Lana Faye Neason, (2/1944-1/6/1945). "caught in a gate"

CHILD STRANGLED

HEAD THROUGH GATE BARS.

P.A. DUNEDIN, June 4.

Lana Faye Neason, aged 14 months, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Neason, of Ravensbourne, died in distressing circumstances. The child's mother found her unconscious with her head through the converging bars of an ornamental gate, and although the child was rushed to hospital, it was found that she had died from strangulation.  -Marlborough Express, 4/6/1945.

DEATH OF A CHILD

The adjourned inquest into the death of Lana Faye Neason, aged 14 months who met her death as a result of becoming caught in a gate at her home at Ravensbourne, was concluded yesterday before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.. as coroner. Sergeant J. Develin conducted the proceedings for the police. 

Constable E. J. Whitty described the gate, stating that the two bars between which the child's head was caught were seven inches apart at the top and three inches at the bottom. He also produced a statement by the mother of the child in which she said that she found the child in an unconscious condition with her head caught in the gate.

The Coroner referred to the occurrence as a most distressing one, and said he could only find that the child had been asphyxiated though her head becoming caught in a gate. There was nothing the child's mother could have done to avoid the tragic consequences of the accident.  -Otago Daily Times, 4/6/1945.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

Grace Alice Ann Cooper, (1891-11/9/1931). "accidentally fell"

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

DEATH DUE TO HEART FAILURE

An inquest touching the death of Grace Alice Ann Cooper, who died in the hospital on Friday night, was held on Saturday night, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner. 

John Cooper, husband of the deceased, said his wife visited Mrs Akers, of Ravensbourne, on the morning of September 6. There was a flight of wooden steps leading to the residence of Mrs Akers. When descending the steps Mrs Cooper accidentally fell. She suffered a fractured thigh, and was attended by Dr Allen, who ordered her removal to the hospital. Mrs Cooper had not been in good health for some time, and had intended to enter the hospital for treatment. 

Evidence was also given by Wilson Akers, who corroborated the statement of the previous witness. 

Dr McLean, house surgeon at the hospital, said that an operation was performed on Mrs Cooper on September 11. The patient stood the operation well, but she suddenly collapsed four hours afterwards and died in a few minutes. She was examined before the operation, and nothing abnormal was found to suggest that she would not come through it. 

The coroner returned a verdict to the effect that death was due to heart failure and shock following an operation performed following an injury caused through an accidental fall.  -Evening Star, 14/9/1931.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

Henry Pepper, (1855-22/8/1927). "a dose of liniment"

POISON BY MISTAKE.

LINIMENT INSTEAD OF COUGH MIXTURE.

On Sunday morning, about 4 o'clock, Henry Pepper, 72 years of age, residing at 42 Ross street, Ravensbourne, took a dose of liniment by mistake, thinking it was a cough medicine. Although he appeared to recover in a few hours, he became worse before mid-day, and was removed to the Dunedin Hospital, where every attention was given to him, but he died on Monday afternoon. 

An inquest into the circumstances was held at the Hospital yesterday afternoon by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, coroner. Sergeant McCarthy represented the police. 

Lawrence Robert Fillingham, seaman, said he was a stepson of the deceased. For some time before his death the deceased had had a cold, and had been confined to his bed with an injury to his side. Deceased was taking a cough mixture prescribed for him by Dr James Fitzgerald. He also had a bottle of ABC liniment, with which he used to rub his side. The bottles were usually kept on the mantelpiece in the bedroom. On Saturday night witness was sleeping with the deceased. About 4 o’clock on Sunday night witness was sleeping with the deceased. About 4 o’clock on Sunday morning witness woke up, and deceased told him he had taken the liniment instead of the cough mixture. A mixture of mustard and water was given to him, and he was sick. Deceased was then put to bed, and the doctor was telephoned for. On the doctor’s advice further treatment was given. Deceased appeared to recover, but about 10 o’clock he got worse. The doctor was telephoned for, and came at once. 

Dr James Fitzgerald said that about a week before the happening he prescribed for the deceased a cough mixture and a liniment. When advised early on Sunday morning of the mistake the deceased had made, he gave directions what to do. On receiving another call about 10 o clock he went to the deceased’s residence at Ravensbourne, where he found the man suffering from effects of poison. Witness washed out his stomach and gave antidotes, and then superintended his removal to the Dunedin Hospital. The family had done the right thing, before communicating with witness, in giving an emetic. 

Dr Holler, resident medical officer at Dunedin Hospital, said the deceased was admitted to the Hospital at 1 p.m. on Sunday in an unconscious condition. He was treated for the type of poisoning from which he was suffering, and his condition improved, but he collapsed and died suddenly on Monday afternoon. The cause of death was cardiac failure, following on the effects of the poison. He regained consciousness on Monday for a few hours. He complained of pain, but gave no connected account of his condition. 

The Coroner said it was evident the liniment had been taken in mistake for the cough mixture. Everything was done for the man, but, unfortunately, without result. His verdict would be that death was due to heart failure, following on poisoning by a liniment accidentally taken in mistake for a cough medicine.  -Otago Daily Times, 24/8/1927.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

Sarah Anne Tohill, (1861-10/1/1905). "painfully sudden"

A painfully sudden death occurred on the 10th inst in the train reaching Dunedin from Port Chalmers at 2.52 p.m. Mrs Sarah Tohill, wife of John Tohill, a railway platelayer, of Ravensbourne, joined the train at Ravensbourne at 2.41 p.m., and shortly afterwards was noticed to faint. Assistance was given to her, but she did not recover consciousness, and on arrival in Dunedin Dr Martin, who was summoned, pronounced life to be extinct. Mrs Tohill had been troubled with shortness of breath lately, and had sought medical advice. It is supposed that she must have hurried to catch the train. She was about 45 years of age, and leaves, it is said, 18 children, the youngest of whom is three months old. The body was taken back to Ravensbourne on the next tram. At the inquest, Annie Isabel Tohill, residing with her parents at Ravensbourne, daughter of the deceased, stated that her mother was in good health, and the only complaint she made, so far as witness knew, was that she suffered from occasional shortness of breath. Deceased was nursing her last baby, three months old. and was in her usual health when she proceeded to town on the previous day. She had complained for years, and talked of seeing a medical man; but never did so. On the day of her death she had to hurry to catch the train to town. Whenever she ran she suffered from shortness of breath, and suffered in the same manner after any exertion. Dr R. Martin stated that he was called to attend the train on its arrival in town, and on proceeding there he found deceased in a railway carriage, and after examination pronounced her to be quite dead. He had since examined the body, and concluded that she had not been in good health for some time, there were evidences of trouble since her last confinement, and she was suffering from white leg. One of her legs was much swollen, and was very much larger than the other, and she had oedema in both legs. These symptoms, together with the history of her shortness of breath, would indicate that heart disease was the cause of death. The body was well nourished, and there were no marks of violence. The cause of death was heart disease, which was probably of long standing. The Coroner said there could be no doubt death resulted from heart disease, and a verdict in accord with the medical testimony was returned.  -Otago Witness, 18/1/1905.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.

John Rainsley Jones, (1844-20/4/1908). "his high ideal of duty"

OBITUARY.

JOHN R. JONES. 

Much regret was expressed in Timaru yesterday when it became known that Mr John Rainsley Jones had died suddenly. Mr Jones was verger of St. Mary's Anglican Church and while engaged in his duties there yesterday morning was seized with a fit. He was attended to bv Dr Bowe and rallied sufficiently to walk home in company with Mr Alberts, but on arrival at his residence on the Town Belt he suddenly expired. Previous to this seizure Mr Jones, was in good health and his death was evidently due to heart failure. The deceased, who was a married man but had not family, had formerly been in the British Army, was also for many years captain of the Timaru Fire Brigade and was a prominent mason, holding office in St. John's Lodge. The flag  at the Hall was lowered yesterday to halfmast as a mark of respect, and a Masonic funeral will be accorded the late brother on Saturday. Before thanking the electors for placing him at the top of the poll in yesterday's election. Mr Craigie said he felt that his first duty in that hour of victory was to express his regret, and their regret, at the sudden death of Captain Jones, who had been a very highly respected and valuable citizen of Timaru for many years. He had done good service for the town as captain of the Volunteer Fire Brigade for 15 years, and his sudden death was greatly to be deplored.  -Timaru Herald, 30/4/1908.

FUNERAL NOTICES. 

FRIENDS of the late John Rainsley Jones are respectfully informed that his Funeral will leave his late residence, TO-MORROW (Saturday, the 2nd May, 1208), at 1.45 p.m., for the Church of England, thence to the Cemetery. 

J. E. BECKINGHAM & SON, Undertakers. 

TIMARU FIRE BRIGADE. 

THE MEMBERS of the Brigade are requested to meet at the Brigade Station at 1.15 p.m., TO-MORROW (Saturday), to attend the Funeral of ex-Captain J. R. Jones. Full Dress. 

P. CAMPBELL, Captain. G. HILTON, Secretary.   -Timaru Herald, 1/5/1908.

FUNERAL NOTICE. 

FRIENDS of the late John Rainsley Jones are respectfully informed that his Funeral will leave his late residence, THIS DAY (Saturday, (the 2nd May, 1908), at, 1.45 p.m., for the Church of England, thence t the Cemetery.

J. E. BECKINGHAM & SON, Undertakers.

LODGE OF ST. JOHN, No. 1137. E.C.

THE BRETHREN are requested to assemble at the Lodge room, Church Street, at 2:15 p.m. THIS DAY (Saturday, 2nd May), for the purpose of attending the Funeral of the late Bro. J. R. Jones. White ties and gloves — no Regalia. 

LODGE CALEDONIAN, No. 16. 

THE BRETHREN are requested to assemble at the Lodge Room, Church Street, at 2.15 p.m., THIS DAY (Saturday, 2nd May), for the purpose of attending the Funeral of the late Bro. J. R. Jones (Lodge St. John, No. 1137, E.C.). White Tie and Gloves — no regalia.  -Timaru Herald, 2/5/1908.

NOTICES. 

THANKS. 

MRS J. R. .JONES and Relatives desire to express sincere thanks to their many Friends for kind shown in their recent sad bereavement.  -Timaru Herald, 4/5/1908.

A well-attended meeting of ex-firemen, presided over by Mr T. Hawkey, was held in the Borough Council chambers last evening, when the following resolution was parsed for transmission to Mrs Jones, relict of the late Mr J. R. Jones, who for some years was captain of the Fire Brigade: — "The undersigned desire to express to you their deepest sympathy in your recent sad bereavement. As ex-members of the Timaru Volunteer Fire Brigade we had excellent opportunities of knowing the late Mr Jones' many good qualities and can fully understand the loss sustained by yourself and the community as a whole." The resolution was signed by about 15 to 20 ex -fire men.  -Timaru Herald, 5/5/1908.

MASONIC.

SERVICE OF SORROW. 

The lodge of St. John, No. 1137, E.C., held in their lodgeroom last evening a service of sorrow for the decease of Bro. J. R. Jones, J.W. The service was an open one, and members' wives and others attended in such numbers that the room was densely crowded to the doors. A catafalque, covered with a black pall, and having candles burning about it, was placed in front of the seat of the W.M., and all pillars and wands of office were draped in black. An orchestra and a male choir were present, and the singing was joined in by a large proportion of those present. Members and visitors being seated, others filling the entrance lobby had to be requested to retire to permit the Officers and District Grand Lodge Officers to enter. Prior to this, however, the orchestra had played a Funeral March. The officers having taken their places, with W.M. Bro. S. Smith presiding, the service was commenced with a prayer by Bro. J. E. S. Jackson, P.D.G.W. Mr B. B. DeLooze then sang Handel's great solo "Comfort Ye My People." The lessons were read by Bro. R. Orwin, D.G.J.W. (Eccl. XV, 8) and Bio. J. K. S. Jackson (I Cor. XV. 55), a prayer was read by Bro. C. W. Wood, I.P.M., and the hymns "Days and Moments Quickly Flying" and "What Sounds of Grief" were sung. After the second lesson the brief farewell address was recited by the W.M. and this was followed by the Funeral Ode. Wreaths of flowers, evergreens, and everlastings were placed upon the catafalque, with the recital of the appropriate ritual, by Bros. K. G. Turner. P.D.U.W.. Bro. R. Orwin, D.G.J.W., and Bro. C. S. Fraser P.D.G.W., brief odes being sung after the first and second, while the Dead March in "Saul"' was played by the orchestra after the third. The Ven. Archdeacon Harper pronounced the eulogium on the deceased. Though not himself a brother in the technical sense, he could speak of the deceased as a member of that universal brotherhood amongst all men who set themselves high ideals, to which in the fear and with the help of God they strove to attain. He believed that from the first the society had always held the ideal of high character, and from the most ancient times, when members of the craft instituted the Order, they made their craft symbolic of their aims. As builders they did splendid work, much of which remains to this day, and as members of the Order they strove to do equally good work in the building up of human character. Referring to their late Brother, the Archdeacon said that he had had exceptional opportunities of knowing him, as twenty-six years ago the deceased entered his personal service and the service of his church. Whatever he undertook to do was always done to the best of his ability, and no man he had ever met had less regard for applause or any outward appreciation. His high ideal of duty was probably gained in that splendid school, the old Imperial Navy, and whatever the duty given him one could rely upon its being performed if it were possible. He could not use words of exaggeration in speaking of his honesty, integrity, fidelity, and all that made for the winning of the respect and esteem of his fellowmen. After dwelling for some minutes on the character of the deceased, the Archdeacon made some remarks upon the subject of his sudden death, pointing out that it was no great calamity to be suddenly called away, to a man prepared for death. But cases of sudden death were valuable warnings to all of us, to be prepared, as he fully believed their well-respected and well-loved friend had been, so that when the last great call was given, he would be found among those to whom would be addressed those splendid and blessed words: "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thus into the joy of thy Lord."

Following the eulogium came the hymn, "Now the Labourer's Task is O'er," and the Benediction, pronounced by the Archdeacon concluded the service.  -Timaru Herald, 11/5/1908.

Timaru Cemetery.

35299 Captain Rupert Frederick Trevor Barker, LRDG, (1905-11/10/1977). "roving spirit"

Mr T. Barker, an A. endorsed pilot, who has been trained at the Timaru airport during the past 18 months, will leave for New Plymouth to-day to join Air-Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on his New Zealand tour.  -Timaru Herald, 9/1/1934.

ADVENTUROUS FEW YEARS

AVIATOR WITH ROVING SPIRIT 

WHALING TRIP TO THE ANTARCTIC. 

LIFE ON SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS. 

MR. T. BARKER AT NEW PLYMOUTH. 

Many parts of the globe, including the Antarctic, have been visited in the last few years spent by Mr. T. Barker, of the staff of New Zealand Airways, Ltd., who is servicing the Waco machine and is at New Plymouth in connection with the visit of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross. “I started like many other youths at a desk driving a pen,” he told a News reporter. “I had five years of that but it was no good to me and I went to a farm. Before going a friend of mine and I discussed the possibility of going to the Antarctic on one of the whaling ships and I told him that if the chance arose I would go.

“One day when I arrived for lunch a telegram was awaiting me to say that the chance had come. I left the farm that afternoon and the next day sailed out of Port Chalmers on the old Sir James Clark Ross, bound for the Antarctic. This was in 1928, and we were away nearly six months." 

Mr. Barker was most enthusiastic about his trip. The work was hard but the pay good and never for one moment did he regret going. Those on the ship did not once see any land, even rock. It was there but it was ice-covered. Nevertheless there was an abundance of animal life, thousands of seals and penguins, presenting a wonderful sight. 

The ship went first to the Barrier, then to the Bay of Whales and finally to Discovery Inlet, whence both the Scott and Shackleton expeditions set off. When they were at Discovery Inlet the party under Rear-Admiral R. E. Byrd was conducting its geographical and scientific operations. 

“Byrd’s ship was unable to get through to the Ross Sea,” said Mr. Barker, “and the C. A. Larsen, the sister ship to the Sir James Clark Ross, had to make a passage for them. The Ross Sea is most peculiar. We struck the ice wall outside the Antarctic Circle but it was only about a foot thick. For seventeen days we were cutting our way through. Once this was over we came to the Ross Sea, where all was clear sailing with no ice at all. When the warm season arrives this ice breaks off the mainland and floats out as one mass leaving the clear sea behind it. Later, of course, come the icebergs. There are hundreds of them, like floating mountains, and they present an awesome and wonderful sight. Some from the Barrier sometimes get as far north as Cape Horn.” 

To the Sir James Clark Ross, Mr. Barker continued, were attached five chasers each fitted with a harpoon gun. They had a cruising range of from two to three hundred miles and their navigation was carried out entirely by radio beacons from the main ship. They could get back unerringly through any fog. Nearly all the crew were Norwegians and Mr. Barker said that he never worked with better men.

The trip was the most successful that the Sir James Clark Ross ever made and in all 543 whales were caught, the largest being 120 tons. The weight was estimated from the length, the length in feet being accounted equal to the weight in tons. When the ship left Port Chalmers it had 10,000 tons of coal aboard and as the coal bins became empty they were scrubbed, washed and filled with oil. Towards the end of the trip 1200 tons of coal were thrown overboard to make room for oil, for it was twenty times the value of coal. 

When the trip was over Mr. Barker’s spirit moved him to sign on the Hurunui. The ship went through the Panama Canal and visited the West Indies, Boston, New York and Newport News. Mr. Barker went to England, where he stayed a year before working his passage back to New Zealand. Shortly after his return he began flying and after obtaining his pilot’s license studied the mechanical side as well. He has now been with New Zealand Airways nearly two years.  -Taranaki Daily News, 15/1/1934.

SUPREME COURT

DIVORCE AND CIVIL BUSINESS 

YESTERDAY’S SITTING 

At yesterday’s sitting of the Supreme Court, before his Honour Mr Justice Johnston, Helen Margaret Sale Barker sought a dissolution of her marriage with Rupert Francis Trevor Barker on the grounds of separation by mutual agreement for three years. 

Mr M. A. Raymond appeared for petitioner and the action was undefended. 

Petitioner said that she was married to Barker on December 4, 1926, at the office of the Registrar. After the marriage she resided with her husband at Totara Valley for some months and there was one child. About October 28, 1928. They separated and Barker went to the Ross Sea, returning to Timaru six months later. It was then agreed that they should live apart, and they had done so ever since. Since the separation petitioner had resided with her parents. 

Norman McLeod Orbell, retired farmer, of Timaru, father of petitioner, gave evidence that his daughter and her husband were living with him at the time of the separation, and said that petitioner had resided with him ever since. 

His Honour granted a decree nisi to be moved absolute in three months, custody of the child being granted petitioner.   -Timaru Herald, 18/10/1934.

FLYERS WELCOMED

VISIT BY McGREGOR AND WALKER

TRIBUTE BY MAYOR

Covering the distance between Christchurch and Timaru in the splendid time of 36 minutes, the Miles Hawk monoplane, which, piloted by Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor and Mr H. C. Walker, finished fifth in the Melbourne Centenary Air Race from England to Australia to set a new record time for the journey for a single-engined machine, arrived in Timaru on Saturday morning, the flyers being given a civic reception by the Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite). 

Shortly before noon two New Zealand Airways machines, piloted by Messrs K. Johnston and Trevor Barker, took off and headed towards Temuka to meet the visitors.   -Timaru Herald, 10/12/1934.

ALPS FILMED

SUCCESSFUL AIR EXCURSION

VISITING CAMERAMAN 

The Mount Cook regions which have never been extensively filmed from the air by the moving picture camera were visited on Saturday by Mr F. McKechnie. cameraman for Fox Movietone News, who told a representative of “The Timaru Herald” on his return that the regions were, in his opinion, unsurpassed in the world for photographic qualities. Two New Zealand Airways’ aeroplanes left Timaru about 1.30 p.m. and arrived over Mount Cook in 55 minutes. One machine, from which Mr McKechnie operated his camera, was piloted by Flight-Lieutenant W. Park, and the other by Mr Trevor Barker, who had Mr H. Coxhead. secretary of the Mount Cook Tourist Company, as passenger. The aeroplanes circled over the Alps at a height of 9000 ft. and the occupants were awestruck by the magnificence of the scene below. Weather and flying conditions were ideal and Mount Cook, in all its majesty, stood out clearly in the sunlight. The courses of the glaciers were clearly defined and so still and clear was the atmosphere that the panorama extended as far as Mt. Aspiring. At one time Tekapo. Pukaki and Ohau were taken in at one glance, the view being most arresting and inspiring. Mr McKechnie. who has specialised in photography from the air. has flown in the Graf Zeppelin and also the R. 3. latterly renamed, the trip in the R. 3 being from Lakehurst, New Jersey, to Porta Rica, a distance of 3500 miles. He was the man behind the camera for Colonel Lindberg’s picture “We,” while he had also the distinction of filming the arrival of Admiral Byrd when he made his first journey across the Atlantic. “The most interesting trip I have ever experienced was when the Southern Cross spent some time over the Alps.” said Mr McKechnie. “When I returned to England I submitted mv photographs to Mr F. S. Smythe. a member of the last Everest Expedition wo considered that the pinnacles of the Fox Glacier were higher than any that he had ever seen in the world.”  -Timaru Herald, 22/4/1935.

DESERT FLYING

15,000 Miles In Three Months 

Timaru Pilot 

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO, Sept. 6. 

Fifteen thousand miles of desert flying in three months. That is the record of a sergeant of the N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East who has been piloting a reconnaissance plane working in coordination with the Army’s desert patrols. 

With considerable New Zealand flying experience to his credit, the sergeant, who before the war was a well-known citizen of Timaru, arrived from the Dominion as a private in an infantry battalion. He had, of course, never flown in desert conditions before, but becoming acclimatised has not taken him long. Cruising over the vast and monotonous expanse of three great deserts he has landed on places where hitherto no white man had ever been. Often he has been the guest of lonely desert tribes at unfrequented oases, where dignity and hospitality go hand in hand with squalor and filth. With him as navigator is an Englishman who for years had been mate in tramp steamers sailing to remote parts of the world, but had never before navigated a plane, far less in desert conditions. He has taken to his new job with remarkable ease. Now he feels as sure of himself in the air as ever he did on the sea and has an uncanny knowledge of the mysterous ways of the desert. 

Something to Remember Describing his first trip — 800 miles into the Libyan wastelands — the sergeant said "I will remember it for a long time. It was the first experience I had ever had of flying over the desert. There was one passenger, the navigator and myself. As we flew inland there seemed to be nothing anywhere but sand, with very few landmarks of any kind. Eventually we arrived at our first point and refuelled, and then set sail on the last stage of our journey — 400 miles. By now the sand was rising, blown by a steady wind, while the atmosphere was hazy and visibility bad. At 2000 feet we could not see the ground. There was nothing but great shifting shadows below, and we were flying absolutely blind, only by instruments. We were carrying a few gallons of petrol in the cabin in case we missed the tiny spot that we were heading for — and that looked very possible. We decided to land and have a check-up. To aid our landing we tossed a smoke bomb over the side. We got down all right, and luckily on fairly firm sand, checked our bearing, and took off again. Before long visibility got even worse, so we made another landing and stuck around for an hour. We worked out out position and discovered that we were only a quarter of an hour’s flying from our destination."

The next big trip was a journey of 1000 miles each way into the Soudan, three days’ solid flying. Flying a plane in the desert is much more difficult than is generally imagined. There is hardly ever a horizon, nothing but a great, yellow haze. The eye-strain alone is considerable, pilots having to wear specially prepared glasses to counteract the glare. The whole time they were in the desert they had, of course, to live on tinned foods, except when given fruit by hospitable tribes. On the other hand, pilots had been out in the desert for two months on a stretch without seeing a sign of any civilisation. Storms are quite frequent. One sandstorm forced the New Zealander down to as low as 50 feet. To attempt to fly over a sand storm was even more dangerous than flying over a cloud bank, since it was impossible to judge just where the storm ended and a wrong estimation may put a pilot miles off his course, which in the desert may mean becoming completely lost. The best plan was to land and wait till it blew over.

Describing the results of their reconnaissance activities as "highly successful” the sergeant added that he attributed this first to the skill of his navigator and secondly to the reliability and stability of the type of machine he was using. Desert flying had its hazards but it also had many attractions. It was just a matter of getting used to it. 

The pilot referred to is Sergeant Trevor Barker, a son of Mr and Mrs F. Barker, Selwyn Street, Timaru.  -Timaru Herald, 1/10/1941.

TROOPS RETURN TO N.Z.

Orion Arrives At Lyttelton 

FOG AND WIND CAUSE DELAY   (excerpt)

One of the last main drafts of New Zealand servicemen from Europe and the Middle East arrived at Lyttelton on the 23,370 ton transport Orion on Saturday morning. Altogether the Orion carried about 4500 passengers, mainly soldiers and servicewomen from the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in Italy and Egypt.

 Desert Veterans 

The few desert veterans of the draft included Captain Trevor Barker, of Timaru, the only New Zealand soldier in the Middle East whose job was flying a single-engined Waco aircraft between Cairo and the Libyan oases. Through two years of raids and patrols behind the enemy lines in Africa. Captain Barker was pilot of the Long Range Desert Group’s Waco, which was used sometimes for carrying in wounded, and often for taking urgently-needed equipment to the patrols at their Siwa and Kufra bases. When the L.R.D.G. moved on to Italy, Captain Barker took his Waco by easy stages across the Mediterranean. Shortly before the end of the European war he was associated with raids on the Germans’ lines of communication through Albania.  -Press, 11/2/1946.

Aviator dies

Mr Trevor Barker, a well-known Christchurch aviator, died in Timaru last Saturday. He was 72. During World War 11 Mr (Barker was a member of the Long Range Desert Group in North Africa, doing reconnaissance work and taking out the wounded Before the war. Mr Barker flew a support plane for Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith on his Tasman flight. He also took part in a whaling expedition to Antarctica aboard the ship Sir James Clark Ross.

Mr Barker was a partner in the firm, G.B.D. Prints, until his retirement nine years ago. He is survived by a son. Mr Tan Barker, of Timaru.  -Press, 15/10/1976.

Timaru Cemetery.

John Hardcastle, (1847-12/6/1927). "truth for its own sake"

John Hardcastle.

'At 3 a.m. on Saturday Mr John Hardcastle ceased to be an active member of the ‘'Herald’s” literary staff. For more than 40 years he has given to South Canterbury a mind big enough for the whole of New Zealand, and a character which those only can estimate who have worked with or for him. Journalism is not Sunday School teaching, and the men who remain even ten years in a newspaper office without becoming cynics or sophists are commonly coarse or dull. But Mr Hardcastie is neither; and if he goes into retirement still loving and believing in his fellow-men that is an achievement of which one in a hundred is capable. For cynicism is, unquestionably, a proof and a confession of failure, and Mr Hardcastle has triumphed.

We know, of course, that this is neither the time nor the place to appraise him. A more formal farewell will be accorded to him in a few days, and on that occasion others less intimately associated with him than ourselves will compel him to listen to what his contemporaries think of him. But our readers would not forgive us if we did not also say now and at once that his retirement is a thing altogether different from any other newspaper retirement that South Canterbury has ever known, and that when he went home in the small hours of Saturday morning he carried with him, though he was too modest to be conscious of it, a distinction that no one else similarly placed has ever yet achieved in this district. For journalism is one-third politics and one-third business, and only casually and accidentally education or ethics or art. It is a new machine, but, though necessary and even priceless, a far from perfect machine; and Mr Hardcastle must be the first man in Canterbury who has lived among its wheels for two generations without soiling his hands or leaving marks on anyone else. Had he been ambitious he could long since have left this district for more lucrative and influential positions. But he was not ambitious in the matter of cash or personal vain-glory, and so he ends to-day where he began — honoured and honourable instead of rich. 

So much’ we must say even while feeling all the time that it is not we who should say it. And we must add one word more. There are journalists who are only journalists, and because the “demnition grind” is so constant, there are few who are anything else. But Mr Hardcastle is a scholar and a thinker. His researches have impressed the highest authorities, as many in South Canterbury know; but what most do not know is that in other fields altogather he is the aulhor of several arresting and stimulating speculations. Though his place in journalism will never quite be filled there is pleasure in the knowledge that he will have freedom now to fill a much more important place in science and abstract thought.  -Timaru Herald, 4/9/1922.

OBITUARY.

MR. JOHN HARDCASTLE. 

The death occurred in Timaru on Sunday evening of Mr. John Hardcastle, at the age of 80 years, one of the oldest and most highly respected residents in South Canterbury. Born in Yorkshire, he was the eldest of the family of the late Mr. Thomas Hardcastle, who was one of the earliest settlers in the Geraldine district. Leaving England with his family at the age of eleven years, he remained for some years on his father's farm, and afterwards engaged in various occupations, including gold-seeking in Otago and Westland, until he qualified, by training in Christchurch and Melbourne, to become a schoolteacher. It was while acting as headmaster of the Temuka school that he became associated with journalism through assisting a friend in the production of the Temuka Leader, eventually taking charge of both the literary and the business side of that journal until, in 1879, he joined the Timaru Herald, which had been started 15 years earlier by Mr. A. G. Horton, one of the founders of the New Zealand Herald. Five years later, Mr. Hardcastle joined the staff of a new evening paper in Napier, but that journal lasted only a few years, and in 1888 Mr. Hardcastle returned to the Timaru Herald to take editorial charge of the evening edition, the South Canterbury Times. The latter ceased publication in 1895, and from that time until he retired in 1922, Mr. Hardcastle was continuously engaged on the staff of the Herald, acting on several occasions for varying periods as editor. During this career of over 40 years in active and arduous journalism, Mr. Hardcastle devoted much time and labour to various philosophical and scientific studies, and particularly to the geology of South Canterbury. These interests fully engaged him since his retirement five years ago, and he retained until his death, which occurred suddenly, the physical and mental vigour which always characterised him. Mr. Hardcastle leaves a widow, three sons, all of whom have followed him in journalism, and two daughters.  -NZ Herald, 14/6/1927.

Timaru Cemetery.