A LARGE CORTEGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16529, 22 December 1927, Page 8

A LARGE CORTEGE

FUNERAL OF LATE MR. KEANE COUNCIL EMPLOYEES' TRIBUTE The high esteem with which the late Mr. J. .1. Keane, Cook County engineer, was held was strikingly demonstrated in the largo attendance at the funeral, which left St: -Mary's Church at 2.30 o'clock this afternoon for the Makaruka cemetery. It was originally intended to inter the body at tin. 1 Tffruheru cemetery, but the great respect in which their late engineer was held prompted the County Council to donate a plot adjacent to the monument of the late Hon. \V. 1). S. McDonald at Makaraka. Requiem mass was held at St. Mary's Chupoh this morning, and arrangements made at the Cook County office for fitting tributes to be paid Try (he councillors, the staff, and the public. TRIBUTE FROM THE MEN. No greater testimony of the loyalty of the workmen to their late engineer, and the high regard with which he was held by them could lia.ve been given than the large gathering of council employees, who had come from all parts of the county, ' walking up to 25 miles in some cases, to be present when the mortal remains of their respected chief were being laid to rest. Over 50 of them met in the council chambers this morning. They were met by the county chairman, -Mr. Chas. Matthews, who brielly addressed them, regretting having to meet them under such painful circumstances. The late Mr. Keane, he said, had been a good officer, and the large attendance of council- employees signified the high esteem in which their Late engineer had been held by them. After Mr. J. Callahan had feelingly addressed the meeting, expressing the widefelt sympathy among the men at the Josh of their chief, those present stood in silence for two minutes, and also decided to send a letter of sympathy to Mrs. Kcanp on behalf of the employees. A desire was expressed that the men should take some part in the proceedings. Mr. J. Gunn, bridge foreman, who came from the West Coast, where the late Mr. Keane spent his earlier days, was appointed marshal, for the men. At a later meeting of council officials, this offer was accepted willingly, and arrangements were made accordingly. At this meeting there were present, M.essrs. Chas. Matthews, in the chair, B\ T. Robinson, county clerk, A. Guthrie, overseer, \Y. F. Scott, borough traffic inspector, A. Boys, county traffic inspector, and T. Ha ism an. PUBLIC REPRESENTATICIN. The funeral was one of the largest seen in Gisborne for some time, and included representatives from the. local bodies of the district, a.s well as a large number of relatives and friends. After a short service conducted by Father. Murphy at St. Mary's Church, the casket, was carried from the lehurch through a double line of county employees, the pall hearers being .Messrs. Chas. Matthews, county chairman, J. Tombleson, G. W. Albertson, district Public Works engineer, D. G. Robertson, Crown Lands Ranger, A. Guthrie, county overseer, and F. T. Robinson, county clerk. The county employees then took charge of the body, and in relays they carried it along Lowe street to Gladstone road, and thence as far as | Grey street, where it was placed on the i hearse. There was a large following of civs as the cortege proceeded to the cemetery, where the service was conducted by Father Murphy. The traffic within the borough was controlled by the traffic inspector, Mr. Scott, and from the borough boundary to the cemetery by the county traffic inspector, Mr. Boys. When the long cortege reached the cemetery gates, the council employees formed themselves into a bodyguard,. through the lines of which the coffin, and the large number of followers passed on their way to the graveside. Among the local bodies and public institutions represented were : Cook County Council, and also past "chairmen and councillors. Gisborne flnrnugh Council. Gisborne Harbor Board. Cook Hospital Board, Poverty Bay Power Board, Uawa. County Council, Waikohu County Council, Public Works Department, and thi% Gisborne City Band, the members of the latter appearing without their instruments.