DEATH OF Mil TiIOItAS M'MAFON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 50, 17 February 1880, Page 2

DEATH OF MR THOMAS M'MAHON.

When we referred in our list issue to the dangerous illness <>f Mr M'.Mahon, and hio probable decease at no distant date, wi! h id n > idea thnt bis death was so Dear at lian I. However, six hours ,ii< j r the paper had been printed, the end hid come, and afte -a lonsr and painful illness the poor fellow passed out of Ins suffering. All through liis sickness, the patient was watched ami tended by the .Mason* of the town, of which body dec.-ased was a member, and during the latter stige.s of hi< pilgiimage the brethren took it in turn to wiitrh through the weary hoard of the night, beside having a hirod nurse to tnd to his nioreiinmeliate necessities. With these and the unremitting care and attention of Mr and Mrs Baehe'iir, who amended to his every want, tlie lust himi'4 of the poor fellow were smoothed, and he was not made to feel the sorrowing t'ict that hewas dying far away from every relation. Mr il'llahoii was a native of tho County of Limerick, aud came to this Colony while but very young, and not a few of the thirty two years of his lifo were spent in the Manawafu, where he was widely known and universilly respected.' Tho Masonic body took charge of the funeral, and for that purpose Mr W. R-ibiu-s.jii, of U'anganui, camu to I'almcrstou to act. as Director of tho Ceremonies. The W. M. Bin it her King, summoned a meeting of the L >dg<>, and it was responded to from Feildinjr, Foxtou. :»ud >ill over tho district, th<! uurir.er of Masons present bi-intr fiftyfour. At hulf-pa-t rwo, yeslevda'y, the mem hers mnt at tho lodge r om, and liuvii 1^ donned th«ir r 'jralia, marc);: . to the Royal H-itel, from whence tho i.meral moved When the cuuln, bearing a wrenth of floweis Pud tho apron of tho deceased brother, was placed upon the conveyamv, the members fell into thoir respuutivo positioiw, th > pall bearers beiu^ Brothors Uatuholar, You ig, Logan, and C. But ; and the Chief Mourners, the WM., Bo ther King, supported by Wardens Crawford und Tiller; [.P.M., W. i J. H-'tt, and P. \l.s., Keelinjr and Thompson. As Mr At'.Malion was the first member of the "nivstio lie" who hay died since the organismg 1 of tbo lodge, now over tw' years ago, a special interest \v.»s given to th« melancholy proceedings, and tho procession was watched from over}' corner, at -vhich ;il«o its numbers beciime gradually larger. The chaplain to the Order, the Rev. Mr NVwth, officiated at the grave, and after thoimp ves--sive aervicu had been read, each of iho brethren cast sprigs of acacia upon the coffin, and then lodged a shovelful of earth upon it. A.s wo have before stated, the funeral proceedings wer.s entirt-Jy under tho direction of lin thcr Robinson, who was evidently master «>f his duties. M"Bt of the places of business in the town were nosed during the after 0011, and amongst the Btraage"d we noticed the Chief Postmaster, Mr Butts, who.boing in Palmerston, donned Ms regalia, and paid the last tribute of respect to a depaUed brother.— Manawatu Times, Uib. Feb. '