Ad Old Identity Passes Away

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42774, 5 September 1905, Page 2

Ad Old Identity Passes Away

The many friends here, of Sergeant Forbes of the Police force, who was at one time stationed at Te Aroha as Constable, will regret to hear of his death ’which took place recently at Kawhiu, afer a long and distressing illness. , The following reminiscences taken from the *'• Observer ” of 26th August are interesting, and the eulogy passed on the deceased, will be c*i di a lly endorsed by all those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance :—“ Johu Forbes ex sergeant of the police, was one of the best known members of that fine semi-military force, the Armed Constabulary, which did such excellent service in pacifying the country subsequent to withdrawal of the Imperia troops. John, or, rather, “Johnny,” or “ Jaek ” Forbes, was one of the smartest men of the organisation, which unlike tlie present police force, was almost wholly composed of men of quite uncommon intelligence. Hundreds of the rank and tile were of gentle, some even of noble birth, and there isn’t a learned profession that was not represented on the rol. ea’iy. “Johnny” Forbes joined the force; at the end of the sixties, when he was just but of his teens, and thei'fine tramm^-he-received was so deeply in , grained,lipiiis character that its effects could by t'he/yeaiß of' s'reet duty which he long afterwards underwent m Auckland- \ ‘

The members of the-force were employed in road-making, andth? peatfe ful traveller who now drives or motoij, along the main highways of Waikato little suspects that many of those roads were first f •rm-'d by aristocratic constabularymen doing “Government stroke ” for an extra shilling a day. But the soldier policemen got their share of life’s pleasures as Well. They wero T always welcome in the Society of the period, and they f und abundant openings in the world of sport. It was perhaps as u footballer that Johnny Forbes will bo best remember* ed by the old hands. Ho was a Waikato ‘‘rep ” for many successive seasons, 'and one of tho hardest mi's •that the Aucklanders had to crack. Wheu the condition of the natives

became so pacific us to render tlw maintenance, of a largo force of constabtrlary no longer 'll- uessarv in th. Wuikato, Forbos was sent, to Ivawlua, whore ho tuarriod a daughter of the late Samuel Morgan, ami thenceforward his heart, was always in that secluded harbour, Jjubsoquouly, he did duly at Hitimlteh iimi To Atsdia, and his last spell of police servdee was >n Auckland. One of the strongest and burnt. athletic men, lie was given to oVertbjfihghiH p >wtjrs snn son* - years ag > sustained au mju y which bumght on i.iiibbtos, the ilisb is * from which he died. Few men in his position have lef behind thorn a wider circle of warm friends. In tho Waikato thoro is not to bn found nil individual who has ** bad.word f»r “Johnny “ Forbes, And vet no policeman over did his du v more scrupulously or with sin Hot r -gur 1 for consequences.