TRAGIC DEATH OF CAPTAIN FAIRCHILD.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1898, Page 5

TRAGIC DEATH OF CAPTAIN FAIRCHILD.

, + STRUCK DOWN ON THE DECK OF HIS VESSEL. « From end to end of the colony when the sad news was flashed along the wires from Wellington last night that Captain John Fair6hild, the warm-hearted commander of Ihe Government steamer Tutanaekai, had been struck dead on the deck of his ship, would be honestly felt a great and genuine pang of regret. And no wonder. He was a man who 1 had been bo intimately connected with the colony from an early stage of its history that his name had become familiar from the North Cape to the Bluff and across to the Australias, and was as honoured as it was widely known. In Wellington, where Captain Fairchild has made his home for many years, the news caused a sensation that was painful in the extreme, and being circulated just as the business of the day was over, about 5 o'clock, it formed the one topic of the evening. The terrible fatality was the result of a pure accident, for which, as far as can be seen at present, no one can be held to blame. The Tutanekai lay alongside the Railway Wharf, where she had been loading all day with railway iron for Greymouth, for which port she was to have sailed last evening. At about half-past 4 o'clock Captain Fairchild was on deck standing on the after end of the forehatch superintending the shipping of a donkey-engine boiler, which was almost the last thine to be^ taken aboard. The boiler was in the slings, and had already been, lowered to the bottom of the forward hatchway, when the winch was stopped to enable the" load to be swung into position. Suddenly the pin of a heavy iron shackle at the masthead snapped, letting the whole of the gear attached to it fall on the deck. The iron shackle struck Captain Fairchild with terrible force on the back of the head, cutting a hole through the hard felt hat which he was wearing, and felling him unconscious to the deck. ,So sudden was the whole occurrence that the unfortunate captain had not even time to withdraw his hands from his pockets. The force of the blow fractured the skull. He was picked up and medical aid sent for, but the nature of the injury was such as to give no hope of recovery, and death ensued in about 15 or 20 minutes. The body was afterwards placed^on an ambulance litter, and, accompanied by Mr. Brown, chief officer, and some of the crew, was removed to the residence of the deceased in Hawkerstreet. The pin which was the cause of the accident was, it is stated, comparatively new, and accustomed to lift weights up to 3# tons, whereas the boiler it was holding yesterday only weighed about -2 , tons. Several persons were standing near the captain at the time of the accident, but were untouched by the falling gear. , Captain Faircbild was a man who had had a " career " probably of as chequered a character as any inhabitant in these islands. He was the" son of a Devonshire farmer, but was born at Prince Edward Island, where he spent his early youth. His mother underwent a horrible experience as a girl. On the way to the Island from* England, the .brig in which she took passage was dismasted in a gale and turned turtle. The passengers and crew managed . to scramble on the bottom of the upturned vessel, where being without food or water they were finally , reduced to such straits that they decided : to cast lots as to who should die to save the rest from starvation. The lot fell to the future Mrs. Fairchild, but a young fellow, who was then her sweetheart, offered himself as a substitute, and was sacrificed. Shortly afterwards the unfortunate people were picked up by a passing vessel , and carried on to their destination. Suoli was the story which Mrs. Fairchild herself told a present resident of Wellington — Mr. D. Skinner, of i the AVellington-Manawatu Railway Company, who lived on Prince Edward Island for four years and knew the family well. Two brothers of the late captain- owned shipbuilding yards at Georgetown. Part of Captain Fairchild's youth was spent in Canada, where he saw muoh of the rough side of life. He reached New Zealand in 1860, being "Wrecked on the Manukau Bar. Afterwards he spent several years trading out of Manukau in small coasting vessels, and he married the daughter of a Kawhia settler. He' entered the service of the Government during the Maori War of 186163, conveying stores, &c, up the Waikato river, and also plying on the Wanganui river. Afterwards he was placed in com T mand of the Government paddle steamer Sturt, and then the Luna, Stella, and Hinemoa in succession. When the Tutanekai was built for the Government in England Captain Fairchild went Home and brought her out to the colony, and >he has remained in charge of the vessel ever since. Captain Fairchild was known to the marine world as a skilled seaman, thoroughly conscientious and very careful, and as a coastal navigator he had no equal, his knowledge in this respect, gained by long years of experience and close observation, being simply unapproachable. Among the services ■which he rendered the colony (his testimonials show these to have been numerous) was the charting, in conjunction with Captain Johnstou, the late Government Nautical Adviser, of the harbours of the colony before they were handed over to the Harbour Boards. , He was a strict disciplinarian, but possessed a heart overburdened with good nature, which would show itself above the at times somewhat rough surface. He was as honest as the sun, and his word was his bond. As a racontowr of queer anecdotes, told in a quaint fashion, the genial skipper has also gained some celebrity^ His sudden and untimely end will be widely mourned, and the hearts of many colonists will go out to his bereaved wife and family. One of his daughters is married to Mr. E. C. Smith, formerly in the Government Insurance Department at Wellington, but now a sharebroker in, Auckland. Another, Miss Nina Fairchild, was to have been married next week to Mr. Charles Pearee, son of Mr. Edward Pearee, ofr Wellington. The eldest son, Mr. John Fairchild, is in England, studying dentistry, and the second is at present on his way to the Cable Company's station at Singapore, and will not hear of his father's death until he reaches Hongkong. The first letters of sympathy received by Mrs. Fairchild were from Government House. One from Lady Ranfurly herself was as follows: — "Dear Mrs. Fairohild — We are so shooked and grieved to hear tliis terribly sad news, and I write this line to convey our most heartfelt sympathy. There are few for whom we had as muoh liking and respect of all those we have met sinceour arrival here, and we regret his loss and your sorrow most sincerely. It must indeed •be a terrible shock to you, and no words can express how much I feel for you all. — Yours very truly, C. E. Ranfurly." Captain Charles Hill-Trevor wrote as follows:— "Dear Mrs. Fairchild— His Excellency and the Countess of Ranfurly heard with the deepest regret of the terrible accident on the Tutanekai this afternoon. They have asked me to- write and express their heartfelt sympathy with you in your bereavenieut. Please accept my very sincere sympathy and that of niy brother A.D.C.'s and staff. I can only hope that your husband did not suffer, for I hear the' accident was of a very sudden nature. Please do not trouble to answer this. — Yours very truly, Charles Hill-Trevor." The Premier wrote as follows :—" Dear Mrs. Fairchild — Permit me to offer you ray heartfelt sympathy in the Irreparable loss you and your family have just .sustained in that of your dear husband. On behalf of the other members of the Government and myself I wish to tender you our condolences in the hour of your deep trouble. The

colony has suffered the loss of a public servant whose place it will be almost impossible to fill, and I am sure that wherever the news is circulated the deepest feeling will be evoked. 1 know that any attempt at consolation must bo fruitless at the present moment, aud that time alone will assuage your grief. I can only hope that you will endeavour to bear up for the sake of those dear to you. — 1 am, &c. (Signed) R. J. Seddon." The flags of the shipping and public buildings were flown at half-mast to-day, and tho departure of the Tutanekai from Wellington has been deferred until after the funeral, which will leave for the Kurori Cemetery at 2 o'clock to-morrow afternoon. An inquest was opened by the Coroner this afternoon.