Captain Frederick Neville Houston, MC, (2/3/1890-1/7/1916). "has done remarkably well"

NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD

A young New Zealander, who has done remarkably well in the Army since he obtained his commission in the York and Lancaster Regiment last January, is Mr Frederick Neville Houston, son of Mr W. D. Houston, of Wellington. Mr Houston was promoted full lieutenant on March 3, and has since been appointed assistant adjutant to his regiment, which is stationed at Limerick.  -Sun, 3/6/1914.

A ST. CLAIR BOY WINS THE MILITARY CROSS.

A supplement to the ‘London Gazette’ on the 14th January contains the list of promotions, etc., ordered by the King, following on the mention in despatches by General French. In this list we find the name of Lieut. Frederick Neville Houston, of the York and Lancaster Regiment. “Neville,” who is the elder son of Mr W. H. Houston, formerly of Dunedin, now residing in Wellington, has been awarded the Military Cross. He received his primary education at the St. Clair School, and went Home to study for the Army.  -Evening Star, 28/2/1916.

Lieut. Frederick Neville Houston, York and Lancashire Regiment, who received his education at the Waitaki Boys' High School, has been awarded the Military Cross. Lieut. Houston as been twice wounded in action on the Flanders front. He was mentioned in despatches by Sir John French.   -Oamaru Mail, 2/3/1916.

Captain Frederick Neville Houston, of the York and Lancaster regiment. who was killed in action on the 1st of July, was the eldest son of W. D. Houston, formerly of Dunedin. and now of Oriental Bay, Wellington. The deceased was twice wounded previously. He studied in England and joined the army there. — Press Association.  -Hawkes Bay Tribune, 29/9/1916.

The first of July, 1916, was the beginning of the Battle of the Somme.  British troops were told they would march over no-man's-land to occupy demolished German trenches with little resistance after continued heavy bombardment from British artillery. Instead, they found German soldiers who had climbed out of their deep bunkers to set up machine guns.  Losses were heavy.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

63705 Sergeant William McKinlay, (24/1/1914-8/5/1944). "the worst damage"

William McKinlay was employed as a clerk in Napier when he joined the army in 1942.  He slogged up the Italian peninsula with the 18th Armoured Regiment and participated in the grueling Battle of Monte Cassino.

The road forward to the station was terrible. The only way up was along the narrow railway embankment and across the Rapido by a shrapnel-riddled bridge, an impossible trip in daylight and next to impossible even at night, the tanks pitching blindly nose down and then nose up through shell-holes, every spare inch of inside room crammed full of ammunition. The men had been prepared for a few fireworks when they drove up in their great noisy Shermans, and they certainly got what they expected. Spandaus from straight ahead, their tracer streaking through the dark like a swarm of falling stars, mortars bursting thick round the tanks as they drove up and edged in behind their wall.

This performance was turned on every time the tanks changed over. As soon as Jerry heard them moving, down came the fire. As long as the engines kept running the metal kept flying. But, as Captain Stan Edmonds says, ‘it usually quietened down when tanks ceased to move and there was no offensive action on our part’. Even then there were still mortars landing every few minutes, and almost continuous Spandau fire which zipped across the tanks' front and past the end of their wall, and rifle grenades fired from the waste land ahead.

Life at Cassino station was about as bad as it could be. The whole place stank of death. The bomb-holes were full of brackish water covered with green slime. During the daytime, even when no mortars were falling, our own smoke canisters were constantly whistling down all around. Everybody was filthy, unshaven, perpetually on edge for whatever might happen the next second. Almost underneath the tanks, in holes under the sheltering wall, lived the British infantry. The tankies had a dugout only a few feet away and trenches under the tanks. Everyone had a rifle or a Tommy gun, and all the Browning machine guns were taken out of the tanks and mounted on the ground, some of them pointing out through little holes in the wall, which also served as peepholes through which you peered out into Jerry's territory as far as the foot of Montecassino. Not that you could see anything, for Jerry was as careful as we were not to show himself in daylight.

‘This was the only time,’ says Reynolds, ‘when I felt sure I wouldn't see my home again.’ Everyone was certain that Jerry knew just where the tanks were, and nobody could forget that some night he might take it into his head to knock the wall down and leave them exposed. But he didn't do this. The worst damage was one night when a mortar salvo fell right on the spot during a changeover, killing Sergeant Bill McKinlay and wounding three others. -Official History of the 18th Regiment.

FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE

McKINLAY. — Killed in action in Italy, William David, elder son of Joanna McKinlay, Lancaster street, Lawrence, and the late James McKinlay, of Miller’s Flat and Queenstown; aged 20. Deeply mourned.  -Otago Daily Times, 16/5/1944.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

Robert Penny, (1900-15/12/1917). "the river was a little up"

Early on Saturday morning the Timaru police received word that a boy of 16 or 17 years of age named Robert Penny, of Fairlie, was missing from Ben Ohau station. It is thought that the boy may have been drowned in a river which he had to ford on his way from Ben Ohau station to Glen Lyon station. He set out to take two horses to the latter station which he reached safely, and then commenced the return journey to Ben Ohau, but he did not return there. The horses have been found but there is no trace of the boy. Search parties have been sent out.  -Timaru Herald, 17/12/1917.

The body of Robert Penny, who was drowned in a river running into Lake Ohau on 14th inst., was found on Sunday last in that river.  -Oamaru Mail, 18/7/1917.

A BOY'S DEATH.

BY DROWNING.

On Tuesday an inquest was held at Lake Pukaki, touching the death of Robert Penny (aged 17), who was drowned while crossing the Dobson river on his way from Glenlyon Station to the Lake Station. Mr G. Murray of Braemar Station, presided, and there was a jury of four — Messrs R. L. Wigley (foreman), G. S. Woods, D. Pollock, S. Redmile. Constable Mackintosh represented the police. 

Mrs Charttres, wife of the manager of Glenlyon Station, stated that about 9 a.m. on the 14th inst., deceased left home to go to the Lake Station, across the river, with two tins of fat. He was riding one horse and leading a pack horse. 

John Young, runholder, Lake Station, said that deceased arrived at Lake Station about 10.30 a.m. on the 14th inst. He was riding one horse and leading a pack horse. He left two tins of fat at witness's woolshed. Deceased remarked that the river was a little up and that he got his feet wet riding across. Deceased left on his return journey within half an hour and appeared to be in his usual spirits. About 5 p.m. witness was informed that deceased's horses were running about the riverbank on the Lake Station side of the river. Witness went to the river and noticed that it was very high and dirty. 

Joseph Preston, owner of Glenlyon Station, said that deceased had been employed by him for 7 months. He (witness) arrived at Glenlyon Station, about 10.30 a.m. on the 14th inst., and inquired where deceased was. He was informed that deceased had gone to the Lake Station. Sometime later he noticed the horses running about the river bank on the opposite side of the river. 

Constable Mackintosh, of Fairlie, stated that he arrived at Glenlyon Station at about 5 p.m. on the 16th inst., and immediately went to look for the body in company with James Chartres. After searching for about an hour and a half the body was found about half a mile below the crossing. It was lying on a quick sand, and it was impossible to remove it that night. On the following morning the body was removed to the Lake Station, where he examined it, but found no marks of any kind.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased met his death by accidental drowning while crossing the Dobson river.  -Timaru Herald, 21/12/1917.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

25/563 Sergeant Leonard Francis Edward Penrose, (15/11/1894-30/5/1917). "reconnoitering for a position"

SERGEANT PENROSE. 

Sergeant Leonard F. E. Penrose, of whose death from wounds information has been received, was the second son of Mr W. Penrose, of this City. He was born in Timaru, but was educated at the Dunedin High School, after which he entered his father’s business; but his health breaking down he went on to the land in Blenheim. It was from there he enlisted in the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade, and left New Zealand in January, 1916. He went straight to France, where he remained, and was through the battle of the Somme, attached to a machine-gun section. The sergeant in charge of the gun was killed in action, and young Penrose was promoted to the rank of sergeant on the field, and given charge of the gun. It is surmised that he was wounded in reconnoitering for a position for his gun. He was evidently taken to England, and died in a military hospital there.   -Evening Star, 2/6/1917.

Leonard Penrose was promoted to Sergeant during the Battle of the Somme in late 1916.  He was sent to a Gunnery School shortly afterwards. He was wounded in the abdomen during a quiet period but a busy one in preparation for the forthcoming Battle of Messines.  The date was May 8.  He died 22 days later, in the New Zealand General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

Daniel Barrett, (1857-15/3/1877). "got a job at last"

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE.

Fires almost innumerable have occurred in Dunedin and its suburbs at various times. Sometimes the damage done by the consuming element has been comparatively trifling, while on other occasions property of immense value has fallen before the ravages of the flames; but the catastrophe of last night— or rather this morning — has had but two horrible parallels in the history of Dunedin fires, viz., the destruction of an hotel in Stafford street some thirteen or fourteen years ago, when a man named “Charlie” met his fate, and the burning of Mr Jago’s establishment some nine or ten years since, when a human being was literally roasted in the building. Rumors that a similar fate had befallen an unfortunate man during last night’s fire were only too amply verified to-day, and it is now established beyond the possibility of a doubt that the destruction of the boardinghouse was but a bagatelle compared with the dire catastrophe that attended it. 

Particulars of the Fire. The first intimation that a fire had broken out was given at about a quarter to two o’clock this morning, when the alarm bell on the hill pealed forth in significantly loud tones its startling news. The King street bell was not far behind in echoing the refrain. and people listened anxiously for the distinguishing strokes to inform them in what ward the destroyer was at work. One! — two — three tolled out the bells, and then ensued a scamper for Bell Ward, each one endeavoring to be the first to ascertain who was the victim of the disaster. Guided by the fatal glare, the scene of the fire was soon reached, and those who had read in the daily journals of the accident that had occurred the previous day to the Waverley Boarding-house shook their heads suspiciously as they beheld that building on fire for the second time within twelve hours. Captain Sinclair and his company of firemen were not long in putting in an appearance; but by the time they arrived it was apparent that the solitary hose-reel they had brought with them was totally inefficient to save the doomed house, which in a very few minutes was nothing but a mass of flame. However, nothing daunted by the terrible heat, the gallant band of red-coats battled like Trojans against the devouring element, and, although they were fairly driven back twice by the intense heat and the smoke, they came to the charge again, and, owing to the foresight of Captain Sinclair, were furnished with wet blankets to shield them in some measure from the perils which threatened them. A house belonging to Mr Dodds, draper, and inhabited by himself and family, which was only separated from the boarding house by a narrow passage, was on fire several times, as was also a cottage owned by Mr Inglis, draper, and tenanted by a Mr McLennie; but both places, owing to the judicious management of Captain Sinclair, were only partially destroyed. It soon became evident to the large crowd assembled — numbering probably some 2,000 persons — that the fire would not extend beyond the immediate locality in which it broke it, and after a short but fierce struggle portions of the devoted building fell one by one into ruins. First the roof went — then the walls— and in a comparatively short time from the outbreak there was nothing left but the usual monument of such an occurrence — a mutilated and crumbling chimney. The wind, which at first was light from the westward, fortunately hauled round to the north-east and fell still lighter, and thus diverted the cloud of sparks from a very dangerous block of buildings in King street, and possibly helped to curtail the area of the fire. 

Ghastly Discovery — A Man Burned. The worst, however, remains to be told. As soon as the fire was fairly extinguished, Captain Sinclair, according to custom, left four of his men in charge of the premises, and went back to the Brigade station. Returning a few minutes later he heard a report that some person had been left in the building when the other inmates had cleared out, and. accompanied by Firemen Wicks end Williden, he went over the ruins. As they went along the firemen raked over a lot of debris, and presently they became aware of a curious smell, which increased so much as they poked at the heap beneath their feet that Wicks was seized with vomiting. One of the men suggested that a dog had probably been burnt with the house, but Mr Sinclair said that could scarcely be the case, ns he bad seen the dog belonging to the house alive and running about since the fire. Animated with a horrible suspicion, the explorers quickly removed some more of the blackened heap, when the melancholy cause of the odor became apparent. Reclining on his left side, and scarcely distinguishable from the common ruin, was a human body, the arm and elbow of which were protruding. Speedily removing the surrounding ashes, the head and shoulders were brought to view, and ere many minutes all that remained of the hapless man was placed by the firemen on a sheet of corrugated iron, a funeral procession was formed, and the hideous and shapeless heap of calcined bones and scorched flesh that represented what an hour previously was a living being was conveyed to the hospital.  All attempts at identification were of no avail until this morning, at about twelve o’clock, when a fellow passenger of the deceased to this country recognised the mutilated fragments as the remains of a man of twenty years of age named Daniel Barrett. Deceased was a native of Cork, was unmarried, and had been three years in the Colony. His only relations in this place are a sister residing in Port Chalmers and a brother at the Taieri. The unfortunate young fellow had only come to Mrs McCluskey’s on Saturday last, and had, we believe, previously lived in Hatton’s Caledonian Hotel in Walker street. He had been used to farming work, and had left the Caledonian Hotel in search of employment.

A Woman Jumps out of the Window. Another casualty occurred to a young woman named Ann Ryan, one of the boarders. While jumping out of the window on to the verandah, she slipped and came with violence to the ground, and was apparently so much injured that it was deemed advisable to send her to the Hospital. However, we are glad to say that she was not seriously hurt, the principal damage incurred being bruises on the back. One of the girls boarding in the house had her clothes stolen from the street, where she had removed them; but the police generally kept the crowd well back, and under the charge of Inspector Mallard, did much to prevent confusion, and were especially active in getting the occupants of the house — some twenty in number — to a place of safety. When the police left the scene of the fire, about 3.30, the boarders expressed themselves as thoroughly satisfied that there was no one remaining in the building at the time the fire broke out. In fact the Inspector would not be satisfied until he had seen them all excepting an old man and an old woman, whom he, with Sergeant-Major Sevan and Sergeant Dean subsequently traced distinctly to a place of safety. The Waverly Boarding-house was a two-storey building containing fifteen rooms, owned by Mr Henry Williams, of Caversham, and by him let to Mrs McCluskey. The fire appeared to have originated downstairs, in the sitting-room or the kitchen, and was first discovered by the landlady, who, with her three children, slept in the sittingroom. As soon as possible Mrs McCluskey effected the escape of herself and the children, and then with all possible speed alarmed the neighbors to their imminent danger. The origin of the fire is unknown, hut it is supposed to have occurred through the kitchen fire-place standing too close to a boarded wall which divided the kitchen from the sitting-room. Mrs McCluskey was the last one to go to bed last night, and says that when she retired, at midnight, all the fires were out and there was no light burning. Mr Dodds had not much time to spare in vacating, as his house is completely burned through on the side fronting the boarding-house, and his five children and wife were hurried out as soon as Mrs McCluskey gave the alarm. The McLennies, who lived in a cottage on the other side of the burned building, also got out with as much haste as possible, and not a minute too soon, for their house, which is owned by Mr Inglis, was actually on fire, and one of the walls and the roof were burned through. 

Losses by the Fire. The pecuniary loss incurred by the fire is difficult to estimate. The boarding-house was valued by Mr Williamson at L609, and he was, we believe, insured in the New Zealand office for L400. Mrs McCluskey has lost well nigh her all, as she was not insured. Her furniture, most of which was burnt, was probably worth L200, and she had a rol1 of bank notes of the value of L50, which was destroyed. Mr Dodds's loss has been roughly estimated at L200, but he says that sum is nothing like the real amount he has lost. Among his furniture were a valuable piano and a drawing-room suite, which, with the other furniture, has been so hopelessly damaged by either fire or water, that it may be said to be almost in as bad a state as though it had been burned. He is partially insured in the New Zealand Office. We have not heard the extent of Mr Inglis’s loss. 

Delay In Getting Gear. The delay in getting the Brigade’s gear to the scene of the fire was owing to the want of horses to draw it, that used having been brought from North Dunedin. Yesterday’s fires demonstrated pretty effectually we should say, the need for an alarm bell at the central station.

An inquest will probably be held on Friday touching the death of the unhappy victim, and the evidence may possibly throw some light on the origin of the fire.  -Evening Star, 14/3/1877.

THE LATE FIRE.

Coroner's inquest. 

An inquest was held at the Hospital at noon to-day, before Mr T. M. Hocken and a jury of twelve, on the body of Daniel Barrett, and into the cause of the recent fire at the Waverly House, by which he met his death. 

The Coroner stated that from the facts in which the police were in possession of, there could be but little doubt that the fire was accidental. 

The jury having viewed the body, which, although fearfully charred, was still recognisable, the following evidence was taken: 

Bernard John Flaherty, laborer, stated that he lived in the Harp of Erin Boarding House and knew Daniel Barrett, from Home. He was twenty years old, a native of Cork, a laborer by occupation, unmarried, and a Roman Catholic by religious persuasion. He came to New Zealand about two years and a-half ago, and had a brother and sister residing here. Witness had no reasonable doubt but that the remains in the morgue were those of Barrett. Witness last saw him alive about 6.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening. He was then going to his lodgings at the Waverly Boarding-house. He had a little drink in him but was able to take care of himself. 

By the Jury: Witness had often seen Barrett the worse of drink, but he was not drunk on Tuesday. He was quite helpless when drunk.

Mary Anne McCluskey: I am the wife of John McCluskey who keeps the Waverly Boarding-house in Moray place. Barrett came to lodge with me a few days before his death. He had his tea about half-past six o'clock on Tuesday evening, and went out afterwards. About half-past two o'clock on Wednesday morning I was awoke by a noise of cracking. I leapt out of bed, and seeing a fire had broken out at the foot of the stairs in the passage, called the lodgers sleeping upstairs. The flames were about ten feet high. The deceased slept upstairs in a room with two others. I then seized my children, but do not remember what occurred afterwards. The house was burned down in about twenty minutes. All the lodgers but the deceased got out. When I went to bed at twelve o'clock I left the back door open to enable the lodgers who were out to come in. I do not think Barrett was home then. There was no fireplace near where I saw the flames, and I have not the slightest idea how the fire originated. When I went to bed I put all the lights out. The furniture was not insured, and I lost everything I had, including L50 in money. — By the Jury: The fire, when I first saw it, appeared to have originated downstairs. 

Henry Williamson stated that he owned the Waverly Boarding-house, which was occupied by Mrs McCluskey. The building was insured in the National for L400. To re-erect the premises would cost L900. Witness bought the premises about three years ago, and they had been insured ever since. The rent was L100 a year. 

Thomas Chevalier Robertson: On Tuesday night I retired to bed about eight o'clock and slept till about one, on Wednesday morning. While lying awake, I heard a man come into my bedroom, strike a match, and light a candle. He spoke to me, saying, "Thank God, I've got a job at last." I do not know the man further than he slept in the same room with me. I replied I was glad to hear he had got a job. He went to bed, but got up and took a drink of water about half an hour after. He then said there was a fire at the foot of the stairs and opened the door. Seeing the flames I told the man to shut the door, and got out of the window, telling him to follow me. He was a young man, about twenty or twenty-two; and was quite sober. 

John Mansfield, a lad of about fourteen years old, was the next witness. He stated that he went to bed about ten or eleven o'clock on Tuesday night. A stout man was then in bed, but a third bed in the room was empty. Witness was awoke by cries of fire. Looked down the stairs, and finding them on fire, awoke the stout man. The latter got out of the window, witness following him.

John English, miner, deposed that he had lodged in the Waverly Boarding-house for the last three weeks. Witness saw the deceased about nine o'clock on Tuesday night. He was going down Princes street, and was the worse of drink. Witness while in bed saw him going to his bedroom about one o'clock next morning. He struck a match at his bedroom door. He walked heavily, and witness had little doubt he was the worse of drink. On going into his bedroom Barrett awoke an old man sleeping in the room and commenced talking about a job. Witness called to him to "shut up," and he kept quiet after that. Witness on waking at 2 o'clock discovered the stairs on fire. He then got out of bed, put on his clothing, and jumped out of a window. By the jury: No one slept in the room with witness.

William Hoare, quarryman, went to bed about midnight on Tuesday, sleeping on the lower floor. Was awoke by cries of "Help!" On going out he noticed the fire was between the partition and ceiling. The fire burned for nearly a quarter of an hour before the alarm was given. The wood was dry, and there was a considerable quantity of paper lining, so that if a lighted match was let fall the house would probably take fire. 

Thomas Wicks, general laborer, and a member of the D.V.F.B., stated that after the fire was over, and while searching over the debris he came across the calf of a man's leg. The body was raked out, and removed to the hospital. 

Detective Neil stated that he saw Barrett in the yard of the Provincial Hotel about 9.30 o'clock on Tuesday night. He was then half-drunk, and, for one so young, drank very heavily. When he spoke to witness outside the theatre witness cautioned him to take care of himself. He was so drunk on Saturday night last that it had been found necessary to turn him out of the theatre.

The Coroner remarked that the jury were not justified in returning a verdict of incendiarism. There was not even sufficient to prove that the deceased set fire to the place either by dropping a lighted match or putting down his pipe, though probably such was the case. The evidence only justified them in saying that deceased was found burned, but whether the fire was accidental would have to be left open. The jury simply returned a verdict of "found burned.  -Evening Star, 16/3/1877.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.

Alfred Highley, (25/10/1875-5/6/1929). "a falling beam"

TOWN HALL FATALITY.

DEATH OF ALFRED HIGHLEY. 

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. 

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M., sitting as coroner, an inquest was held into the circumstances attending the death of Alfred Highley, who was killed while working at the Town Hall on the morning of June 5. Sergeant Vaughan watched the proceedings on behalf of the police. Mr C. L. Calvert appeared for the relatives of the deceased, Mr M. Paterson for the Love Construction Company, and Mr G. T. Lightfoot for the Labour Department. 

Mr F. Barton, inspector of scaffolding, was also present. 

Frank Henry Ball, foreman of the Love Construction Company at the new Town Hall, stated that he was supervising the work as usual on the day of the accident. Under his direction four men were engaged in lowering some of the scaffolding. Two men were on the fall block tackle, on the St. John Ambulance side of. the fence, which was about five feet high, and another man was inside the Town Hall building, on another block and tackle. The deceased's duty was to disconnect two beams which were being lowered, so that they could be brought down separately. There was a distance of 15 feet between the place where the deceased released the beams and where he was caught. The first thing witness knew of the accident. was when he saw the deceased pinned between the beam and a cement barrel. The deceased was a very able workman, and had been on the job since April, 1927. Witness did not see the accident: no one on the job saw it. The method employed was the safest that could have been employed. Witness's idea was that the deceased went to shift a barrel to safeguard himself. The men who were taking the weight on the block and tackle could not see the deceased; they were waiting for a signal from him. The block and tackle were in good order. 

Donald Austin, labourer, employed at the Town Hall, said he was assisting in the lowering of scaffolding on the day of the accident. He took his signals from Barrowman. It was not possible for Barrowman, where he was standing, to see the deceased. Witness saw deceased after he had been lifted from under the beam. 

John William Alexander Barrowman, labourer, employed by the Love Construction Company, who was assisting in lowering the beam, said he was in charge of a block and tackle. When the beam got to a certain position its weight came on to witness’s tackle, which was strong enough to hold a weight three times as heavy as the beam. After Austin had pulled the beam clear witness began to lower the beam, having received the signal to do so from the deceased. The deceased gave the signal that all was ready and then the signal to lower. The beam was under control until it was about five feet from the ground. Witness did hot see the accident. He heard someone call out “Hold on,” but it was then too late to hold the beam. Witness did not know whose voice it was.

Albert George Arthur Tait, crane driver, corroborated previous evidence. 

Sergeant Vaughan, stationed at Dunedin, said he was called to the Town Hall last Wednesday morning, about half-past 11. He saw the deceased lying on the ground. His head was badly crushed.

The coroner said the evidence showed that there was nothing wrong with the methods employed in dismantling the scaffolding. The material used was sufficient and proper for the purpose. It was unexplained how the deceased, who was in charge of the work, came to get into a dangerous position under the falling beam. It could only be a matter of surmise. He had plenty of room to move about, and the reason why he came to be in the position in which he met with his death was altogether inexplicable. The verdict would be that death was due to injuries received by the deceased being accidentally crushed by a falling beam.  -Otago Daily Times, 11/6/1929.

IN MEMORIAM.

HIGHLEY. — In fond memory of my dear husband, Alfred Highley, accidentally killed on June 5, 1929. 

To memory ever dear. 

— Inserted by his loving wife and little Milton.   -Evening Star, 5/6/1930.

Anderson Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

Joseph Heward "Old Joe," (1832-5/2/1912). "I can't abide i-sters meself"

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY

APPLICATIONS FOR AWARDS. 

The following applications for awards have been received by the Secretary: — On behalf of Andrew L. Fogo, Ernest Daveys, and Joseph Heward, who, on November 8th, rowed through a heavy surf at Purakanui, and rescued from, drowning Charles Begg and L. Moor, who were clinging to an overturned boat. The rescuers took half-an-hour to reach the boat, and an hour to pull back against the ebbing tide, during which time they shipped several heavy seas.  -Press, 4/12/1903.

HEWARD. — On the 17th January, at her residence, Purakanui, Margaret, the beloved wife of Joseph Heward; aged 68 years. R.I.P.  -Otago Daily Times, 1/2/1904.

TO PROPRIETOR KEA OINTMENT, Dunedin. 

About three years ago I received an injury, to my face, and for some reason the wound did not heal (it having developed into a running sore), although I tried several remedies. About a year ago I heard from a friend about your Kea Ointment, and my friend strongly urged me to try it; So I procured a box, with the result that, after using half a box, my face was completely healed, the cure taking about two months, and the trouble has not returned since. This unsolicited testimonial you can make use of in any way you wish. If it will be the means of others being cured by your Ointment it will have served its purpose. —Yours gratefully, JOSEPH HEWARD, Purakanui. 

For Piles, Goitre, Eczema, Cuts, Burns, and all Sores. Sold by Peterson and Co., George and Walker streets; Allan and Smith, King street; Benfell, King street; T. Maw, King street; and Mulquin, South Dunedin.  -Otago Daily Times, 21/11/1908.

“OLD JOE" A FAMILIAR FIGURE TO WEEK-ENDERS AT PURAKANUI — A. O. Wilkinson, photo.  -Otago Witness, 15/6/1910.

Purakanui, a favourite seaside resort, has lost a well-known figure by the sudden death of Mr Joseph Heward, familiarly known as "Old Joe." Deceased, who lived alone, was not seen about as usual on Saturday morning; but this occasioned no surprise to residents, as he had been to Port Chalmers the day previous, and after that journey usually spent the morning in bed. As the afternoon wore on, however, and he did not make his appearance, a young man — a visitor from Dunedin — went to the house to investigate the cause, and help him if need be, and found the old man in bed, apparently asleep, but on approaching the bedside he was startled to find that "Old Joe" was dead. Deceased was about 80 years of age, and had resided in Parakanui for some 40 years, until recently following the occupation of a fisherman. His patriarchal appearance, his interest in children and animals, and his stories of early sailoring days combined to make him a particularly well-known character of the district. At the inquest Dr Borrie gave evidence that death was due to heart disease and congestion of the lungs, and a verdict to that effect was returned. Heward was a native of Southampton, England, and was 80 years of age.   -Otago Witness, 14/2/1912.

PURAKANUI DAYS  (excerpt)

A figure well known to most visitors to Purakanui in the nineties was Old Joe, who was engaged in fishing. His wife also assisted to keep the home fires burning by keeping a few summer boarders. Joe was a sufficiently interesting type of fisherman to form a model for well-known Dunedin artists. Besides being an experienced fisherman, Joe had another qualification, particulars of which he once gave to me. Observing a lady eating, with great relish, some of the oysters which he had procured for her, Joe remarked: “It’s a funny thing, ain’t it! I can’t abide i-sters (oysters) meself, but you should see me a-openin’ of ’em. I were the smartest young feller in Yarmouth at openin’ i-sters, and I could allus get a job at any i-ster saloon. They liked me becus’ I didn’t like i-sters. There was no fear of me swallering up their profits.” 

Frequently some holiday-maker at Purakanui dared to brave the billow and the breeze, and accompanied Joe on one of his fishing expeditions. He would toil and moil, and endure the discomfort which a landsman usually feels on such occasions, assisting Joe to make a good catch, but he was surprised and aggrieved on returning home to find that his partner for the day claimed all the fish caught, and insisted upon his paying the full market price for even the smallest. On one occasion, when he was fishing beyond the bar, Joe netted several trout. It was surmised that they reached the ocean from the Waitati Stream. Joe tried to sell them to local residents, but he asked too fancy a price, so he continued on his way to the railway station. None of the waiting passengers were sufficiently interested to buy, so he offered them to a gentleman on the platform of the incoming train. This gentleman seemed greatly taken up with the offer, and asked Joe how and where he had caught the trout, and what was his name and address. To all of these questions Joe gave frank and truthful replies. Then the stranger divulged the fact that he was the ranger. I met Joe on his way back, and he told me his troubles. “Wornt I a mug? But ’ow was I ter know he was the bloomin’ ranger? But p’raps he'll forget all about it.” But the ranger didn’t, and in due course Joe appeared at the court and was fined. 

Early one morning a monstrous sunfish was stranded on the beach at Purakanui. Joe was the first person to see it, and, scenting profit, took immediate possession. He indicated his proprietorship by attaching one end of a clothes line to the fish and the other to a stake. He was convinced that the Otago Museum authorities would hear of the find, and would offer him a good price for it as a specimen. The expected offer did not eventuate, and very soon the sunfish began to emit odours appertaining to decay. People began to make complaints to Joe about his property. He replied, truthfully enough, that he had not brought the fish ashore, but the complainants assorted that if he claimed the fish as an asset he could not disown it as a liability. Much against his will Joe had to turn to and row his treasure trove out to sea. So was added another to the stock of hard luck yarns. 

With the establishment of the old age pension scheme Joe became entitled to the usual allowance. Joe was not ungrateful, and whenever he visited the city to collect his pension he took the opportunity of drinking the health of the Government not once, but several times. One hot summer afternoon when they were returning from their periodical trip to town Joe and his wife were offered a lift across the inlet, which at that hour was an expanse of dry sand. Mrs Joe and the driver occupied the only seat in the trap. Joe was stowed away at the back. At the end of the journey Mrs Joe turned to speak to her husband. To her amazement he was not there. He had performed the vanishing trick. Mrs Joe had heard of a chicken being spirited away by a hawk, but Joe was no chicken. It would have required a great auk to have carried him off, and no bird bigger than an albatross had been seen in the district. Whatever was the cause of his mysterious disappearance she had no doubt that Joe would turn up sooner or later. Joe always did.

What had happened to Joe? Briefly this. The hot afternoon sun and the liberal refreshment to which he had treated himself in town had induced a drowsy feeling which very soon culminated in his falling asleep. His hold loosened, with, the result that he rolled out of the back of the cart on to the soft sand, where he continued to slumber unnoticed. Meanwhile, the tide was on the turn, and soon the wavelets began to creep nearer and nearer his recumbent figure, whispering as they came; “We’re coming, Joe! Look out, Joe! Get up, Joe!” By and by they touched him ever so gently, and Joe’s dreams took a different turn. He thought he was in the Antarctic encountering snow and ice and blizzards. The wavelets continued to advance, and Joe half awoke wondering why the temperature had gone down with a bump. He reached out for the bedclothes to pull them up. There were no bedclothes. He sat up in surprise and found that his bed was the wide world and his mattress watercovered sand. 

“Where have you been, Joe?" his wife cried as he appeared in the doorway a little later. “You look wet. 

(To be continued.)  -Evening Star, 12/1/1929.

Port Chalmers Cemetery. DCC photo.

Thomas Mee, (1846-2/4/1913). "a small cask of powder"

Thomas Mee, an employee on the railway construction works at Catlins River, was badly burned by ignited gunpowder early yesterday morning. It is stated that about 3 a.m. he struck a match to see the time on his watch, and inadvertently threw the burning match into a keg of gunpowder, which exploded. Mee was brought to Dunedin and admitted to the Hospital last evening. His injuries are severe.   -Evening Star, 2/4/1913.

EX-CONTSTABLE'S DEATH

THROUGH A GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION. 

Early on the morning of April 1 Thomas Mee, formerly mine host of the Peacock Hotel, Dunedin, and an ex-constable under Commissioner Weldon, but lately employed on the the Catlins railway construction works, lit a match to see the time, and inadvertently threw the lighted match into a keg of blasting powder standing by the foot of his bed in a tent at Papatowai, thus causing an explosion, which severely burned the unfortunate man, who died in the Dunedin Hospital on Wednesday night at 11.30 o'clock. 

Mr C. C. Graham, District Coroner, held an inquiry at the Hospital this forenoon. Sub-inspector Fouhy representing the police. 

Dr Stewart, house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, said that the deceased was admitted to the Hospital about 7.15 p.m. on April 1. He was in fair condition, but suffering from extensive burns, which had scorched practically the whole of his body. In the early hours of the following morning he became delirious, and suffered considerably from shock as the result of the extensive nature of the burns. From that time he did not regain consciousness, and he died at 11.30 p.m. on April 2, as a result of severe shock following on the extensive burns on his body. The character of the burns proved that they had been caused by gunpowder. His case was hopeless from the beginning. 

James Cockburn, laborer on the Catlins railway construction works, said the deceased (who had been similarly employed) was a married man, aged 67 years. His tent at the works at Papatowai adjoined that of witness. On the night of March 31 deceased slept alone in his own tent, which was 3ft away from witness's tent. Deceased had in his tent a small cask of powder — about 6lb or 7lb. The tent was 8ft by 10ft. The powder, when the witness last saw it, was by the foot of deceased's bed. About 5.15 a.m. on April 1 witness was awakened by the report of an explosion in deceased's tent. Witness rushed out and saw Mee's tent all in flames. Witness had three kerosene tins of rain water at hand, and he "wired in" and threw the water on the burning tent. He thought deceased was inside the tent. After controlling the flames a bit he sang out: "Where are you, Tom?. Mee came round the tent and said: "I'm here, Jim." quite sensibly. Witness thought that deceased must have been blown out of his tent. A little later Mee went back into his tent, which was still on fire, and sat on the bed. He was apparently in great pain. Another mate and a farmer and his wife came on the scene, and with witness removed Mee to another tent, where he was dressed and bandaged to the best of their ability. The burns were very extensive — in fact, all over his body. Mee had told witness that he had awakened. during the night, struck a match to see the time, threw the lighted match into the keg of blasting powder, and then when he saw his mistake, tried to pick the match out. Just then the explosion occurred. There was no doctor in the neighborhood, so he was sent by trap to Caberfeidh (that is Thomas Mackenzie's battlecry, remarked witness by the way), and thence by train to Dunedin. The keg in which the powder had been kept was shivered into little pieces. 

Sub-inspector Fouhy: Is it customary to keep the powder in the tents where workmen sleep? 

Witness: Oh, no. 

Mr Fouhy: How did that keg of powder come to be there?

Witness: There was no other place for it. We used to plant the powder under trees and stumps and so on, but there was so much stealing going on that we found it would not do. I lost £2 worth myself. 

Mr Fouhy: Was it put in the tent for safe custody? 

Witness: Yes. The department did not provide a place to stow it, and the powder had to be kept dry. Deceased was ganger and had charge of the blasting ammunition. 

Robert Welshe Grace, also employed on the Catlins railway works, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. He said that as far as he knew Mr Cockburn had given a very good account of what had happened. Witness accompanied deceased from Catlins to the Dunedin railway station, where he handed him over to his son, James Mee. Witness had not spoken to deceased about the accident, and kept other people from bothering him. Witness said he had seen powder in the tents of other workmen besides the deceased. 

James Mee, a son of the deceased, identified the body, and gave formal evidence. Witness said his mother resided at Waikouaiti, and that his father left a family of two sons and a daughter. 

The Coroner said it could easily be understood that when a person awoke during the night his faculties were not all about him. It was clear that in the thoughtlessness of the moment deceased had thrown a lighted match into a keg of blasting powder, had tried to remedy his mistake, but had failed to prevent an explosion. The accident was one of those simple things that might happen to anyone placed in similar circumstances. As the doctor had stated, death was due to shock following on severe burns caused by an accidental explosion of blasting powder. The coroner added that no blame was attachable to anyone.  -Evening Star, 5/4/1913.

Storing gunpowder and caps and gelignite in tents is the regular custom of workmen on the Catlins railway extension. There are very few tents, indeed, where this practice is not in vogue. To leave a barrel, or part of a barrel uncovered and to carelessly throw a lighted match into it is not, however, a common occurrence. The late Thomas Mee paid the penalty of his casualness when he struck a match to look at the time one morning last week. He lighted his pipe and then threw the match away. He realised as soon as he had thrown it that it had landed in the open keg of blasting powder, and made an attempt to recover it, but it was too late, and he got the force of the explosion, being very badly burned. The late Mr Mee had had a varied career in the Permanent Artillery, police, hotelkeeping, etc., but he was a quiet, inoffensive old fellow, and much liked by the members of my gang where he worked. —Correspondent.  -Clutha Leader, 8/4/1913.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

The Dunedin Savings Bank robbery of 1890. "dressed somewhat loudly"

The following are the particulars of the impudent robbery at the Dunedin Savings Bank, the supposed perpetrators of which are stated in to-day's telegrams to be now in custody. — It appears that Mr. Edmund Smith, manager of the Dunedin Savings Bank at Lower High-street, was sitting in his office about 1 o'clock, when a person entered the Bank and asked for change of a £5 note, placing that amount upon the counter. Mr. Smith took up the cash-box, which was lying near, and approached the counter opposite to where the man was standing, and opened it with the intention of handing over the change. Just at that moment a knock was heard at the bank door of the room, and the manager placed the cash-box upon the counter, and proceeded to the door, where he was met by another man, also a stranger, who asked if he could have a few minutes' conversation with Mr. Smith. The latter consented, and the stranger thereupon said that complaints had been made about the yard of the bank premises, prolonging the discussion for a few minutes. After the conversation was concluded he left, and Mr. Smith returned to the bank, intending to give the other man, who he thought was still waiting, his change. Upon his return, however, he discovered that the visitor had disappeared, taking with him the cash box, which, we understand, contained about £120. The robbery was exceedingly well planned, for the knock came just at the right moment, and thus afforded the first man every facility to get clear away with the money. The pair must have had designs upon the bank for some time, for they picked upon the time when the clerks were absent, and thus had little difficulty in negotiating the robbery successfully.   -Evening Post, 18/8/1890.

THE DUNEDIN SAVINGS BANK ROBBERY.

BY TELEGRAPH. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

DUNEDIN, 17th August. The detectives succeeded last night in running to earth two men suspected of the robbery of a cashbox containing L100 from the Dunedin Savings Bank. The men, who gave their names as James Henry Wilson and Frederick Wilson, are both strangers, and only recently arrived from Melbourne. They are both of respectable appearance, though dressed somewhat loudly. A third man is wanted, and though the detectives say nothing, there is shrewd suspicion that the men were concerned in some robbery in Australia. Mr. Smith, the manager of the Savings Bank, has identified them as two who were at the bank. One asked for change, while the other slipped round to a side door, and, knocking there, attracted the manager's attention while the other secured the cashbox from the desk at the counter and bolted.  -Evening Post, 18/8/1890.

DUNEDIN, 3rd December. In the Supreme Court James Henry Wilson and Frederick Remington, charged with the robbery of £100 from the Savings Bank, were found guilty, and sentenced to three years' imprisonment each.  -Evening Post, 4/12/1890.

UTILITY OF LAUNDRY EVIDENCE.

An instance of the way in which valuable assistance can be given by laundrykeepers in tracing persons was cited an last night's Post, in connection with a Melbourne child-murder. This calls to mind a case which occurred in Dunedin some twelve years ago in which information obtained from a laundry played an important part. The Dunedin Savings Bank had been robbed by means of what is known as a "call-out job." The staff then on duty at the bank was not large, and, when a well-dressed man went in to ask for change, there was only one official to attend to him. Just at that moment a knock came at the side door, and the official went to attend to it. There a second man appeared, and said: "Look at the filthy state of your premises. It's disgraceful." The bank man, astonished at the intruder's impudence, hotly asked "What's it got to do with you?" But the visitor repeated his assertions, and added: "Come here and look for yourself." Boiling over with mingled rage and astonishment, the official went to look. He spoke plainly to the interrupter, and in a few seconds returned to his counter. There he found that the cash box and handy drawers had been hurriedly rifled and most of the contents were gone. The whole affair had been the outcome of a daring plot, and the robbers got away with a substantial sum of money. Half an hour or so later papers which had been taken were returned by post. The police set to work at once, and Detective McGrath, who was in charge, formed a theory, from the descriptions available, as to the identity of the criminals. There was a third man who had kept watch outside the bank, and all three, who were "known," had been going about well dressed and with faultlessly got-up linen. Thorough enquiries were made at hotels and boardinghouses and places where linen was likely to be put out for starching, but without result, and no trace of the suspected men's whereabouts could be found. Their collars and shirts, however, were still, figuratively speaking, kept in view, and little time was lost in enquiring at laundries. At one of these, the detective learned that washing had been received from three men whose descriptions tallied with those of the persons wanted. Two of them, also, had given names which had been their aliases on a former occasion. These men had left their addresses. Each of them occupied a room in a small cottage in a back street. In these places Detective McGrath succeeded in arresting two of the men, who were duly punished, but the third got away. One of the men convicted, it is interesting to note, is the man who in Paris last year entered the room of a lady for the purposes of robbery, and when she awoke and called for aid, attacked her in a brutal manner, and inflicted terrible injuries. He was a criminal of the most dangerous type, and has a long record in Australia and this colony. Now he is serving a life sentence for his crime in Paris.  -Evening Post, 11/2/1902.

The Dunedin Savings Bank in the 1930s. Hocken Library photo.