FUNERAL OF GRAHAM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 23 October 1941, Page 7

FUNERAL OF GRAHAM

INQUEST RESUMED AT HOKITIKA CONSTABLE QU HIKE'S EVIDENCE Grey mouth. Oct. 22. j One of the closing chapters in the j story of the Koiterangi tragedies was the quiet private burial to-day of Eric I Stanley George Graham. 41year-old Koiterangi farmer, at the Hokitika Cemetery. The funeral left the hospital nearby and went direct to the j cemetery, where a service was con- ; ducted by the Rev. T. Childs, Hokitika. There are now comparatively few of the police and Army personnel left at Koiterangi, and the district has returned to normal after a fortnight of high tension. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Cummings, to-day visited the district and personally conveyed thanks to the Koiterangi and Kokatahi people for the assistance, billets, meals I and other comforts they had provided. Inspectors J. Sweeney, Wellington, and J Carroll, Christchurch, left to-day on their return, and a large number of constables from various parts of the Dominion left last night and to-day on their return to their districts. The Army men arrived at Greymouth tooay and have been granted a day’s j special leave in view of their out-; standing efforts toward the final appre-. hension of Graham. Adjourned from the previous day, when evidence of identification was given by the Rev. T. Childs, the inquest into the death of Graham was resumed before the coroner, Mr A. E. Benjamin, J.P.. in Hokitika this afternoon, to permit the departure of Constables J. D. Quirke, Auckland, who shot Graham, and E. C. Ross, Lyttelton, a witness of Graham’s undoing. Both witnesses gave evidence on lines recorded in the interviews published C ONSTABLE’S ORDERS Addressing Constable Quirke, the j coroner asked: What were your in- | Constable Quirke: To take part in j the search and to shoot him on sight i if armed. Graham when seen was carrying a rifle strapped to his back, but it could easily have been brought into action. On the application of Inspector D. f . Cal well, Greymouth, proceedings were adjourned sine die. Till the return to Wellington of the Commissioner of Police there will be no permanent appointments of police officers to fill the vacancies in the Hokitika police district, including Kanieri. Meanwhile officers, from Christchurch are carrying on in Hokitika in a temporary capacity. Referring to his visits to Koiterangi this morning, when he thanked all the women helpers personally on behalf of the department and the Prime Minister and Government, the Commissioner spoke highly of the wonderful services rendered throughout long hours and m mixed weather. On behalf of the Police Department, he presented Mrs Marshall and Mrs G. Spence with £lO 10s. which had been subscribed, and which the womenfolk could utilise as they thought lit. It was. he said, a mark of heartfelt appreciation. He also addressed the settlers, thanking them for their wonderful co-operation and j assistance, also members of the Home j Guard who helped in the earlier stages. PETROL TO BE REPLACED A lot of people engaged in the search had used up all the petrol that they had had for use on farms, and he announced that the department would make good any petrol so used, also any damage that the vehicles might have received. He also announced that the department had much pleasure in officially handing over to the hall committee the large tank installed at Koiterangi Hall to supplement the small one i there. To-day the Commissioner paid a final j visit to relatives of the dead men. including relatives of Graham, and he will leave for Christchurch to-day on' his return to Wellington. An interesting fact about Graham’s j name is that a transposition of his \ Christian names apparently occurred J through common usage. He was al-; ways known as Stanley Graham, and. j in fact, used Stanley as his first Christian name in signing comparative- i ly recent legal documents. Actually , Lis registered name, however, was Erie! Stanley George Graham, and not Stanley Eric George Graham. The condition of Mr G. S. Ridley remains unchanged—serious, but progress ing sal l sfactorily.—P.A.