FUNERAL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9812, 23 August 1897, Page 2

FUNERAL.

The funeral of the late Mr E, P. Barnes, which took place yesterday afternoon at Linwood Cemetery, was attended by nearly 300 people. The bearers were ohosen from the Lancaster Park, Sydenham and Addington, and Midland Cricket Clubs, and the Linwood Football Club. Among those who formed the cortege were members of the Midland Cricket Club, and the old Krtßt Christchurch Football Club, employees of the Lytteiton Times Company, representatives - from the Press Staff, the Canterbury Cricket Association, the local cricket and football clubs, and athletic and cycling organisations. . A number of wreaths were placed on the coffin, including those from the Midland Cricket Club, Lytteiton Times employees, Prkss Literary „taff, Canterbury Cricket Association, Sydenham and Addington, United, Lancaster Park, and Midland (Wellington) Cricket Clubs, the New South Waleß Cricket team which visited Jfow Zealand last season, the Linwood and Merivale Football Clubs, and the Post and Telegraph Athletic Club. The Rev. H. C.< M. Watson conducted the service, at the conclusion of which he addressed tlioso assembled round the grave. He said that the death of Mr Barnes was a noandal to the community, and though it might be difficult and impossible to say who waa to blame in particular, but the fact that a young man in comparatively good health ! left his home at two o'clock in the afternoon and was found at eight o'clock next mornling in a dying condition, demanded a I thorough enquiry. An investigation which ended with the more statement of facts without sheeting home the blame was not a sufficient investigation. The young men before' him were no doubt generou.-nunaeu and intelligent, and he would urge them to ! insist upon such an enquiry as would pre* vent the recurrence of Buch lamentable cases, which had been too frequent in Chrislchurch. The verdict was practically that Mr Barn" died from the effects of drink. Afl lo how far that was true he. (the -lev, Mr Wstson) had no means of forming an opinion,»»' ■ was it their duty to judge. They must leave that to God. He (the speaker) was present M , the invitation of Mr Gerard as the expr«?io n of his sympathy with the late Mr B*mw and his friends on that painful occasion, a was perfectly true that there was » X f j deal too muoh drinking among young men of otherwise respectable character. 16 •**» not a question of teetotalism or oihetme, but he would urge young men to c» I V l * fl "' sobriety and abandon those habits wluca led to dissipated lives, and should atana upon the old faith of ". the fear of God «w obedience to His lawa," for that would bring them peace at the last. Nothing was **»» certain than " whatever man aowetn taw 1 will he also reap." He did not wish to f*y anything lo pain anyone unnecessarily, ou he felt, so far as he could judge,t»*J» | proper attention been given » ! his death would not have happened when" ' did.