THE HUTT DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2113, 2 April 1914, Page 6

THE HUTT DISASTER.

E. PELUNU'S FUNERAL;

ASSISTING THE SUFFERERS,

'At Upper .Hutt yesterday afternoon tho funeral took placo of the late Everard Felling,"'the seventh, victim of tlio Upper Hutt tragedy. A military funeral was accorded tho deceased, who was a member of D Company, 6th Itegiment. Tho cortege left the residence, ■Main Road, Upper Hutt, shortly aftor 3 p.m., and was headed by members of D Company, <uncler command • of Major Ross,and Lieut. Lankshear. The hears© was followed by relatives of the deceased,, and then. came members of tho *'■ Town Board, and of tho local cricket and football clubs, of which deceased was a| popular member. About thirty vehicles : followed, and fully 300 citizens on f00t.,.| 'fho long procession proceeded to the Trentham churchyard, and service -was conducted in tho Anglican Church by the Kev. J. H. Sykes. Everyone in the township turned out to extend sympathy 'to the deceased's relatives. At the funeral Were 'Mr.* T. M. Wilford, M.P., arid Mr.'E. P. Bunny, Mayor of Lower Putt, who only returned from the Waiirarapa on Tuesday night. ' •■ ■ TJio tragedy has welded, together all .denominations"' at Upper'Hutt, and as ih© cortege passed St. Joseph's Church , tho bell .tolle'd-T-a. thoughtful mark of; sympathy for the. bereaved ones, an a common sorrow. Father Daly also at"tended,the funeral. At'the church service Mr. Sykes spoke in feeling terms of the'lad, who had eo •suddenly been visited by death. They ; | v met'there, he said, on one , of the..sad- ■ vdest occasions, and lie prayed God that ■ /they might never meet again under the fcame.conditions and circumstances. He expressed sympathy to the sorrowing relatives of the deceased. God had been speaking tofhem all in tho district, dvn> •ing' the past'- few days, and circum-j 'stances''such"as those brought .them, to- . .gether as nothing else could. It was ' 'very difficult to know what.to say_at -'such'a time, , yet if they lost,-their faith. : in God they lost the only .support there ■was to help arid strengthen-them in the face of the terrible calamity which had come to them so 'suddenly in .the mysterious provideace cf God. God was with them that afternoon, ■ not only to comfort them and speak words of hope, ■hut to givo them strength .to .look , into .the face of the Great Father anaVsay, ; -"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath "■ taken away. Blessed be the name of the : In the churchyard a simple service followed, and a tiring party .fired three _■ volleys orer'the open grave, wlnhythe"Last Post" was sounded by Area-ber-geant Wischen. 'Then Piper Angus Archer played a lament over -the: grave,"The Flower .o' the Forest," and an ' impressive ceremony was brought to a ■ close With the sad notes floating through ■the quiet churchyard. . • : The residents of Upper Hutt have met together to assist, m a practical manner those left mourning as the result of the disaster. At a public meeting oil Tuesday night the following motion, by ' Mr. li. H. Webb, chairman of the ' Town Board, was carried: "That public meeting of the townspeople of , Jpper Hutt appoint a. board of trustees to administer all funds contributed for tho relief of those who have suffered by the.disaster of March 29/ and that the ," following be appointed trustees:" The plergymen of tho Anglican, Roman Cafhblic, and Presbyterian communions, '' a trustee appointed'by,,-the trustees of tho Gospel Hall, the medical,eractitioner and chairman of the Town Board, all such gentlemen to hold the . positions .while, resident in.the district." ,-.,.;

At the conclusion of tho meeting the sum of £78 3s. 6d. was either contributed, or promised, in tie room, including £14 subscribed by the Maymorn employees. " . ■ ■ .*■ . ■ ' ' ■ The Mayor of .Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke) ie appealing for subscriptiona towards the relief fund, and is calling a' public meeting for Monday night, when it is hoped all those who'are organising subscription lists will attend; Already, through the "Evening Post" and The Dominion over £93 has been donated, and Mr. A. M. Samuel's private list has reached woll over £100. The Mayor has already received the following donations:—Mr.,W.■ Ferguson, £5 55.; Mr. Wm. Campbell/ £5 ss.;'" The Mayor, £3 35.'.; Mrs. H-. A. McGregor, '£2 25.; Mr. Jas. Pearce, Pahautanui, £1 Is.; Mr. T. Chegwyn, 10s..

[ DOMINION" LIST.' The Dominion list is as-under :— •Previously acknowledged ...... 25 18 6 Guardian Assurance Co 10 10 0 Tirohanga-Moana ■.......;,■....;. 2 2 0 Edward Anderson and Co., Ltd.■■• 2 2 0 C. A. Fletcher .; 2 2 0 v S. T. Inglewood QlO 0 W.A.L, 0 5 0 Total » r... ....43 9 0 The Guardian Assurance Compauv, .- ',was.. interested ' ae insurers ■' •of 'Mesßrsv .Be.nge./and Prattfs ..stock-in-trade, has, through the local manager, Sir. It.-J. White, generously donated i£lo 10s. towards the fund being raised on behalf of the widows and orphans of the salvers, who so unfortunately loss their.lives. . -.',.'•..: , Subject to the -permission-:pf": the City Council, Juppfs jßrass/Band will Kivo a benefit performance '.at Newtown Park on Sunday. -' ■'■ The Wellington Tramway Employees' -> Union has passed the following motion with reference to-the disaster: "That the members of the -Wellington Tramway Employees' Union express deep re- • fjret at the loss of so many valuablo citizens who' met their deaths whilst valiantly endeavouring to save the property of their ..fellow-townsmen, and tender to tho sorrowing relatives their heartfelt sympathy in their sudden sad bereavement." , Tho executive has bacn instructed ; to issue subscription 3ists ampna: the members of the uniiii for the relief, of tho jvictims' dependents. ... .'■.■':•■■ . ■