LATE MR. M. A. KING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 255, 27 October 1937, Page 6

LATE MR. M. A. KING

POPULAR PILOT’S FUNERAL ’PLANES PAY LAST TRIBUTE One of the lengthiest corteges ever seen in Wanganui attended the funeral of the late Mr Maurice Alfred King, which took place yesterday afternoon at the Aramoho Cemetery. The mourners were representative of the organisations with which the late Mr King was associated, and included a large number of members of the Wanganui Aero Club. A host of floral emblems bore striking tribute to the popularity of the late Mr King. The service at the home and at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. Mr Howell. During the service the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club's Miles Hawk and a Moth zoomed over the grave to express the sympathy of pilots of the Wanganui Aero Club in the loss of a popular member. An impressive gesture was made by members of the Muriwa Tribe (Gisborne) and the Ngaitaruakuhiri Tribe (Poverty Bay) through Mrs Mihi Ngarangi Wilson in the presentation of two Maori mats tp drape the casket while it was being conveyed from the home to the cemetery. Such a tribute is the highest the Maori race can bestow and only one previous occasion has it been conferred on a pa k eh a. The pall-bearers were Flight-Lieu-tenant lan Keith (federation instructor) and Messrs H. Lightband (New Plymouth Aero Club), F. Rowan, E. J. Strachan, J. Aidworth (Wanganui Aero Club and S. Penn.