OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume cxxiv, Issue 148, 20 December 1937, Page 13

OBITUARY

MR. C. W. HUTCHINGS

The death occurred at Auckland last week of Mr. Charles William Hutchings, aged 55, a member of the traffic department staff of the Auckland Transport Board, and at one time master-at-arms on H.M.S. Philomel. He had a very long naval career before joining the Transport Board.

Mr. Hutchings made his first visit to New Zealand in 1901 as a member of, the crew of H.M.S. Lizard, and he returned again in 1907 with H.M.S. Prometheus. As a master-at-arms, Mr. Hutchings saw action on H.M.S. Highflyer on August 27, 1914, when the German auxiliary cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse was sunk in the South Atlantic. After the war Mr. Hutchings came back to New Zealand with H.M.S. Chatham, and in 1021 was appointed to the Philomel. On the completion of his naval service Mr. Hutchings was detailed by the Naval Board to tour the Dominion as adviser for naval recruiting.

The funeral was held 'on Saturday at O'Neill's Point. The coffin was hyarne by men of the warships in port and by members of the staff of the Auckland Transport Board. The Rev. W. J. Piggot conducted the service at the graveside, with the assistance of a member of Mr. Hutchings's Masonic Lodge. The "Last Post" was sounded by a. bugler from H.M.S, Achilles, and during the service the colours .of the ships of the New Zealand Station were flown at half-mast.