THE LATE MR. W. BROOKS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14869, 18 September 1918, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE LATE MR. W. BROOKS.

MEMORIES OF THE KELLY

GANG

(From "Tho.Colonist/' August lflfcfa.) : . Iho death of Mr. William Brooks aj/ McrriTisville recently removes yet another of the rapidly diminishing band oi p i oncer settlers (says the MorriasviUo "Star"), Born in Northamptonshire in 1827, Mr. Brooks, when about nine toon, joined' the Imperial Forces with three of his brothers. A previous employer, however, bought Sir. Brooks ou,t c;f the army, but two of the brothers were killed in the Crimean war. When he was 28 years of age, with his wife and three children, lie emigrated fco N«w Zealand direct, in the ship Emma Coir in, landing at Nelson. [The voyage, wshich was completed in 1 125 days, was brimful of incident. New Zejfland in those- days was not the bed of roses that it is now. Upon landi ing Mr. Brooks left his wife antf family |in the depot in the "hop country" and ; set out n ith a. mate to look for work, which was very plentiful. He worked 'for a farmer for about four years, and then left to take up pit sawing work on his own account. Af fcerwards- Mr. ; Brooks went prospecting for gold with three companions, Imt only struck small patches, and not in payable quantities. Mr. Brooks ultimately became an all round contractor in trie northern portion of the Soitth Island. He supplied the timber for the bridges and railroad on the first railway line 'connected with the Westport coalmines. Ho was the first man... to take a bullock team through from' Nelson to Westport, aiid. the extent of this undertaking can be gauged when'it is stated that at that time there were neither roads nor and the Buller river had to be ■negotiated. At the time of the opening of the diggings at Wakainarina, near EEavelock,. Mr. Brooks was engaged in road-making at Nelson, and, thinking it a good chance of disposing 'of his bullocks- to advantage, he travelled through to the diggings. When there he spent some hours on the Maun- : gatapu, and it was whilst on the river sbank that he and his companion saw |?the Maungatapu murderers—"The j -Kelly Gang"—cleaning, their pistols. jiAt this time it was not known that the igaiio; were murderers. On his return' [.fc.-> the'township, Mr. Brooks'was invited to delay for a couple of days and return in company with an old chum, Mr. James Battle, but luckily he refrained from doing so, and made the journey alone. Had he .accepted the invitation-he would possibly nave suffered the same fate as befell Battle, who was met on the road and strangled by the gang. It was Mr Jarvisj the man who was with Mr. Brooks when they'saw-the gang cleaning their pistols^ who ultimately identified the criminals. After being engaged in contractihg•work, Mr. Brooks removed to Morrinsyillo some' 20 years ago. His family having grownup and married, lie lived with his daughter, Mrs. W. C. Pickett.

• Mr. Brooks"was married twice. His first wife died 42 years and his second wife 5 years ago. Two sons predeceased him. The following is a \ist of the family ;—Messrs Jack Brooks,. ParneU;James Brooks, Wakefield, Nelson ; Tom Brooks, Tadmor, Nelson; Mesdames Edwards, Morrinsville: Roach, •Piako; W.C. Pickett, Ohaupo ; Nesbit, BelgroY.e, Nelson; Gibbs, Takaka,. Nelson; Jordan, Wakefield, Nelson; Adamson, Reefton. There are 52 grandcli^idren and over" 36 gr&it-grandchild-ren.