hospital Board, Rotary Club, Ashburton* High School 01/1 iPupils’ Association “Oalchurst” Private Hospital, No. 13 Scheme Borough Council Yards, Ashburton Rugby Union, Ashburton Chamber of Commerce, Ashburton County Cricket Club, the High School Board. Ashburton Borough Council, Ashburton Croquet Club, Chairman, and members of Ashburton Electric Power Board, Ashburton “Guardian”, Foresters’ Lodgp, Ngaroma Private School, Cavendish Clu>b, St. John Ambulance Brigade, Scottish Society, Ashburton. Technical High School, Officers and Committee o.f Ashbujrton County Racing Club, Savage Club, Returned Soldiers’ Association, members of County Club, Chairman and members of County Council, Mid-Canter-bury Transport Co., Fellow Councillors, Ashburton A. and P. Association, Red Cross Society, Ashburton High l School, Officers and Committee of Ashburton County Racing Club, the Matron and Nursing Stitff of tho Ashburton public Hospital, Matron and Nursing Staff “Limes” Hospital, Members of Christchurch Rotary Club, Directors and . Managers . of Canterbury Frozen Meht Co/,;. Rector,staff and boys of St. Andrew's College, Ash burton Imperial/•fitarmonioa Band, stead Memorial Hajl Society, the County Debating Union, Mid-Canter-bury Federation of Women's Institutes Staff Abattpiys, Ashburton'" Plunket Society, Manager and Staff General Co-op. (Ch-ch.), the Pipe* Band, .Ashburton Fanciers’ Society, 'Ashburton Hunt Club, Members of Thistle Masonic Lodge, Dr. and Mrs J. Connor and family.

Out of respect to the memory of the late Dr. Miller matches scheduled to be played on the Waireka and Ashburton Croquet Clubs’ lawns and tlie Ashburton Golf 'Club’s matches were abandoned. All cricket matches in Ashburton, and matches at the Ashburton Bowling Club’s greens and at the Alienton Sports’ Club’s grounds were post-, poned till 2.30 o’clock. As a further mark of respect to the memory of tho late Mayor, before commencing games to-day Mr J. Lewis (president of tho Allenton Sports’ Club) asked members to stand, in silence.