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Otago Daily Times, Issue 16766, 7 August 1916, Page 8

Wendonsido has responded nobly to the call of Empno (writes tile correspondent ol the Mataura The distr.ct it. almost depicted of ito young men, and of the few left the majority are only -waiting to bo called up. Cher 20 ex-pupils of the school arc at the front or in (Lnip, and three at least have made tho supremo sacrifice. The honours roll of the Wellington branch of tho New Zealand ot Engineers show, that since the mji broke out 27 of its members have enlisted. Of these, three lu've gono down in the struggle, and 24 are still on active serwee. In tho Early Colon sts' room at the Christchuroh Museum there is to bo seen i somewhat gruesome collection of odds and ends found m a coffin on New Brighton beach by Mr W. 14. Seager_ m 1352 (reports the Sun) Tho story of their finding is interesting. In tho year mentioned Mr Seager, as head of the Police Department, set out for the ccast to make investigations icgaid ng allegations of smuggling amongst tho whalers there. Tho journey from Chr.stchurcli to New Brighton nas undertaken on foot, and occupied two da\s, scrub and swamp preventing any expedition of progress. Protruding from'a sand mound Mr Sepger saw a coffin, the naik of which had rusted so as to detach tho lid. A skeleton v.-as thus exposed Round the skull was a black ribbon, which aid cated that m life a pigtail had been worn. In the coffin also were the remains of a comb, while nearby were two pieces of wood, which had evidently been used to carry tho coffin from tho boat to tho giaie. Mr Scager secured the ribbon, the hair fastenings, portions of tho shroud, and tho coffin, and brought them biek with bun to ChrMehurch. Mr Rollceton got into touch Wjth the Brit sh Museum authorities, with a view to finding the identity of tho man whoso remains had been di'roiered. Tho reply was that on Captain /Cook's, last Aovago the ship's doctor hid died, and had been bur.ed on shore somcwheie near Banks Peninsula. It is probable, then, that tho Museum exhibit has a dnect association with the last voyage of the famous explorer.