DEATH OF A VETERAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13398, 29 January 1907, Page 6

DEATH OF A VETERAN.

The death was announced on Wednesday of Mr. John Reilly, who had been a resident of New Plymouth since 1863, in which "ear he arrived from India, via Auckland, where he landed in May. 1861. He came to Auckland with the 70th Regiment, and helped in quelling the Maori trouble then raging. Rielly enlisted at Dublin in 1854 in the Ist Battalion of the 18th Royal Irish, and after garrison duty in Great Britain volunteered for active service on the outbreak of the Indian M'utiny. He was attached to a draft of the 70th Regiment, which left Gravesend in July, 1857, for India, and landed at Karrach-.e in November of that, year. From this port they sailed in native boats up the Indus to Mooltan, and, disembarking there, marched to Lahore. He also saw service at Rawa! I'indi and Allahabad. After some time in Lahore the regiment was able to lend its aid in quelling the mutiny further south. Whilst in India Rielly attended a native school, and became very proficient in the Hindu language. His often acted in the courts of this colony ;'s interpreter for Hindus. He paid a number of visits to the King of Lahore, and had many anecdotes regarding His Majesty. Mrs* Rielly accompanied her husband right through the campaign, and is still living in. New Plymouth. When Rielly was leaving India great pressure was brought to bear on him to remain by certain Hindus, and he was nearly kidnapped as he was having for New Zealand. On his arrival in New Plymouth he was attached as servant to the 'ate Archdeacon Govett. who, by reason of being chaplain, held the rank of major. When the regiment left New Plymouth Rielly remained for a number of years as gardener and coachman to the archdeacon. Before coining to New Plymouth he served for some time in the. Waikato campaign.