James Robbie, (1880-30/10/1899). "a great favorite"

 

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A telegram from Kurow states that a shepherd named David Robbie, employed on Glenmore Station, went out a few days ago and has since been missing. His horse returned in a wet state, as though it had been in the Dobson River. It is believed has been drowned.  -Lyttelton Times, 30/10/1899.

Mr Campbell, of Otekaike, has received information from the manager of the upper Benmore Station which leads to a fear that an accident of a grave nature has occurred It appears that a young man named David Robbie, whose people reside in the Pukeuri district, was out mustering horses in company with a stockman, in the neighborhood of the Dobson River. After the main muster was over Robbie and the stockman separated for the purpose of working a small piece of ground on either side of the river. Robbie crossed the stream, and not having returned after tea, the stockman, fearing that he was perhaps having trouble with the horses, went in search of him. He found no sign of the young man but met his horse in a dripping wet condition, having evidently been in the river. As there is a ford near at hand it is feared that Robbie has met with an accident. News was at ones sent to the station and to Kurow, and Mounted Constable Shepherd went out yesterday to investigate. 

Since the above was written we have received information that the fears expressed were only too well-grounded, the body of the unfortunate boy having been recovered by the station men. He was found drowned in the Dobson river, but the exact nature of the accident with which he had met is of course unknown. The young fellow was a great favorite on the station, both with his employers and among the men. He was 19 years of age.   -Oamaru Mail, 30/10/1899.

DEATH.

Robbie. — At Benmore Station, by drowning, David, second youngest and dearly beloved son of James and Mary Robbie, of Pukeuri, in his 19th year. Deeply regretted.

The funeral will leave the Oamaru Railway Station on the arrival of the 10.30 a.m. train TO-DAY from Kurow. Friends are kindly invited to attend. 

JOHN MOORE, Undertaker, Kurow and Oamaru: Telephone 93.  -North Otago Times, 30/10/1899.

An inquest was held at Kurow on Monday touching the death of David Robbie, before Mr T. A. Munro, J.P., acting coroner, in Mr J. O'Neil's hotel, and a jury of which Mr G. Hille was foreman. The facts disclosed were as previously reported, and the verdict returned by the jury was "Accidental death by drowning when attempting to ford the river at an unsafe place." The jury added their thanks to Mr James Sutherland, station manager, Benmore, for the able manner in which he had recovered the body, in spite of great difficulties.   -North Otago Times, 2/11/1899.

THANKS.

MR and MRS ROBBIE desire to return their heartfelt THANKS to all those who so willingly assisted in searching for the body of their late son David, and for all the kindness extended to them in every possible way by everyone during their time of trouble.  -Oamaru Mail, 3/11/1899.

Oamaru Cemetery.