FAILED TO SALUTE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 27 November 1928, Page 6

FAILED TO SALUTE

A BOER WAR INCIDENT

LORD KITCHENER AND COLONIAL

TROOPS

(By Telegraph—Special to “The Mail’)

CHRISTCHURCH, 26th November. By the death at the Public Hospital yesterday of Mr Charles Parker, Christchurch lost one of its best known characters. Better known as “Bun,” Darker and his hansom cab for years resisted the modernisation of transport, and the old Jja-nsom driver became a notable figure of the city. 'When he was serving in the Boer War the late Mr Parker was responsible for an incident that might have led to serious trouble. He failed to salute an Imperial Army officer who passed close by him, and when the officer reprimanded him he replied in round colonial terms. lie was tried by court-martial and tied to a gun carriage. When the colonial troops heard of tin's the Australians and New Zealanders combined forces and went in a body to release him. Then they told the Imperial troops to do their worst. Lord Kitchener ordered that the incident should be closed and issued an order that Imperial officers should not interfere with the independent colonials. Few of the people who daily passed “Bun” on his stand realised that lie nearly precipitated an Empire crisis.