FUNERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1942, Page 4

FUNERAL

MR A. H. McKANE

The funeral of Mr Albert Henry McKane took place at Karoro Cemetery, and was largely attended, there being approximately 40 cars and two buses in the cortege. The funeral was conducted by the Greymouth branch of the R.S.A., six members of which, Messrs W. E. Pring, T. P. Ryan, O. McLean, H. Herring, G. Batty and F. W. Baillie, were pall-bearers. A firing partv, under Lieutenant F. Bowers, fired a volley at the graveside, ana “Last Post” was sounded by Bandsman V. Baxter. Rev. E. O. Harding conducted the last rites of the Anglican Church at the residence of deceased, and at the graveside. The casket was draped with the Union Jack, and students at the Greymouth Technical High School formed a guard of honour as the procession passed the school. Among the many messages of sympathy were those from the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser), and the members of the Cabinet. A floral tribute was also received from the Prime Minister. The cortege included representatives of all the local bodies with which the late Mr McKane was associated, including the Greymouui Borough Council, Hospital Board. Power Board, Harbour Board, Technical High School Board of Governors, Red Cross Society. Grey County Council, Cobden School, West Coast Rugby League, Westland L.R.C., Westport Labour Party, Clerical Workers’ Union, and Hokitika Labour Party. The Mayor (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) and Mr J. O'Brien, M.P., were among the large attendance, the latter representing the Government, the national executive of the Labour Party, and the Greymouth branch ol the Party. At the graveside. Mr G. G. M. Mitchell, a member of the executive of the Grey R.S.A., delivered a panegyric, and also recited in Maori a lament from the “Powhiri,” and a verse from “For the Fallen.”

BOROUGH COUNCIL TRIBUTES. After a motion of appreciation of the work of the late Councillor A. H. McKane and sympathy with his relations had been passed, the ordinary meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council last evening, was adjourned until Thursday next, as a mark ol respect to the memory of the late Councillor. There were present at tne meeting: The Mayor (Mr F. A. Kitchingham), Councillors H. Herring. F. F. Boustridge, J. Saunders, and P. Blanchiield, junr., with the Town Clerk (Mr F. H. Denton), mid lhe Borough Engineer (Mr A. J. Fairmaid).

“We meet to-night, under the shadow of a great loss, both to ourselves and to the community, in the death of Councillor A. H. McKane," said the Mayor, in opening the meeting. “I think we all can say that when we visited the Cemetery a week or so after our last meeting, we liine thought that would be the last act Councillor McKane would perform as a member of this body, or that we would be following his remains to the same Cemetery so soon." Continuing. the Mayor said that their late colleague had ,kfi behind a wonderful record of activity in toe interests of the community, and it was given to lew men to have such a record. As one of the chief administrators of the Mayor's fund, he had come into close association with the late Cr. McKane on many occasions, in the latter’s capacity as President of the R.S.A. Above all things, the late Cr. McKane was a humanitarian, and his humanitarianism was balanced with very sound judgment. As a Councillor, and in all his activities, he was a man of vision, and of ideals, and he performed an invaluable service on the many local bodies with which he was associated. He always stood for progress, and in that respect ms views were balanced by sound judgment as to what was practicable and possible in tire existing circumstances. In all his activities he was helped by his wile, and they were real pals. He moved that the Council place on record its deep regret at the passing of Councillor McKane, and its appreciation of his work over a long period of years in the interests of Biaketown, Cobden, and Gre;ymouth and district generally, and that the Council extend its sincere sympathy to Mrs McKane and family. The motion was carried, Councillors standing in silence. Cr. Herring said that he had been associated with the late Cr. McKane for a number of years on the U.S.A.. and on the Council, and he had always found him a real pal. He was always worrying about those who were not as fortunate as himself. He had a wonderful knack of finding out cases of hardship, and a wonderful ability to distinguish between the just and the not so just, and his judgment, was always sound. He thought that no greater tribute could be paid to the late Cr. McKane, than that paid by Rev. E. O. Harding that day, when he said that if Cr. • McKane’s son could follow in his father's footsteps he would be a man.

Cr. Boustridge said he felt the loss keenly. He had always looked on their late colieague as a real friend. He had always found him straightforward, and a man whose opinion on any subject could be valued. The district had lost a line man, indeed, and one who would be hard to replace. Cr. Saunders said he had known the late Cr. McKane for the past 20 years, and he knew that the town and. district had lost a valuable man. He had always been struck with the valuable suggestions that Cr. McKane made, and with his wide knowledge and retentive memory. Cr. Blanchlield said he had been associated with Cr. McKane on tin Council and on several other bodies, and had found him a wonderful worker. He was so earnest in his

work for the progress of the town, and its well-being that in one year he (Cr. Blanchfield) believed the late Cr. McKane attended 290 meetings—a great effort for any man. He had found him to have a receptive brain, and a retentive memory. As a Labour representative on the Council, Cr. McKane was a stickler for Labour principles, and none could gainsay his straightforwardness. His reputation for helping the lame dog over the stile was well known. The impressive funeral that day must have been a great consolation to his family. Messrs Denton and Fairmaid added their tributes to the late Mr McKanc, and all speakers expressed their sympathy with the familj' ol the deceased Councillor.