NEW ZEALAND D.C.M.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5225, 11 January 1928, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND D.C.M.

PAUPERS DEATH IN SYDNEY.

FOUND IN BOARDINGHOUSE,

A man past middle-age, who served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during th war, was found dead in a cheap Sydney boarding establishment a fortnight ago. He was about to be given a pauper’s funeral, when first the Returned Sali'.rs’ and Soldiers’ League, and later a relative, whose attention had been caught by the publicity given to the man’s lonely death,, came forward with money to pay for the burial. The New Zealander was Driver Sidney Wade, 50 years of ago, one time share-far.mer, ligatneuse keeper, shire engineer, well-driller, and, during the war, a member <i the Field Artillery. He had been a brardor at a Pitt Street residential Chanib-r for 14 days. Obviously a sick man, c. maid who had taken him to be sleeping at 9 o’clock one morning, returned at 2 o’clock and feund him dem' He had twopence, in his potekets. He owned a tin box which, contained, when opened by the pciice, a mass of papers mostly referring to his W experiences with t.'.e New *Zc lar.' Expeditionary Force. A copy of N.Z.E.F. Order", date?. 30th April, recorded the issue of the □lstinguis’r.efl Conduct Mc-dc 1 to Wade in th following terms: “For conopieupus gallantry and devotion to duty during Iqngthy operations, l.e shewed the greatest courage and skill .under ail conditions in pushing forward and delivering rations.” Other pap-rsi showed that he ha'. belonged to a Queensland ladge, and a cancelled will, in the back of his military indentification book was apparently made to benefit a sister living at Leeton, N.S.W. ■ Ar'.angciV.er.ts were first made by the police to provide what is known as'a pauper’s burial for Wade—that is, tiie cost of the funeral was to be borne by the State. But wnen it was discovered that Wade was a sc-ldiei the police communicated with the Rer turned Soldm.ru’ League, which has standing instruction.; with the pc’icd to tell the league of any case in which “a soldier ■mefmber of| the, great Empire fam'ly should, die without leaving the means for a proper burial.” Penniless soldiers from all i r.rts cf the Empire who have died in Australia have been saved from a pauper’s grave on a number of occasions by these -instructions. But in Waae s case, hardly had the league begtm preparations foi’ Wade’s funeral than a nephew of the dead mm .went to the poVce and immediately arranged for the funeral at his expense.