LAID TO REST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 243, 4 June 1932, Page 4

LAID TO REST

funeral of first soldier settler to die at reporoa LATE MR. DENNIS HARTLEY The mortal remains of the first of the soldier settlers of the Reporoa district to pass away at the settlement since the war, were laid to rest in the Rotorua Cemetery yesterday, when a large number of Reporoa settlers, together with representatives of the Rotorua and Reporoa Returned Soldiers' Association followed the funeral eortege of the late Mr. Dennis Hartley. The late Mr. Hartley was one of the most successful of the soldier settlers of the district, and his sudden. death on Wednesday eame as a shock to a very wide circle of friends. Mr. Hartley was at one time in the employ of the New Zealand Railways, but after the war took over a farm at Reporoa which, in subsequent years, he had developed into one of the best holdings in the district. Mr. Hartley was found dead in his bed early on Wednesday morning, and at a subsequent inquest conducted by the Rey. J. H. Laughton, coroner, a verdict of death from heart f ailure was returned. An endeavour was made to accord the deceased gentleman a military funeral, but owing to the holiday yesterday, a firing party unfortunately could not be procured at short notice. The chief mourners were the widoV and Mr. and Mrs. H. Whitehead, of Taihape, sister and brother-in-law of the late Mr. Hartley. The bearers were Messrs. F. «• Ross, H. Corram, G. Seccombe, G. Campbell, W. Meikle and A. J. G"* landers, and the service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. VV> H. Speer (Rotorua), Messrs. R. JDansey, J. Watson and H. G. Gnbbie represented the Rotorua Returne Soldiers' Associsation. Among the mourners present v®re Mr. and Mrs. R. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Friis, Mr. and Mrs. G. CarnP" bell, Messrs. W. Laird, T. LewiS, JHird, D. Walker, J. O'Donnell, L. «• Craig,- W. Hickey, S. Sparrow, Dunbar, J. Harvey, H. Cherry, and A. Cameron. Wreaths laid at the graveside from the Rotorua Returned Soldiers Association, the Reporoa Returne Soldier Settlers' Association, Mr. a»o Mrs. H. Whitehead, Mr. and Mfs. J Brown and family, Mri and Mrs. 1 N. Ross and family, Mr. W. V' Meikle, Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow, ara near relatives of the deceased.