THE LAST RITES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12078, 18 October 1933, Page 5

THE LAST RITES

MURDERED TAXIMAN ■ • • i ■ ' . BIGGEST FUNERAL IN AUCKLAND FOR YEARS IMPRESSIVE GRAVESIDE PRAYER (P ress. Association). AUCKLAND, Oct. 17. Over 200 taxi-cabs and private motor; cars, constituting the longest cortege seen in Auckland for many years, took part in the funeral of Air Janies Hunter Blair, who .wais murdered in his taxi cab on Sunday. His colleagues on the taxi ranks and the general public united hi paying a most impressive tribute to the memory of Mr Blair. Hundreds stood bare-headed and silent ais the coffin, draped in- the Union Jack, and' adorned , with wreaths, was borne from tbe residence. Long lines of taxi cabs, disposed along tlie neighbouring streets, moved quietly into the procession as the bear.se turned into tlie New North Road, the vehicles being, grouped m -according to the organisation f° which they belonged. On the radiator. cap of each cab fluttered 1 a- strip of black silk ribbon.

It is estimated that the procession. was two miles long. At nil the main points along the route, crowds had collected to pay their respects to the victim of the murder, the brutality of which has aroused wide spread public indignation. At the cemetery,, there was another large assemblage. Mr Blair was buried in the .soldiers’ section of the cemetery. The service was conducted by the Rev. Evan R. Harries, of St. .Tames Presbyterian Church, who in the course of an eloquent graveside prayer, referred to the tragic nature of Mr Blair’s passing.’He said:

“Thou knowest, O Lord, how our hearts are stirred to sympathy and to indignation. We are mindful of the frailty of life, of its subjection not only to disease hut also to -hatred, and even to crime. An enemy hath sown tar.es where Thou hast sown wheat. We remember that the Devil was a murderer from the be ginning. Wo thank Thee for the magnificent tribute paid to our brother at this graveside. Have compassion upon his wile and daughters. Wo pray that our minds may be freed from t hough Is of personal revenge. Help us to commit our cause to Him who judges righteously. Give us grace to pray even ior him whoso hand lias done this ioul deed, that he may be brought to penitence.”

Representatives of tlie Returned Soldiers’ Association '.stepped forward, and cast into the open grave replicas of the rod poppies of Flanders. -MOST MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN N.Z. FOB YEARS STILL NO CLUE (Press Association). AUCKLAND. Oct, 17 Practically every defective- and constable in Auckland is engaged in the search for the murderer of James Hunter Blair the taxi-driver, who w n s found dying on Sunday morning. It is regarded, as the must mysterious murder in the Dominion for many years. There is no clue to the identity of tlie murderer and no motive for the crime, and the circumstances in which it was committed are by no means certainly known. Much information is being given to the police, but so far it has not been fruitful.