OBITUARY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 221, 26 January 1928, Page 1

OBITUARY.

CONSTABLE FLEMING. The death occurred at Hamilton Hospital on Thursday of Constable John Moore Fleming, who was lately stationed at Arapuni. Deceased, who was in his 52nd year, was very popular in the Putaruru and Arapuni districts, and the news of his unexpected death came as a great shock to his many friends. The late Constable Fleming was born in the North of Ireland, and served for some time in the Glasgow police. Coming to New Zealand, he joined the police force in December, 1906, and thus had 22 years’ service, for which good service he had been decorated. After serving at Matiere, Constable Fleming, largely owing to his immense stature and tactful nature, was appointed to Arapuni in April, 1925, when the contracting company asked for a police officer to be stationed there. With the paying off of the bulk of the company’s workers just before Christmas the station at Arapuni was closed down as from December 31 last, and Constable Fleming was then transferred temporarily to Hamilton, pending a further appointment. On reporting there he complained of a pain in the chest, which was diagnosed by the police surgeon as pleurisy. He entered the hospital forthwith, and as late as last Tuesday, when seen by a member of the Putaruru police, he reported himself as getting on well. A relapse must have taken place, for less than 48 hours afterwards death took place. The late Constable Fleming has r brother farming at Oropi, Tauranga, and a sister in Dunedin, while his mother is still alive in Ireland.