THE LATE FATHER FITZGIBBON

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 August 1927, Page 8

THE LATE FATHER FITZGIBBON

IMPRESSIVE OBSEQUIES AT ELTHAM.

The funeral of the late Father Maurice Fitzgibbon took place at Eltham on Thursday and was the occasion for a notable expression by clergy and people of the sympathy and sorroAV that his tragic death had engendered. The gathering of clergy Avas a very large one, from all parts of Wellington Archdiocese aifd farther afield. Vespers were sung by the assembled priests on Wednesday and on Thursday morning solemn RequiCm Mass Avas sung, the celebrant being the Rev. Father Eccleton (Te Kuiti), a cousin of the deceased. Father A. Cullen, S.M. (Christ-, hurch) acted as deacon, Father Hegarty (Carterton) as sub-deacon, and Father McDermott (Foxton) as M.C. Archbishop T. O’Shea Avas also present and pronounced a touching panegyric upon the departed priest. He touched upon the outstanding features of his life, speaking of his decision to come to Ncav Zealand as a missionary priest, leaving all the ties he held dear in his home-land, and all the sacrifices en tailed therein. The Archbishop referred to the various positions Father Fitzgibbon had held in the Arch-diocese — at Lower Hutt, NewtoAvn and Levin, whence at his own request he Avas transferred to Eltham because he felt that in his impaired state of health the administration of' the parish was too much for him. Wherever he had worked he had left a Avorthy priestly example behind him and Avas respected and loved by his parishioners. Last year he had been home to see his mother in Ireland and he returned only to enter the LeAvisham Hospital in Christchurch, where he underwent a serious operation, Avhich Avas followed by double pneumonia, and it Avas during the convalescence following upon that illness that he had sought to be relieved of the full charge of a parish. The Archbishop mentioned that he had received a letter from Father Fitzgibbon, after the latter’s arrival in Eltham, in Avhich he expressed relief at being free from full parochial responsibilities, and spoke cheerfully of his future Avork, looking forward to a period of useful sendee at Eltham.

After the requiem mass, the inter meat took place, the funeral procession being one of the longest seen in ElIham for many years. Former parish:oncrs were present from Levin and friends of the late Father Fitzgibbon came from many quarters. The burial rites were performed by Father Eecleton.

In addition to the clergy already mentioned, the following were present: Monsignor Power (J.lawera). Father Robinson, C.S.S.IL (Superior of the Eedemptorists, Wellington), and Fathers McManus (Palmerston North), Cahill (Stratford), Doolaghty (Taihape), Forrests! (Inglewood), Harnett (Feilding), Moore (Eltham), Sweeney (Opunake), Lynch (Patfa), Yibaud (Wanganui), Menard (Otaki), Griffin (Johnsomville), Kaveney (Wellington), Devlin (Takapau), Dwyer (Manaia), Venning, S.M. (Jerusalem), Minogue and Breen (New Plymouth), Uleaborg (Masterton), Doherty (Eketahur.a), and Cashman (Pahiatua).

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST

FELL DOWN 150-FOOT CLIFF

The inquest concerning the death of Father Maurice John Fitzgibbon, Roman Catholic priest, who was found drowned in the Waingongoro River at Eltham, was conducted at the Eltham Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Mr. J. W. St abbs was the Aeting-Coroner Constable Townsend conducted the proceedings. The following jury was empanelled: Messrs G. W. Tayler (foreman), T. .Fountaine, N. 1), Connell and W. WatFather Nicholas Moore, Eltham parish priest, knew the deceased very well. He was recently transferred from Levin. Deceased arrived in Eltham from Eketahuna by last Thursday night’s mail train. He had recently" been an inmate of the Lewisham Hospital, Christchurch, for six monthsHe had been suffering from peritonitis and later from double pneumonia He had been very ill indeed, and his life had been despaired of. On his arrival in Eltham, he was still in very poor health.. He had been transferred to Eltham on account of his ill-health, and he was in rather a depressed state on that account. His depression was more physical than mental, and his only thoughts were whether he could earrv on ,the work of the parish. _He never suggested or implied at any time that he contemplated committing suicide. He had conducted Devotions at the church on Sunday evening. After the service Father Moore and deceased left the church. This was at about half-past seven o’clock. Deceased seemed to be in good spirits, and witness had suggested that they take a walk, deceased replying affirmatively., Witness had some books for the Concent and asked de< cased to accompany him, but he said that he would wait tor witness. Witness staved in, the Convent longer than he intended to, about twenty minutes or half an hour, not having taken much notice'! of the time. When he came out from the Convent deceased "was gone. Witness presumed that deceased Avould have gone to the Presbytery. Witness sat up waiting for him and at about eleven o’clock he went to the church to look for him, but could not find him. Next morning he instituted inquiries, thinking Father Fitzgibbon might have gone by car elsewhere. Search parties were out all Monday and Tuesday looking for him. He identified the body at the morgue on Tuesday. It was fully dressed in the clothes and overcoat deceased was wearing on Sunday night. He was about 34 years old, and had been in the priesthood for eight or ton years. To the aeting-Coroner: It was an unfortunate circumstance that he went for a walk unaccompanied and continued to walk down a road he did not know. He would have no idea that there was a river there.

S EAKC HER ’S DISCOVERY

Theodore .Maurice Michalick, of Eltham, said that he went out on Tuesday afternoon, -...•arching for Pat her Pitzgibbon. He went to the end of Bridget- Street and started .. to work dowiv the Waingungoro River. He searched tW'banks of the river jpntii he came to George Street. He was go-

ing around the bank about six yards from the water’s edge where there was a steep cliff covered with fern and shrubs, when he saw that some heavyobject had flattened the fern down. It was too steep at that particular place, so he went a little further on and got to the edge of the river, and then returned to where the fern had been knocked down. He found the hat of deceased which was lying right on the water’s edge. It was quite dry and had not been in the water and apparently belonged to the person who had come down over the fern. He thought the hat belonged to Father Fitzgibbon. He followed the river down all the way, wading so that he should miss nothing. He walked into the water at the spot where the hat was found; it was about 3ft. 6in. deep and the stream was running swiftly. He followed the stream as far as the Eltham road and there told some other searchers of his discovery. He was then told that the body had been found down the river and he went down to assist getting the body out. He showed Constable Townsend the spot where he had found deceased’s hat. He left his own hat there to mark the spot. The body was found in about fouy feet of water, some distance from the bank, and the coat was caught in a snag. , To the foreman: The river had been running high. To the Acting-Coroner: There was sufficient water to wash the body all the way down the river. Terrance Hammersley, farmer, Kaponga, said that he was one of the search party. He was with his brother and a young man named Brown on the east side of the Waingongoro river, when he saw the body of deceased in the water about four or five chains below the bridge. The body Avas some distance from the bank and Avas caught in some sticks in the water. He Avent for assistance and called Constable ToAvnsond. The body Avas fully dressed, Avith an overcoat, the hat being missing. He Avas present when the body Avas searched. < Everything Avas intact in the pockets including a watch, fountain pen, money, pocket book and papers. FALL OYER HIGH CLIFF.

Constable F. 11. Townsend, of Eltham, said that on Monday afternoon. Father Moore had reported that Father Fitzgibbon was missing. Search parties wore out all Monday and Tuesday. About four o’clock on Tuesday afternoon Terrance Haimuersley informed him that the body had been found just below the bridge over the Waingongoro river. He went down and saw the body of deceased in the river about six yards from the bank on the east side, floating in about, four feet of water. The overcoat was caught in some sticks in the stream which prevented the body from being washed down any further. A rope was procured and fastened (o the body by Miehalick and the body was then removed and taken to the morgue. The body was fully dressed, being quite stiff and had evidently been in the water for some time. In the hip pocket he found a watch which had stopped at ten minutes past eight. While dragging the body to the bank a pound note was seen floating. dowpi the river. 1 This had evidently come out of his pockets. It appeared quite plain that deceased had walked over the edge of the bank and slid down the bank feet first, until about 20ft from the bottom when he rolled into, the stream. The drop would bd about 150 ft. The water was swift enough to wash the body straight away. The hat had come off in the last twenty feet landing on the ledge. There was a barbed wire fence of four strands within about six feet of the bank, the two middle strands having been twisted together, so as to make it easier to get through, and had apparently been used by children in the locality. The mark on his face was probably done by the bushes before he reached the river.

The Aeting-Coroner said that he had viewed the scene of the accident and suggested that the jury, should see it also.

The foreman said that the jury wer-; quite satisfied rhat there was no need to view the scene of the fatality.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH

“There is no doubt that deceased came to his death by accident and not by anything else,’’ said the ActingCoroner on addressing the Jury, “and there is nothing that should give you any difficulty. ”

The Jury retired for ton minutes and returned the following verdict: —

“That the deceased met his death by drowning, obviously due to accidentally falling over a high cliff into the river rear the end of George Street.’’