OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 27 November 1919, Page 37

OBITUARY

I MR. ALBERT SEDGWICK, JOHNSONVILLE:, The death occurred on the 13th inst at Johnsonville, Wellington, of Mr. Albert Sedgwick, after a brief illness. The deceased, who was 70 years of age, was a ’ native of Borough Bridge, Yorkshire, England, • being the youngest son of the late Dr. .Rodger Sedgwick, of that town. The late Mr, late Mr. Sedgwick arrived in Nelson in the early sixties, subsequently' settling at Kaikoura, and later at Johnsonville, where he lived for 20 years. He leaves a wife, two sons, six daughters, and 14 grandchildren to mourn their loss. The deceased was a convert to the Church. The interment took place at Karori Cemetery on Saturday week last, the Very Rev. Dean Lane, of Lower Hutt, officiating at the church and the graveside. —R.l.P.

MR. MARTIN MURRAY, J.P., NAPIER. Napier lost another of its most esteemed citizens and its popular public officers in the person of Mr. Martin Murray, Town Clerk, who died at his residence after a short but painful illness (says the Daily Telegraph of recent date). The news of Mr. Murray’s death caused a feeling of the most profound sorrow to be experienced by the community. The late Mr. Murray'was born at Thames, Auckland, in January, 1870, and was educated at the Woodville public school. He first engaged in farming pursuits near Woodville, and during his residence in that district took a great interest in sport, and also in musical circles. He was a prominent footballer, and also for a time conductor of the AA r oodville Band. In 1898 he was appointed road overseer to the Waipawa County Council, and throe years later became clerk to that body, and also acted as district agent for the Public Trust Department at Waipawa. He was for several years, chairman of the Library Committee, a member of other local bodies, and one of the founders of the Waipawa Bowling Club. In September, 1910, he was appointed Assistant Town Clerk at Napier, and in 1911 received the appointment of Town Clerk, a position which he held up to the time of his death. An urbane and courteous official, untiring in the discharge of his duties, the latg Mr. Murray was widely known, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. He took an active part in organising various • patriotic, relief, and other movements to promote the welfare of the community, and for three years acted as secretary for the local patriotic funds, as well as to the Citizens’ Relief Committee, the Peace Celebration Committee, and other local organisations. His devotion to his public duties and to public service entailed an amount of work, the strain of which could scarcely have been other than severely felt, and no doubt ho was hoping and anticipating that the termination of the war would have lessened the pressure and given an opportunity to recuperate. In the social as well as the public life of the community he will be much missed. He was a keen and enthusiastic bowler, and was a member of the Napier and Bluff Hill Bowling Clubs, and he was also deeply interested in musical matters. Expressions of deep regret at the death of so capable and courteous a public official were made in the local churches, and resolutions of sympathy with the sorrowing relatives were passed, the congregations standing. At St. Patrick’s Church at the morning Mass the ‘‘Dead March” from ‘Saul” was played on the organ, the congregation remaining standing. The late Mr. Murray, who was only 49 years of age at the time of his death, leaves a widow and family of three, sons and two daughters, who will have the sincere sympathy of a very large circle of friends throughout Hawke’s Bay with them in their bereavement. The funeral took place in the Napier Cemetery. The cortege was a long and impressive one, and most representative. Every section of the business community was represented, in addition to the Mayor, past and present members of the Borough Council, members of every local body and social institution, tramway and other municipal employees, and a host of personal friends. The Hibernians, in full regalia, preceded the hearse, and, in accordance with custom, filled in the grave. The large attendance of mourners was a mark of the deep respect and liking in which the late Mr. Murray was held. —R.I.P.

ST. 'JOSEPH’S ; CONVENT s SCHOOL, ARROWTOWN. An interesting c little ceremony took place at 'St. Joseph’s Convent School, Afrowtown, recently, when a flag which had been carried right through the great . war was presented to the school (says the hake County Press). The first .four young | men who enlisted from Arrowtown late Trooper James Wilcox, Sergeant Mat. Elliott, Troopers A. C. L. Baker and William Reid-left by the Cromwell coach on August 17, 1914. The driver on that occasion was the late John Smith, who went a year later, and who made the supreme sacrifice at Messines in June, 1917. The late Mr. Smith presented the flag to Trooper Archie Baker, and it was carried by Baker through his four and. a-half years’ service. 'When Trooper Baker returned ,to Arrowtown some months ago ho decided to have the flag framed and -presented to the school he had attended when a boy. The Sisters and pupils of St. Joseph’s assembled in the schoolhouse on Saturday morning, when the presentation of the flag was made by the Mayor (Mr. John Reid). There were also present the Mayoress, Trooper Baker, and several friends.

In presenting the flag, the Mayor said he had been invited by Mr. Archie Baker to present to the school the flag which had been given to Mr. Baker by his comrade, the late John Smith. Now that Mr. Baker was home again, ho thought the flag might be an acceptable memento from him to the school where he had been taught as a boy, and he asked the teachers to accept it in trust for the school, and that it be allowed to be placed in the schoolroom. The Mayor said he had much pleasure in presenting to the school, on Mr. Baker’s behalf, the flag, which would not only serve as a remembrance of the great war lately concluded, but it would also remind the children of the present and future that the old boys of the school did not forget the place where they received their-early training. Mr. Baker (who is a non-Catholic, and who motored a, distance of 63 miles to make his gift) expressed his pleasure in handing over the flag to his old school. He said that, although he had not been able to plant it in Berlin, the flag had been taken into Germany. On the call of the Mayor, three hearty cheers were given by the children for Mr. Baker.

Mr. T. J. Cotter returned thanks on behalf of the Sisters. He said the latter appreciated very much the kind thought which prompted Mr. Baker to think of his old school. Mr. Cotter remarked that not many would have, the forethought to do as Mr. Baker had done. They would have been more inclined to give the flag to a, bigger centre. He had no doubt that the flag would be greatly prized by the present and future pupils. The children then sang a verse of the National Anthem, after which a vote of thanks was accorded the Mayor and Mayoress for their attendance.

The flag is neatly framed in oak, and the following inscription is attached: — “TJiis flag was presented to A. C. L. Baker by John Smith on the 13th August, 1914, and was carried by Baker through the following engagements:—l9ls, Egypt, Gallipoli; 1916, Armentieres, Somme operations, La Basse Ville, Fleurbaix; 1917, Ploegsteert Wood, Messines, Warenton, Passchendaele; 1918, Colencamps, stopped Huns sth April, Ronnignol Wood, Purseux, Aumont, Bapaume, Havrincourt Wood,- Cambrai, Hindenburg Line, Crevecoeur,, Lesdain, Le Quesnoy, advance through Belgium and Germany with the British Army of Occupation.” v