KOPUAWHARA VICTIMS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 February 1938, Page 8

KOPUAWHARA VICTIMS

SEVEN BURIED YESTERDAY. DAY OF SORROW AT WAIROA. WAIROA, February 22. To-day was one of the saddest in the history of Wairoa, for it was the occasion of the burial of seven of the victims of the Kopuawliara tragedy, whose last resting place is in the Wairoa Cemetery, situated on a hill overlooking the sea. Those buried here were William Dunn (Christchurch), Robert Johnston (Wairoa), Frank William Fry (Gisborne), Thomas Tracey (Wairoa), Thomas Hall (Gisborne), John Pender (Auckland) and William Auld (Gisborne). Three of the men, Johnston, Fry and Tracey were returned soldiers and were buried with military honours. The hearse used to convey the coffins was a large motor lorry, which was piled high with floral tributes. The scene was one which will never be forgotten in Wairoa, those taking part in the funeral including approximately 500 men who had come from Public Works camps all over the district to pay their last respects to their gallant comrades. Also present were: The Hon. P. Fraser, representing the Prime Minister; the Hon. R. Semple, Messrs. John Wood, Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department; E. W. Mclnnes, Engineer-in-Charge at Kopuawliara; D. W. Coleman, M.P., E. L. Cullen, M.P., and the Hon. F. E. Lark, M.L.C., Messrs R. Eddy, President of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, and A. Cook, secretary, represented the workers. A special train was run from Waikolcopu to Wairoa bringing 200 men from Kopuawliara, and all business premises in Wairoa were closed. There were 100 cars and several buses following the men and the whole route to the cemetery, about- a mile and a half, was lined with thousands of people. Father Doherty, parish. Priest at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Wairoa, assisted by Father J. Cullinan, Greenmeadows, conducted the service for five of the victims, and the Rev. C. E. Hyde, vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, read the burial service at the graves of the others. As the coffins were lowered into the graves, the choir of St. Peter’s sang the hymn, “Eternal Rest.” Messages from the Governor-General, Lord Galway, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, and the Hon. R. Semple and many others were then read by Father Doherty, Father Cullinan and Mr. Hyde. The sounding of the Last Post brought the ceremony, which could not fail to move the great crowd present, to a close. The pall-bearers were all comrades of the victims. It was announced afterwards that the expense of the funeral would be borne by the State. The arrangements for the funeral were' made by the police and Inspector D. Cameron, Napier, was in charge. After the funeral, Mr. Fraser returned to Wellington, while Mr. Semple, accompanied by Mr. Wood, left for Kopuawliara to inspect the site of the' disaster. —(P.A.) FULL COMPENSATION. ASSURANCE BY MINISTER. GISBORNE, Tuesday. Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P. for Gisborne, states that the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, informed him that the Government will pay full compensation'under the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act in respect to all the victims of the Kopuawhara tragedy, similar to what Avould have been paid if the victims had lost their lives by accident while working.—(P.A.)