EX-SEEGEANT JOHN M'NALLY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 10

EX -SEE GE ANT JOHN M'NALLY.

Mr J. J. Ramsay writes:—l have been asked by my esteemed friend, Mr Robert Johnstone, of Bliaekstone Hill, to contribute to your paper some notes concerning the late Sergeant John M'Nally, whose death was recorded in your columns last week. As I was but a lad in Sergeant M'Nally's time and' he was never stationed at Hyde, I only knew of himl by repute, but through the good offices of Mr J. G. Bremner, of Kew, to whom I am indebted for details, I have been enabled to comply with Mr Johnstone's wish and I feel sure your readers will agree ' with me that few departed pioneers have deserved an obituary corner in your paper more than the late Sergeant M'Nally. Like many others of the good old pioneers of the police service, John M'Nally came over from Victoria with St. John Branigan as a constable, and later on was raised to the rank of sergeant. He was stationed at almost all of the important goldfields centres, such as Naseby (Hogburn), Macraes, Clyde, and, Hast of all, at Waikaia, and in every place he w»as much respected. One feature of his character which gained for him the highest esteem was his love and affection for his aged parents, whom he took with him from place to place, and tended with filial love and care. Indeed, by sticking to his parents and refusing to go without them he lost promotion, but he stood by them to the end and then left the service. For some reason or other he was continually shifted, and that probably disgusted 1 him with the service. Leaving the service he formed one of a party which went to Coolgardie. There he was attacked with malarial fever, 'and returned to New Zealand, broken in health and pocket. On his return Mr Bremner, hearing of his ill health, went to the bijat to meet him, and found him reduced to a complete wreck. Through the instrumentality of the late Mr G. A. Preshaw, manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Invercargill—an old goldfields friend —and Sergeant-miajor Moore, a position in the police service was again found 1 for Sergeant M'Nally, and for many years he acted as police officer and registrar of births, etc., for Stewart Island, where he acouired a little property. In late ye'ars he lived in Dunedin. Independent to the last, he refused offers of financial help from old friends, and two years ago he paid to the undertaker a sum sufficient to bury him so that he might be beholden to no one. Asked by Mr Bremner not long ago how he stood for fundis, he said, **l have all I need and my parrot." He was a lover of birds. Then he added: "In fact I am done, John; I have given Gonvley the money to bury me decently, an<i that is all I am fit for now." —pathetic Wro.jd* prmVon £ba,t characteristic in-

dependence for which he was noted. Everyone who knew ex-Sergeant M'Nally speaks of him as a man of high probity and ] ability. Although he preserved the j strictest order in days when order was h'ard to preserve, he rarely had a court ease. The. M'Nally* man a seemed to keep the roughs at bay. And he was none the worse a police officer in that he never allowed the official to override the human side of his "character. The kindlness. he showed to his parents he carried into the execution of his duties, and' he had ever a w*arm side for the poor and the afflicted, nor did he, from first to last, ever become a mere machine. By the application of the principles of humanity to the duties of the police station he did his work ouite as well as —indeed, much better than—the mere red tapeiat who puts everything to the official test, and, in (addition, he gained the esteem and love of men worth knowing, and, all unconsciously he Was left behind him a record that will never be forgotten till the last of his compeers follow him to i the Great Beyond. . I hope this imperfect little sketch will keep green in the memories of those of the younger, but not better, generation to which the writer belongs.