KOPUAWHARA VICTIMS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 February 1938, Page 5

KOPUAWHARA VICTIMS.

MEMORABLE SCENE AT WAIROA ' CEMETERY. THOUSANDS LINE WHOLE OF ROUTE

(By Telegraph—Press Association) WAIROA, Last Night,

To-day was one of the saddest in the history of Wairoa, for it was the occasion of the burial of seven of the victims of the Kopuawhara tragedy whose last resting-place in the Wairoa cemetery is situated on a hill overlooking the sea. Those buried here were William Dunn (Christchurch), Robert Johnston (Wairoa), Frank William Fry (Gisborne), Thomas Tracey (Wairoa), Thomas Hall (Gisborne), John Pender (Auckland) and William Auld (Gisborne). Three of the men, Johnston, Fry and Tracey, were returned soldiers and were buried with military honours. .The hearse used to convey the coffins was a large motor-lorry which was piled high with floral tributes. The scene was one : which will never be forgotten in Wairoa, those taking, part in The funeral including approximately s<)o men who had come from. Public Works camps all over the district to pay last respects to their gallant comrades. Also present wereWHoh. P. Fraser, representing the Prime Minister, Hon. E. Semple, Mr. Wood, engineer-in-chief, Mr. E. W. Mclnnes, engineer-in-charge at Kopua-' whara, Mr. J. W. Parker, overseer at Kopuawhara, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P. for Gisborne, Mr. E. L. Cullen, M.P. for Hawke's Bay, Hon. F. E. Lark M.L.C., Mr. R. Eddy, president of the New Zealaud Workers’ Union, and Mr. A. Cook secretary (representing the workers. A special train was run from Waikokopu to Wairoa, bringing 200 men from Kopuawhara. All business prey mises in Wairoa were closed. There were 100 cars and several buses following the men and the whole route to the cemetery, about a mile and a-half, was lined with thousands of people. Father Doherty, parish priest.at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Wairoa, assisted by Father J. Cullinan, Greenmeadows, conducted the service for five of the victims and Rev. C. B. Hyde* vicar of St. Paul's Anglican Church, read the burial service at the graves of the others. As the coffins were lowered into the graves the choir of St. Peter's sang the hymn “EternalRest." Messages from the GovernorGeneral, Prime Minister and many others were then read by Father Doherty}- Father Cullinan and Rev. Mr. Hyde. The sounding of the “ Last Post'' brought the ceremony, which could not fail to move the great crowd present, to a closei The pall bearers were ail comrades of the victims. '

It was announced afterwards that the expense. of thfejEuneral was borne by the State! Arrangements for - the -funeral were made by ? the police and Inspector D. Cariidron, of Napier, was in charge. .

After the funeral Hon. P. Fraser te-, turned to Wellington while Hon. E, Semple,' accompanied by Mr. Wood, left for Kopuawhara to inspect the site of the disaster.

SEARCH EOR BODIES WAIEOA, Last Night

The search for the missing bodies continues, the whole course of the Kopuawhara stream from the site of the No. i camp to the mouth at Opoutama beach being traversed by parties of Public Works Department employees and others under the direction of the police. One body, that of Mr. R. E. Halford, single, aged 22, formerly of Waipukurau and Woodville, was located yesterday by a party of Maoris near a shed on Mr. E. Gower’s property, approximately a mile below the No. 2 camp, or three miles from the scene of the tragedy. There are still two men missing. The task of searching is somewhat hampered by rain, and by the tremendous amount of debris and silt that was brought down by the torrent.

One of the survivors of the disaster. Mr. James Cronin, is at present a patient in hospital as a result of injuries received. They are not serious, however. He was rescued by the 15-year-old son of Mr, and Mrs, H. Cameron, who were in charge of the cook-house. He states that he was almost unconscious when dragged to safety by the boy, whose, first remark when he had rescued Mr. Cronin, was, “You’re the fifth.'’ The lad had made five attempts at rescue. When it was made known that many of the bodies would be buried at Wairoa, the nurses at the Wairoa Hospital set about making wreaths, and their action is greatly appreciated by the people of the district, for it is wcliknown that the stall is at present exceptionally busy owing to difficulty *n (obtaining nurses.

PULL COMPENSATION TO BE PAID GISBORNE, Last Night. Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P, for Gisborne, states that the Minister of Public Works, Hon. R, Semple, informed him that the Government will pay full compensation under the provisions of the Workers Compensation Act in respect of all the victims of me Kopuawhara tragedy, similar to what would have been paid if the victims had lost then lives by accident while working.