Wife Sees Husband Washed Away

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 44, 22 February 1938, Page 7

Wife Sees Husband Washed Away

BOYD’S CAMP SURVIVORS LOSE ALL Per Presa Association. GISBORNE, Last Night. Boyd’s camp near Gisborne which was obliterated on Saturday morning, compelling seven married couples with sixteen children to flee in night attire to higher ground, with one husband, William Robinson, being lost, is now merely an open paddock covered with heavy silt. An appeal is being made in Gisborne for clothes and food for the survivors who lost all their wordly possessions, their houses being smashed to pieces. Regarding the death of Robinson, whose body has not yet been found, eyewitnesses state that when the flood came he was wearing a waterproof ami gum boots and was the last to attempt to get to higher ground. His wife was a few yards in front and turned round to call to him when she saw a wall of water descend on him. R. E. Halford’s body was recovered near Kopuawhara this afternoon. This leaves still two to be found, Ivan Martinac and R. Douglas. Searchers are still out looking for the body of William Robinson. LAST TRIBUTES TO FLOOD VICTIMS MISS QUINN CAMP FAVOURITE Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Last Night. There were sad scenes in Taruheru cemetery to-day when four victims of the Kopuawhara tragedy were interred, the pall bearers being workmates, friends and relatives. Two friends, Hugh Sloan and Edward McGiverii, were interred in adjoining graves. George Henry Davis, a returned soldier, was interred with military honours. There was a large concourse of mourners at the funeral of Miss Martha Quinn, the 21-years-old waitress at the camp, who had been a universal favourite, many survivors making the journey to Gisborne to attend her funeral. Miss

Quinn was to have come home to Gisborne on Friday night for her father’s birthday on Saturday but she decided to stay in camp overnight and return Saturday morning. Then the flood came in the early hours of that day and washed her away. Deceased came to New Zealand with her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Quinn, from Scotland in 1929. She joined the camp as waitress when railway work was recommenced. WAIROA FUNERALS DELAYED WAIROA, Feb. 21. Arrangements were made for the funeral of at least seven of the victims Df the Kopuawhara disaster to take place at Wairoa this afternoon, but advice was received from the Commis*ion of Police, Wellington, giving instructions fo hold the funeral to-morrow morning at 11 o’clock. This change of time is believed to have been made at the instigation of members of CaTHnet, some of whom are reported to have left Wellington this morning for Wairoa with the intention of attending the funeral. The majority of the bodies have been claimed by relatives. One was forwarded to Auckland during the week-end, another to Te Puke, a third to Waipukurau and five to Gisborne. The remainder. with the exception possibly of two, will be buried in a community grave at Wairoa. This morning there was a tremendous Influx of people from all parts of the surrounding districts, as well as from many places further afield. They were assembling to attend the funeral, notice of which had been given overnight as being set down for this afternoon. There are several hundred employees from the various Public Works camps in the district in town and the problem of accommodating this crowd as well as the hundreds of other visitors, is now confronting the authorities. VICE-REGAL SYMPATHY Per Presa Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. A message of sympathy has been sent by the Governor-General and Lady Galway to the relatives of those who lost their lives m the abnormal floods in the Kopuawhara valley on Saturday.