IMPRESSIVE SCENE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20921, 28 September 1939, Page 11

IMPRESSIVE SCENE

MINE DISASTER FUNERALS TRIBUTES TO THE VICTIMS WREATHS SENT FROM CANADA (Times Special Reporter) HUNTLY, Wednesday. Remarkable scenes showing the respect of fellow-workers and the sympathy of the public were displayed in Huntly this afternoon when large numbers of people, greatly in excess of 1000, attended the funerals of five of the victims of the Glen Afton mine disaster. Although it was estimated that 4000 people were present when 21 of the 43 victims of the 1914 Huntly mine tragedy were buried, today’s scene was perhaps more impressive, for hundreds of motor-cars thronged the streets. The respect in which the victims were held was apparent, and the v/ide nature of their activities was evident from the many organisations officially represented. There were many striking tributes in both floral emblems and the scenes at the gravesides, but perhaps the most striking of all was the fact that Mr William Goodfellow, chairman of directors of the Glen Afton Collieries Limited, cabled magnificent wreaths from Canada, where he is at present, for each of the five victims buried at the Kimihia cemetery, Huntly, to-day. Guard of Soldiers In Huntly business premises closed during the funerals. The town was thronged, however, several special buses and a special train having arrived from Glen Afton, the scene ol the tragedy. School children formed a guard of honour on the footpath along the main highway leading to the cemetery. At the cemetery a guard of honour of members of the Huntly branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association paraded, lining the path along yvhich the caskets were borne to the graves, which were all adjacent to one another in the south-western comer ol the cemetery. As each cortege arrived at the cemetery the line of motor-cars became obscured in the distance. A field adjacent to the cemetery was utilised for parking purposes. The funerals of four other victims, Messrs J. Clarke, G. Hunter, J. Marshall and W. Wilcox, at Ngaruawahia yesterday were largely attended, but the gathering today was practically of twice the extent Seven Victims Buried The victims buried at Kimihia cemetery today were Mr Christopher Blackburn, the mine manager, Mr William Brown, under manager, Mr Richard Ireland, deputy, Mr Walter Cole, deputy, and Mr William Peden, a miner. The bodies of Mr William Bell, electrician, and Mr Raymond Turley, electrician, were laid to rest at the Ngaruawahia cemetery yesterday afternoon. Following a service at the Anglican Church, Huntly, the funeral of Mr Walter Cole proceeded to the Kimihia cemetery. At the graveside the service was conducted by the Rev. J. C. A. Zimmerman, vicar of Huntly. Following the burial service the “Last Post” was sounded by Mr E. H. Fuller, of Huntly. Poppies for Remembrance The pall-bearers for Mr Cole were members of the Huntly branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, Messrs T. Learning. C. D. Woodhead, E. Johnston, J. McLennan, C. Henderson and W. Hilliar The president of the branch, Mr J Greenhorn, laid the wreaths on behalf of the association. Following the burial service the parade of exservicemen, some of whom were in uniform as members of the National Military Reserve at present in camp, filed past the grave and dropped poppies on the casket. The double funeral of Mr Brown and Mr Peden left the Presbyterian Church, Huntly, following a service. At the graveside the service was conducted by the Rev. A. Ashwin, ol Glen Afton, and the Rev. W. P. Rankin, of Huntly. The special Druids' burial service was recited at the graveside of Mr Brown by the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agricul-

ture. who is a Past Grand of the Druids’ Lodge. He officially represented the Government at all the funerals today. Military honours similar to those accorded Mr Cole were given to both Mr Brown and Mr Peden. Lodge Members Do Honours The pall-bearers for Mr Brown, who were members of the Huntly Druids’ Lodge, were Messrs H. Parker, G. Scurr, W. Moyes, E. A. Farrell, T. Harris and G. Graham. The executive committee of the Huntly branch of the Northern Miners Union were the pall-bearers for Mr Peden. They were Messrs A. Johnston, G. Lawson, H. Hall, T. Hughes. T. Hall and J. Lester. The double funeral of the late mine manager, Mr Blackburn, and Mr Ireland, came from Glen Afton. The burial service of Mr Blackburn was conducted by Pastor J. Salisbury, of Hamilton, and the graveside service for Mr Ireland was conducted by the Rev. Mr Ashwin and the Rev. Mr Rankin. For both these victims the special Masonic Lodge burial service was recited by Mr F. Grimshaw, Worshipful Master of the Pukemiro Lodge. Both were accorded military honours also, poppies being dropped into the graves, as the returned soldiers solemnly filed past. The five burials occupied three and a-half hours. Many fine floral emblems were laid beside the graves. Official Government wreaths, those from the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, and many from local bodies in the Waikato, the coalmining companies in the district, the Northern Miners’ Union, several lodges, and sporting and other bodies with which the victims were associated, were among those received. The comprehensive representation was a token of the wide esteem in which the men were held.