TRAGEDY OF ROTHBURY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 January 1930, Page 9

TRAGEDY OF ROTHBURY

IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL. BISHOP’S ELOQUENT TRIBUTE. The funeral of Norman Brown, the young miner of Greta, New fcSoutli Wales, who was killed in the riot at Rothbury mfrie, took place at Greta the following afternoon, and was attended by several thousand miners from all the colliery districts. The Bishop of Newcastle, Rev. \v. H. J olmston, and the rector of Greta, Rev. W. E. K. jßui'hett, 'performed the ceremony at the graveside, made an eloquent appeal to the vast gathering not to harbour thougths of revenge. Headed by a clou ble hie of pipers in Highland uniform, and a band front Cessnook. the long' procession made its way from the home of the motlier and stepfather of the dead miner, the “Dead March in Saul” being played. Many.of the women in the gathering were in tears, and on ail sides were heard expressions of sorrow. The coffin, loaded with beautiful wreaths, was carried to the graveside by a'party of Masonic brethren from the- Excelsior Lodge, of which Brown had been a member.

A moving feature of the service was “A Lament,” played; by one of the pipers ,and the rendering of the hymn “Abide With Me” by massed bands. After the burial service of the Church of England had been recited and Worshipful Master J. L. Sneddon had) read the Masonic service, Bishop I/ong addressed the assemblage in fervent tones of sympathy and consolation.

BISHOP’S TRIBUTE. Dr. Long said they had met to try by token of their presence to express what was really inexpressible—the profundity of their sorrow at the decease of their brother, and at the manner in which he came by his death. No words he could utter could express what was within their hearts. Each in his own way would express his sympathy and fellowship with those who mourned. At such a time one thought of the stricken home of the mother who mourned, and of the stepfather to whom their brother had become almost dearer than a son. That stepfather was one of his churchwardens. They would all admit that Norman Brown was a clean-living, straight-going and loving man, and they mourned him as such. He was a citizen of whom any nation might feel proud. As Australians, they should stand together in fellowship and understanding, with a candid interchange of thought and opinion. It was a tragedy inexpressibly poignant to all of them that there should lie a led —for he had little more than a youth’s experience —who came h;v his death in circumstances so tragic. God forbid that there should he any recurrence of such a conflict. The hishon said he believed that if that young Australian had a voice, to speak from that place where his spirit mounted he would urge them to abstain from any cry of vengeance. Rather should they pledge themselves to the maintenance of good citizenship as a memorial to him. They should endeavour to promote brotherhood and fellowship, deal with all disputes as reasonable and quiet-minded citizens, and come together in the way in which good citizens should meet. APPEAL FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Wherever he went, added the speaker, he had declared that the men on the mining fields were the cleanestliving men he knew: They loved their families. “This brother, who had so innocently fallen in the strife,” continued the bishop, “was no aggressor. He was engaged at the time of his dentil in no breach of the law. He was not indulging in riotous conduct, but, like so much in life, he was one of those casualties that come from our strivings where, unfortunately, the innocent fall under the penalty and suffer punishment. “As head of the Church to which he belonged, and as a fellow citizen of Norman Brown, I want to express the sorrow we feel at his tragic end. When we go from this quiet scene, let us do so with minds purged of passion, with hearts strengthened, and with the determination that our actions shall be guided by righteousness.”