LAST TRIBUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 252, 24 October 1934, Page 11

LAST TRIBUTE.

CONSTABLE HEEPS. MORRINSVILLE TRAGEDY. TOWN'S LARGEST FUNERAL. (From Our Own Correspofluent.) MORRINSVILLE, Tuesday. Morrinsville lias never seen a more largely-attended funeral tlian tliat of the late Constable Thomas Heeps, which took place "this afternoon. Constable Ileeps received fatal wounds when shot by the Maori, Henare Hona, whom he was attempting to take into custody 011 a farm at Tatuanui, near Morrinsville, on Saturday afternoon. Evidence of the deep and widespread sympathy felt for the bereaved family was to be seen in the attendance of people from Morrinsville and surrounding districts, who thronged the main street of the town before the funeral procession left Knox Presbyterian Church, where a service was conducted by the Rev. ,T. 11. Staines. Mr. Heeps had been an elder of the church at Morrinsville, and also at Matamata prior to coming to Morrinsville. Not even 011 the busiest of stock sale days have there been more cars and people in the street. The cortege extended for over half a mile along Thames Street from the church to the cemetery. Over (il) uniformed police preceded the hearse, after which came several hundred representative citizens in ranks, and then over (50 motor cars. The route of the procession was lined with people, and the business premises were closed for a short time. Further testimony to the profound public feeling was afforded by the number of floral tributes; which were transported from the church to the graveside in several motor cars. The chief mourners were Mrs. Heeps and her two sons, Messrs. T. and .J. Heeps, and her brother-in-law, Mr. I'. Heeps. Constables Monson, Murphy, Doel, Fry, Reilly and Shaw acted as pall-bearers.

Among the mourners were Commissioner W. G. Wohlmann (Wellington), Inspector C. W. Lopdell (Hamilton), Inspector G. B. Edwards (Auckland), Sub-Inspector J. Sweeney (Auckland), Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson (Hamilton), Detective A. J. White (Hamilton), Senior Sergeant J. J. Power (Hamilton), Senior Sergeant Carroll (Rotorua), and (>0 sergeants and constables representing the Auckland and Hamilton police districts, Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., Mr. H. T. Gillies, Crown solicitor, Mr. W. Eccles, formerly inspector of police at Hamilton, Mr. R. T. McLean, representing the registrar of the Hamilton Supreme Court, the Mayor, Mr. W. T. Osborne, elders of the Morrinsville and Matamata Presbyterian Churches, the Archdeacon, 11. R. B. Gillespie, Canon K. A. Karaka, and the Rev. F. G. Brown.

For the past seven years Constable Heeps had been stationed at Morrinsville and for the previous twelve years he was in the adjoining police district of Matamata, having been the first constable stationed at Matamata when that district was made a separate police district. He was therefore better known than most police officers in the eastern Waikato. lioth his adult sons have represented Morrinsville sub-union in junior and senior Rugby football in recent years, and have also represented Morrinsville in tennis. Mr. Heeps himself was a prominent member of the Morrinsville Bowling Club and the Morrinsville Gun Club. All these organisations were represented at the funeral.