FUNERAL OF CONSTABLE DUDDING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 12, 9 October 1919, Page 5

FUNERAL OF CONSTABLE DUDDING

The funeral of the late Constable Viv- ' ian Duddinß, who was shot on Monday evening last whilst in the execution of his duty, took place yesterday afternoon. The cortege left the mortuary chapel of E.^Morris, junr., in Taranaki Street, and a very large crowd assembled to witness it, as it passed along Manners Street, up Boulcott Street, and on to, • Karon Cemetery. Approximately, eighty members of the uniform branch of the Police Force wore present, together with the following officials:—Commissioner J. O'Donovan, Superintendent Norwood, Inepectors Broberg and M/Ilveney, Sub-ln-Bpeotor Emereon, Senior-Sergeants Willis and lielley, and Sergeants M'Lean, M'Kelvie. Lopdell, Mathieson, Edwards, Martin, Sweeney, Butler, and Cruick6hanks. Tho detective, branch was also - represented. The chief mourner was Mr. George E. Duddmg, of Auckland, bVother-of-'theideceased'oificei , -.- The nail-bearers were Constables Harrison, Ouesen, Graham, and F. J. Williams, close friends of the deceased.- Others present wore His Worship the Mavor (Mr. J. P. Luke), Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M.. the Salvation Army representatives, and others. The service at. the.graveside was conducted by tho Rev. Knowles Smith. . ■ • At the conclusion of the burial service the Commissioner of Police (Mr. John O'Donovan) said:—"Beside the grave of our fallen comrade, Constable Dud--ding,. I wish to express my heartfelt regret and that of" his officers and comrades for the untimely and painful death, and .[ tender to his wife and relatives our most sincere sympathy. I wish I could adequately express my feelings on this solemn occasion-. "This is not an ordinary funeral. Less than twelve months ago we stood here ■ to witness the burial of another comrade, who, in common with thousands of our fellow-citizens fell a. victim to the influenza plague. To-day the circumstances are different. The lips of the ■ open grave beside which we now stand eloquently proclaim to the world the Teal nature of our vocation;.' We aro banded together to preserve for civilisation the priceless boon of peace, .and' to maintain tli* conditions that promote it. Ours is not the duty. of. the soldier who pali-'intiy takes up hia weapons and goes forth; as we have lately seen, to light the foes that threaten to overwhelm ourcountries, and even our civilisation. When that duty is done once for all, the soldier rests upon his'honours in peace. But that peaco applies only to the external foe. All that the soldier, has achieved does not necessarily secure that internal national peace for whose preservation the police force exists. That is the work ot the police officer, who, from time immemorial has been known to the law as a peaco officer. This work is not entered upon with the pomp and circumstance attending the departure of the soldier to the front, its: circumstances have become so familiar to the ordinary citizen that he rarely if ever thinks of-the reality that , the constable is at all times in the line of battle, ready always to risk his life in tho execution of tho duties which he has sworn to perform faithfully and to the best of his.ability. The soldier in battle is often liable to be am bushed, but tho police officer throughout his whole career is liablo to fall into tho ambushes which exist in the dark streets and alleys, the mirglared." dwelling or shop,'in the unprepared encounter with the lunatic the drunkard, the street rowdy, and the. domestic disturber. At all times he filerally carries his life in his hands. Our \ (irad comrade here is a witness r,f tho truth of what I say, He is the last' ofa long list of men ot our force "who have mid down-their lives in the execution of duty, either in obedience lo orders, _in ■ answer to requests for (■heir protection,- or in response to a still higher call to Tisk their own lives to - save others. Their unhesitating obedience lo the call of'duty-in the faco of all risks is an example lo us. From this graveside you return' to your daily roulino of duties witli your vocation exalted by the conduct and death of our comrade.' You aro the witnesses hero of his fidelity unto death. His sightless eyes.now look up to the fiiiuament above ami watch upon, the countless revolutions . of'sun and moon and stars awaiting, with the patience and submission to higher control I hat characterised him during life, for that last- day mentioned in tin- burial service read by the minister of the Church,.when tho last trumpet calls all men to judgment. On that dread day and in- that vale of judgment you will bo tho witne.-ses, as you arc "nwe now, that this our comrade was faithful ami obedient unto death, and gave up his life for his fellow-being, Peace to his ashes, eternal bliss lo his brave spirit."

laeut. Frank Lennox Harvey, 9th Lancers', of Beeding AVcods, Horsham, Sussex, wlio was killed in Belgium on or since October 30, 1914, has left eatato of the value of .£304,777. The testator bequeathed i£oOOO for such charitable institutions as tho executpre may select; nnd tho Horshain Cottage Hospitall; and after providing for legacies to relatives amounting to about .£22,500, the residue of his property as to one-third for his sister, Mrs. Hodgson, one-third in trust for hie brother Douglas, and onethird in trust foT his father for life.