T. K. WELDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 14

T. K. WELDON.

It is with extreme regret that we have to record the death of the late Mr T. K. Weldon, which took place at his residence, M'Bride etreet, South Dunedin, at 5 o'clock on Friday morning./^The deceased gentleman had been ailing for some considerable time past, and his demise in consequence will hardly come with surprise to his many friends. Mr Weldon is generally and perhaps best known throughout the province by virtue of the positions which he held in the police service. That these were many and important will be seen from the following brief notice of his career. He was born at Carriok-on-Shannon, Lei trim county, Ireland, on the 21st September 1827. His father, who was county inspector of the police of the Ballinsloe district, died when he was young, and he was unfortunate enough to lose his mother about the same time. After finishing his education and travelling for a time through England and elsewhere, he left Ireland for Australia in August 1852, in the American ship Rip Van Winkle. On arrival there he immediately joined the police force of Victoria as a cadet, and that he proved a trustworthy and capable officer is proved by the substantial promotion he received at the hands of his superiors. He was raised to the rank of first-class sergeant in February 1853, after two months' service, and to that of sub-inspector in 1858. He served for about four years after that date, and on resigning he was the recipient of a most creditable testimonal from Chief Commissioner Standish as to his conduct and efficiency. During the period in which he was in the police in Victoria ha was present at many exciting events which form striking features in the history of that colony, such as the Ballarat riots and the different gold discoveries. In 1862 he came to New Zealand to take up the position of inspector of police in Dunedin under the late Mr Branigan, who was then Commissioner of Police for Otago and Southland. He had been recommended to the VictoriaD authorities as a suitable officer for the post by Mr Branigan, who wished to have the services of an assistant on the outbreak of the diggings. This office he held until Southland was proclaimed a separate province, when he was chosen by the superintendent of that place (Dr Menzies) to organise and take charge of the police force in the district. At that time the post was a most important one as large crowds of diggers and others were arriving at the Bluff attracted by the rich finds of gold in the Lakes district. Later on when railway works were started by the Provincial Government there waß a large influx of navvies and with them many rough and undesirable characters. He remained in Southland until 1869, when Mr Branigan, being appointed commissioner of police, he succeeded that gentleman as head of the police force in Otago, a position he held until the abolition of the provinces in 1876, when the provincial police amalgamated with the Armed Constabulary. He was subsequently appointed Inspector of Armed Constabulary, with a brevet rank for j the whole of the Middle Island. Owing to a reorganisation of the police force in 1880, when it was decided to control tho department from one csnbre — Wellington — ho became inspector fcr tho Dunedin and Southland district, which office he held until 1890. When he was retired, receiving intimation that "the question of compensation for long and valuable services in the police force was before Cabinet," Mr Weldon was afterwards appointed inspector of factories for the Dunedin district, an office he held with much credit until a few months ago.

In regard to the position which he occupied in the police force, Mr Weldon was looked upon as one of the ablest officers in the colony. His long experience in police affairs enabled him to discharge the onerous duties pertaining to the many important positions with singular ability. His strict attention to discipline perhaps rendered him somewhat unpopular in the rank aad file, but even those whom he found necessary to reprove will admib that the rebuke was iivariably adiniuistered in a gentlemanly and dignified manner, while it will be conceded that wherever merit existed it always received due recognition at his hands. As an instance of this, and as an example of how much he valued assiduous attention to duty on the parb of the officers, it may be mentioned that at a time when he believed himself to be at death's door he sent a message to two of his old detective r,<i.iff— Chief-detective Henderson and Detective M'Grath— to whom he desired to say farewell. He did not stop here, but committed to writing his sentiments in respect of the services they had rendered. He bore testimony to the fact that the ample opportunities he had had of judging of the ability of Detective Henderson and of the services performed by him enabled him to stamp that officer as one of the best he had met, cither in this colony or Victoria. He wrote in equally eulogistic terms of Detective M'Grath, whom he referred to as being upright, able, and persevering.

™The deceased gentleman leaves a family of two sons and four daughters, all of whom are grown up. His eldest daughter was recently married to Captain Easther, of the Union Steam Shipping Company. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon. The remains were followed to their last resting place, in the Southern Cemetery, by a large number of wellknown business and professional men, besides public officers many of whom were associated with the deceased gentleman during the time he was connected with the Police department. Amongst those present were Mr E. H. Carew, S.M., Inspector Pardy, ex-Inspectors F. Mallard and A. Thompson, Sergeant O'Neill, and a large number of the police. The Rev. B. M. King officiated at the grave.