FOUND UNDER LOG

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1939, Page 4

FOUND UNDER LOG

BODY OF MR ALFRED FALKNER DEATH PROBABLY THE RESULT OF EXPOSURE. END OF INTENSIVE SEARCH. The body of Mr Alfred Falkner, of Kaiparoro, who was 84 years of age, was discovered yesterday afternoon under a large rimu log. where he had apparently taken shelter. The indications are that he had died from exposure. Following a surveyor’s custom, he had left his hat on a stake to show the direction which he had followed. Mr Falkner had been missing from his residence since Monday afternoon and in the following days an extensive search of the locality had been conducted under the direction of Constable McCowan, of Eketahuna. The late Mr Falkner, who was born in Leeds, was educated at Bramham College, Yorkshire, and at the Liverpool Technical College. He entered the services of Cammell Laird and Co., of Liverpool, and graduated there as a first mechanical engineer. Afterwards he was employed in the draughting and drawing office of this firm. At the age of 24 years he decided to try his fortune in New Zealand and on his arrival joined the Lands and Survey Department under the late Mr Marchant, Commissioner of Crown Lands. He remained there until the commencement of the construction of the Manawatu Railway Company's Line. He was employed as chief draughtsman in the company’s office during the building of, the line. At this period he was a member of the Hutt County Council and of the Kilbirnie Road Board. He led a survey party over the Tararuas from Shannon to Eketahuna to plot out a possible road to the Wairarapa. The members of the party consisted of Messrs Seed and James Wallace. Their report was that a road was impracticable. About 1890 he took up a farm property in the Forty Mile Bush and had since resided there where he broke in the property. He had also been engaged in sawmilling. He served on the Eketahuna County Council and the Kaiparoro School Committee., He was also consulting engineer to the, Mauriceville County Council and during that time he built the Bruce Memorial Bridge, besides several suspension bridges in the South Island, amongst them Hurunui bridge at Scargill. He had always taken an active and practical interest in the district and was a Justice of the Peace for the past 40 years. His wife predeceased him nine years ago. He is survived by four sons "and seven daughters, besides 30 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. One son was killed on Gallipoli and another son saw service in France. The daughters are Mesdames K. McKenzie (Hamilton), C. Welch (Mt Bruce), R. Gardiner (Pahiatua), J. Bright (Raetihi), R. Parsons (Whangarei), O. Welch (Mt Bruce) and Miss Eva Falkner (Mt Bruce) and the sons are Messrs L. O„ Alex, Richard (Kaiparoro) and Edward Falkner. The funeral will take place tomorrow, leaving the residence, Kaiparoro, following a service commencing at 2.15 p.m., for the Eketahuna Cemetery.