THE MAN WHO BLAZED THE TRAIL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 88, 7 November 1932, Page 3

THE MAN WHO BLAZED THE TRAIL

CHAS. FINNERTY, PIONEER SURVEYOR

A MAN whose name should hs remembered in the backblocks of Taranaki; to fact, all through Taranaki, is the late Captain Chas, ftnnerty, who was responsible for a good deal of the survey work in connection with the line. Captain Fmnerty surveyed the line as far as the Marco Road and also several of the townships out east. From Marco Road onwards, Mr. L. C. Sladden, of. : New Plymouth, completed the survey. Captain was the eldest son of Colonel C. Finncrtv,' and. a member oi ; a family possessing a wonderful military record. In fact, his son, Mr. > tnas. R. iinnerty, of Stnftfotd, is the only eldest son in the geASons of the family since the time of Charles.ll., who has urt'been an officer in the,.Briiish Army. Captain Fumerty was educated at the Royal Military College-at Sandhurst ana was Piven a commission at a very early age when he went out to India in the 73th Regiment. That was in 1857. Later he trans-fer-red to the 99th Regiment and went to China on active service under the famous General Gordon. On that occasion he undertook a ride through 1000 miles of unknown country after which he played a prominent part in a campaign which was a hard and bitter one to suppress rebel factions.

It was through a breakdown in health that he gave up his commission and came to New Zealand, as he then believed, to die. However the climate of this country and a complete rest restored him, and he joined the Colonial Forces in the combats as a drill and musetkry instructor. In 1875 he joined the Confiscated Lands Survey Department and was actively engaged for many years in survey work in Central and South TjK^anaki. "Captain Finnerty was Mayo- of Patea and also chairman of the Harbour Board. He often expressed his intention of standing for a seat in Parliament but did not do so.' He died in Patea in 1899 at the early age of 58. Mr. C. R. Finnerty, and Mr. A. J. Fiimerty, of Hanmer, are sons, while Mrs. W. C. Fletcher, of Whangamomona, and Miss Finnerty, of Stratford, are daughters.