THE KOPUAWHARA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 4903, 23 February 1938, Page 3

THE KOPUAWHARA TRAGEDY.

The body of another victim of the Kopuawhara tragedy was discovered late on Monday afternoon. It was that of Ronald E. Halford. The task of the search parties on Monday was hampered somewhat by rain which fell practically throughout the day and by the tremendous amount of debris and silt brought down by the torrent which was responsible for wiping out the camp. Most of the bodies have now been sent to the homes of the parents or relatives in various parts of the Dominion but six were _ buried at Wairoa yesterday. Four victims were buried at Gisborne on Monday.

Probably one of the greatest tragedies of the great disaster centres round the victim, George Barbarich. He was a Yugoslav who had not been in New Zealand for long. He was a married man with a wife and three young children who are at present on the water on the way to New Zealand to join him. The youngest of the children he had never seen.

The first warning of the disaster was given by Mr Thomas Tracey, a married man who perished when attempting to rescue others. FULL (COMPENSATION TO BE PAID. ! 'Mr D. W. Coleman, M.P., 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 victims in the Kopuawhara tragedy similar to what would have been paid if the victims had lost . their Jives by accident while working. funeral of victims. . memorable scene at wairoa. cemetery. 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), R-obert 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 resumed • 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 500 men who had come from Public Works camps all over the district to pay last respects to their gallant comrades. Also present were Hon. P. Fraser, representing the Prime Minister; Hon. R. Semple, Mr Wood, engineer-in- chief, Mr E. W. Melnnes, engineer-in-charge at Kopuawhara, Mr.l. 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 Zealand Workers’ Union, and Mr A. Cook, (representing the workers). A special train was run from Waikokopu to Wairoa, bringing 200 men from Kopuawhara. All business premises 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. Cullman, Greenmeadows, conducted the service for five of the victims, and Rev. C. E. 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 “Eternal Rest.” Messages from the Gover-nor-General, 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 close. The pall bearers were all comrades of the victims It was announced afterwards that the expense of the funeral was borne by the State. Arrangements for the funeral were made by the police, and Inspector D. Cameron, of Napier, was in charge. After the funeral Hon. P. Fraser returned to Wellington, while Hon. R. Semple, accompanied by Mr Wood, left for Kopuawhara to inspect the site of the disaster.