THE LAST SCENES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2112, 1 April 1914, Page 8

THE LAST SCENES.

IN kUTT TRAGEDY.

FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS,

AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY,

One of the saddest of scenes took place at Upper Hutt yesterday morning, when four of the victims of the explosion tragedy were buried in St. Joseph's Churchyard. The wholo town turned out: find formed, in tho procession, following the pall-bearers to tho cemetery. After a services for tho dead, the whole assemblago gathered round the open graves, at tho sides of which wero laid tho caskets containing

thfi mortal remains of heroic men. Unrestrained grief reigned as tho coffins were slowly lowered into the graves. "Man is but dust, and to dust he shall return,'! chanted tho priest, and the last sad rites wore over. The bodies wero those of Police Constable D. Mahoney, Comesky, Mr. "William Flynn, and Mr. Michael Toohey;

A Long Procession,

At 10.10 a.m. .. a train conveying ' n large body of police, raihvaymen, and others drew into Upper Hutt,.and immediately a procession was formed at the Courthouse, to proceed to St. Joseph's Church. A body of uniformed police led the way, consisting of thirty-eight constables and nine sergeants,, in charge of Superintendent Ellison and.. Inspector Hendrey. Then camo twenty-four railwaymen, in uniform, and the Lower Hutt branch of the Hibernian Society, of which Guard Flynn was a member. A group of postal officials came next, and then the four coffins. . t .■. ■ Tho pall-bearers for tho late Constable Mahoney wero four of his brothers. For'the lato postmaster,' Mr. Comesky, tho pall-bearers wero CommisSiioners of tho Town Board, Dr. Kemp, and Messrs. Webb, B.enge, and ex-Com-missioner Quinn. Railway Guard Flynn was carried to the last restingoliwo by Guards J. Martin, J. Brown, B. Elliott, and F. Mitchell, while his late comrades from tho May Morn Estate acted as pall-bearers for Michael Toohey. Immediately following wero I tho families and" relatives of the deand then, marching five abreast, came close qn three hundred citizens., The -Government was , represented by the Hons. H. D. Bell (Minister of Internal Affairs), A. L. Herdman (Minister of Justice), and W. Fraser (Minuter of Public Works). There were also present His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), Mr. T. M. Wiiford, M.P , member for the district, Mr. R. Fletcher (chairman of the Harbour Board), Mr A. P. Dryden (Chief Postmaster), Mr W. R. Morris (Chief Postal Secretary), Mr. G. B. Dall (Assistant • Secretary), and • Mr. W. R. Howard, relieving postmaster at Uppers Hutt: Captain Wrieht. representing tho Wellington Fire Police; Mr. R. A.Bolland. Inspector of Factories: "Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald, and Chief Detective Broberg. The procession was about a, third of a mile in length,,, everybody being on foot, and stretched from the Courthouse to St. Joseph's Church. Fullv a thousand personspaid resnect to those who had nobly given up their lives, in tho performance of a public duty , .. .; ' . ' The Church Service. St. Joseph's Church was inadequate to accommodate the many who desired to be present while _ servicq was said for tho dead. An impressive service took place in the Church, Requiem Mass being conducted by Father Daly, the parish priest , .- This "was followed by a choral service Representatives of .the .Church also!present we're: His Grace Archbishop Redwood, Dean Regnault, Father ' M'Menamin, Father Tymons, Father Herrine, Father Hickson, Father S. Mahoney .(Wanganui), and Father Connolly (Taihapo). '

Addressing those gathered in the church-Father Daly said .that he hardly knew, what to say to .convey sympathy to the suffering ones. The day was one of indelible sadness; one that would make s>: deep and everlasting impression on the hearts and minds of everyone. There was no happening so familiar and frequent as death, but although so frequent, it never lost that quality of inspiring a deep fear into their hearts, and rousing up the true depths of their religious feelings. By the tragedy the sacrifice of human life had_ been awful. The very best men of their district had been taken away; the kindliest of lathers and the best I of husbands, and in the presence of such sorrow he did not know what to say to the relatives, wives and children, whoso homes that day were homes of mjourning and houses of desolation; whose family circle lacked its master and guiding light; Ho knew not what to, say,, except to urge them to fight against any feeling of panic, any temptation which might anso against their faith. He urged them to try to arouse a simple faith. They often thought that the Hand of God struck harshly and heavily upon those who were close to God. If they could see tho course of events as God saw them, then- thoy would understand that even when the Hand of God seemed hard and severe in reality it was gentle and was continually working out something for their greater good. Noble and Generous Men. ' . Referring to the deceased Father Daly said that they were all noblo and generous men, as was known through the manner of their death. Every man I and woman know tlicro was great risk m going into any building where there was fire, On Sunday morning last tho men who were killed knew that they were taking a risk. There wore others who would iibfc take that risk. Even when tho wounded were lying on the ground thoro wero men who would not lend a hand. By contrast, thoy saw the great heroism of those who went into that building, animated by a desire, to lessen the distress. Thoy were working thoro with a perfect system, and wero tliero half an hour before tho explosion and showed they wero heroic, every one. Father Daly said he wished to protest about some of the statements that .had been made about the disaster. Hβ had made tho most careful inquiries, and had received; the best information, and ho could sayi emphatically, that no cry was .heard coming from tho burning debris. Dennis Malionoy died like a hero. Ho had been time after time in the building, and then decided that it was timo those inside* left. He was in tho very act of trying to pcrsuado the' unfortunate. Vivian to como out when tho explosion occurred. Ho (the speaker) had that from the only man who seemed able to fiivo a. connected'story of what happened. . , Father" Daly referred individually to the four deceased, and said there wore oilier victims. To their relatives ho wished to convey his, and his congregation's, deepest sympathy. Concluding. Father Daly extended thanks .to' all those who bad assisted on tho night of tho awful disaster. ' The Closing Scenes. The closing scenes camo a few minutes later. Tho caskets containing the remains of Constable Mahonev, Mr. t'oniesky, Mr. Fl.ynn, and Mr. Toohey. were carried in tlmt order to the open graves. Tlio littlo 'churchyard was {Kicked as the cortege slowly forged its way through the lines which had boon formed. The forty constiibles sainted as their late comrade was carried past. Very, impressive

woro tho last few and they ivore broken by an occasional suppressed sob. Almost every woman present was weeping, and ono or two* men shed tears. Their Archbishop BetlWDad spoke to tho assemblago, and conviliyed sympathy to the sorrowing ones, .A I final glance at tho caskets awl the relatives were led away from where four brave men lay down for their last, long sleep. the Other Funerals, In the afternoon tho funeral of Mr John Wesley Vivian left the Courthouse, Upper Hutt, for tho Taita Cemetery. There was a largo congregation of friends to escort the cortege to the cemetery, where the burial service- was conducted by the Rev. Mr. M'Csw.

A full mijitary funeral was accorded the late Georgo Taylor, and the carleft his father's house at tli.reo o'clock, for tho Wallaccvillc CemeterT. Deceased was a meinbev of Nβ. 7 Company, New Zealand Engineers, Railway Battalion, .and the Territorials in attendance at tho were members of deceased's late' company, who provided a firing party. and also members of No. 8 Company of tho same battalion. Captain Keenan, Staff-Officer for Railways, was in command, and a largo- number of relatives and friends were present at tho grave* side. Tho service there was eotidoetfid by the Rev. Mr. Usher, rninieter in charge of the Presbyterian: Church] Upper Hutt.

_ The kte Everard Pelling, whp died in tho Hospital on Monday, as. the result of injuries received when the explosion occurred, will be accorded. a military funeral to-day. He Was a member of D Company, sth Regiinent. The funeral will leave his father's pcsidmice. Main Boad, Upper Hutt, at' 2 p>m., for tho Trcntham Churchyard. '