FINAL RITES

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20431, 23 February 1938, Page 8

FINAL RITES

DISASTER VICTIMS LARGE PUBLIC FUNERAL HUNDREDS OF WREATHS (Special to Times.) HASTINGS. Tuesday The hod]'®? nf seven of the 21 victims of the Kopuawhara camp disaster were buried at fhe Wairoa Cemetery this mornine: at a public funeral, which was attended by Ministers of the Crown, representative? of the New Zealand Workers' Union. 500 public works employees, and practically every resident of Wairoa and many from the surrounding district. The seven victims concerned were Messrs W. Dunn. B. Johnston. F. W. Fry. T. Tracey, t. Hall. M. Pender and W. Auld. Five bodies, those of Messrs Fry. Tracey. Hall. Pender and Auld. received th® burial service of the Catholic Church, for which Father Doherty, of Ft. Peter's Church. Wairoa. and the Rev. Father Cullinane. of Greenmeadows Seminarv. officiated, while the Rev C E. Hyde, of Ft. Paul's Anelican Church. Wairoa. officiated in the casp of Messrs Dunn and Johnston. Official Party The seven coffins were borne to th® cemetery, a mile and a-half away, on a lorry, which was immediately followed by the following Government and union officials on foot • —Th® Hon. P. Fraser, representing the Prime Minister: th® Hon. R. Semple. Minister of Public Works: Mr John Wood, engi-neer-in-chief to the Public Works Department; Mr W. L. Newnham, inspecting engineer for the Public Works Department: Mr A. G. Harris. Public Works Department engineer at Wairoa; Mr E. w. Mclnnes, engineer in charge at Kopuawhara; Mr J. W. Parker, overseer at Kopuawhara; Mr E. L. Cullen. M.P. for Hawke’s Bay; Mr D. W. Coleman, M.P. for Gisborne; the Hon. F. E. Lark. M.L.C.; Mr Arthur Cook, general secretary, and Mr R. Eddy, president, representing the New Zealand Workers' Union. Communal Grave Following th® official party came 500 men from public works in the neighbourhood; then came two cars containing the relatives of the seven men. after which townspeople and others, travelling in 200 cars, completed the cortege. Hundre4P of wreaths wer® piled on the lorry, while others were carri®d by members of the official party and public works em - ployees. The seven bodies were buried side by side in a communal grave at Wairoa Cemetery, and at. the conclusion of the service messages of sympathy were read by .the three officiating clergymen from the Governor-General. Viscount Galway, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, and public works employees at Lake Waikaremoana. All the business houses were closed at the request of the Mayor, Mr H. L. Harker. FULL COMPENSATION PROMISE BY GOVERNMENT (By Telegraph.—Press Association) GISBORNE. Tuesday Mr D. w. Coleman. M.P. for Gis= borne, states that the Minister of Public Works, th® Hon. R. Semple, informed him that the Government will pay full compensation under the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act in respect of all the victims of the Kopuawhara tragedy, similar to what would have been paid if the victims had lost, their lives by accident while working. NATIONAL BEREAVEMENT PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON. Tuesday The Prime Minister, Mr Savage, has sent a telegram to the Hon. p. Fraser. Minister of Health, at Wairoa. where Mr Fraser and the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, are representing the Government at the funeral of the Kopuawhara victims, asking Mr Fraser to express to the relatives and friends of those lost in the disaster the heartfelt sympathy of the Government and himself at the tragic loss of those valuable lives. In a national bereavement some perished while trying to save others. They were companions in life and now comrades in death.. The thoughts of all citizens to-day were with the stricken. The country had lost splendid worker? and sympathetic remembrance was the nation's tribute.