A TRAGIC END.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10960, 1 May 1907, Page 4

A TRAGIC END.

DEATH OF HON. W. M. BOLT. (Special to Herald.) DUNEDIN, last night. Many years ago, when Socialism was m its infancy, the late Hon. W. M. Bolt used to meet regularly, together with Sir Robt. and the late Mr Richard Hudson, one of their objects at the time being to found a Socialistic settlement, which was to occupy the whole of Stewart Island. How Mr Bolt's sudden end came is told by Mr Qilkison, who, with Mr Stevenson (a member of the Taieri County Council) was with the deceased when he expired. "Mr Bolt," he says, "was m splendid form, and before we started wanted to climib ut> a much steeper lull to the waterrace. We drove away m the trap, and when we came to the foot of the hill I got out, leaving Mr Bolt m the trap. He apparently did not like sitting m the vehicle by himself, and he got out too. We walked to the top of the hill, and I gpt into the trap, calling out some ordinary remark tp Mr Bolt. All of a sudden I saw him sway. I at once jumped out, but was too late to catch him before he fell. Mr Stevenson and myself lifted up his head,, unfastened liis collar, and slowly worked his arms. He came to. We lifted him up. He said he was better. We gave him a hand into the trap. He was quite conscious at the time. He moved m liis seat to allow Mr Stevenson to get a coat, and I gave him his- hat and stick. We then proceeded on our journey, but we had not gone twenty yards when the deceased gentleman's head fell back and lip gave a. gasp. We worked away at his arms again. He breathed' twice and gave two expiring gasps. We then knew that he was gone. He never breathed again. With great difficulty we lifted him out of the trap, and I remained with the body while Mi*. Stevenson drove at. fullspeed after the other members Of the party, who returned m about forty minutes. As the horses had "liad a Idiig and heavy pull. mp . the hill, it was deemed inadvisable to take them down again to wnere the body lajr, so we made a rough stretcher .with pieces of manuka and carried the body two miles up a very steep hill. Being a heavy man, we had a hard job to carry the' body, and special thanks are due to the' driver, Messrs J. Keligher, F. Carter, and A. Ingram, who assisted us, Messrs Wilson, Cole, and myself, m the carrying ( perations. The remains were afterwards driven to Henley, 7 which was reached at eight o'clock at night. Messrs Cole and Sanriger were rung up, and they sent out one of their . traps to Henley, arriving there at half -past two m the morning. The remains, which were accompanied by Mr Cble, were then taken into town.''