OBITUARY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 8, 11 September 1923, Page 5

OBITUARY

MRS KONOKA >VHELAY, The death took place at the Alhambra Hotel, in Wellington, on Saturday evening of Mrs Honora Whelan, a well-known resident, and one of the rapidly diminishing band of West Coast pioneers. For the past twenty years Mrs Whelan had resided in Wellington, where she was well-known to many throughout the Dominion as the hostess of several hostelries (states the New Zealand Times),

Mrs Whelan was born in County Cork, Ireland, seventy-five years ago, and came to the young colony as a girl, settling on the West Coast, where she married her late husband. Mr John Whelan, formerly a wellknown Westland contractor, who was prominent in the promotion of reading facilities on the Coast in its earliest days. The deceased lady survived her husband by many years, and later came to Wellington, where she was renowned for her charitable disposition, and efforts on behalf of any deserving cause.

Throughout her life, Mrs Whelan was a keen politician and was always well vei'sed in matters of moment of the day. During her residence on the Coast in the early digger days, Mrs Whelan made the acquaintance of the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and throughout his career was a lirfit friend and keen supporter of the statesman. The deceased was a settler of over fifty years’ residence in the Dominion, and is survived by the following family: Mrs' W. Redmond, of Lower Hutt; Mrs D. J. Malone, Stratford; Mrs V. Waters, of Wellington; and the Misses Whelan (four), also of Wellington, and Messrs Thomas and Con Whelan. Another son, the late Mr Charles Whelan, predeceased his mother some years ago. •

TU.e late Mrs Whelan was a prominent member of the congregation of St. Mary of the Angels, and at the morning service on Sunday reference was to her death by the clergy, who referred to her as a “very generous benefactor” of the parish. A Requiem Mass for her repose was said this morning at 9 o'clock, and the funeral later left St. Mary of the Angels for the Karori Cemetery.

A Palmerston North telegram reports the death of Mr Samuel Weston, aged 83, who was one of ’he country’s oldest surviving pion n ers

The death of Mr John Bidwill, at his home at Te Maire, Featherston, came as a shock to his many friends. About 10 o’clock on Friday morning Mr Bidwill was walking on the lawn in front of his residence, when he suddenly collasped and died instantly. Deceased was the eldest son of the late C. R. Bidwell, who went to the Wairarapa in 1843. Mr J. D. Bidwill was born on January 21, 1854. Mr Bidwill married a daughter of the late R. M. Marchant, C.E., who survives him, with one son, Mr J. Came Bidwill, and a daughter, Mrs R. N. Barton, Featherston.

Cabled news has been received that Mr Henry Burke, second mate of the Nobel Explosive Company’s schooner Huia, was lost overboard on August 16 off Westport, when en route from Westport to Melbourne. Mr Burke who was a single man, aged 31, was captain of the Edna at. the time of her loss near the North Cape on February 1. He was a son of Captain Burke, of the Moa, who was taken by Von Buckner on escaping from internment in December, 1917.