Thomas Barrett, 1830-24/11/1941

HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY

MR THOMAS BARRETT SOUTHLAND'S OLDEST RESIDENT 

LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE 

(Special to Daily Times) GORE; July 14. Claiming to be Southland's oldest identity, Mr Thomas Barrett, a wellknown resident of the Waikaka and Crookstown districts, to-day celebrated his 100th birthday with a small gathering of intimate friends. His lifetime has been one of adventure, and within the span of a century he has passed through many exciting experiences, especially on the goldflelds of Australia and New Zealand. 

Educated by his parents to enter the legal profession, he left home in his early 'teens, and up to a few years ago he followed a roving life in many wayback parts. Despite his years, he is still in possession of most of his faculties, and he can converse intelligently on the happenings of early days during the Central Otago gold rushes.

Puzzle for Dietitians

Mr Barrett provides a puzzle for dietitians, and he has little time for their methods end fads. "Whisky, I have been told, is a slow poison," he stated in an interview with a representative of the Otago Daily Times, "but I'm satisfied now that it's a very slow poison indeed. I first started drinking it 85 years ago, and here I am, like Johnny Walker, still going strong. Some of the best brains in the country have tried to convince me that by strict dieting and total abstinence I might live to a ripe old age. I've drunk what I liked and I've eaten what I liked, and I'm none the worse for it. One of my best friends, a Tasmanian lady with the degrees B.A. and B.Sc. often told me that I would die young," he added. "She couldn't keep herself alive — she died at 42 and I've seen another 60 years. My advice is don't over eat; I found that out before I was 20. Indigestion troubled me in my youth, and so I made up my mind to eat sparingly, work hard and keep regular habits. The result? I've no aches, no pains, no rheumatism, and a century gone by." Into that century "Old Tom," as he is familiarly known, has crammed a lifetime of excitement and adventure. He has roved into many remote parts in New Zealand and Australia, worked among the hard-living miners of  the early-day goldfields, driven for the famous coaching firm of Cobb and Co., fraternised with Ned Divine, the prince cf whips, and thrilled to the daring exploits of Ned Kelly and his gang of bushrangers.

Adventure in His Blood

Mr Barrett was born at Newtown (Tasmania) on July 14, 1840. A son of a veterinary surgeon, he was given the benefit of a good education, a rare thing in the early days of the colonies, but he did not feel disposed to settle down and take advantage of it. Tales of the mainland tingled in his blood, and at the age of 17 he gathered together a few belongings and left the family circle bound for Australia. 

His ambition and enterprise soon resulted in his obtaining employment in the coaching business on the goldfields of Ballarat and Bendigo districts, which were crowded with miners of every race and creed seeking wealth from the soil. By 1872 Mr Barrett had been hardened by the vicissitudes of life, and he decided to seek his fortune elsewhere, choosing New Zealand as a land promising further adventure. 

Arriving at Port Chalmers, he soon found employment with Cobb and Co. on the Central Otago coach route. About 1878 he severed his connection with the firm, and proceeded to Beaumont, where an hotel, which was destroyed by fire a few years ago, had just been built by Mr J. F. Kitching, and after a short period there he moved to Dunedin to take up employment at the Fernhill Club. 

Seeking country life again, Mr. Barrett worked in various parts of Central Otago until 1904, when he went south to Milton, where he was employed around the diggings at Adam's Flat. His rovings took him into many strange places, and eventually, about 23 years ago, he settled in Eastern Southland in the Waikaka district. 

Life in the Goldfields

A period as mail carrier from Cromwell gave Mr Barrett an insight into the life of the diggings in the Nevis Valley. He worked for Starkey and Scalley, who owned the main hotel at Cromwell, and paid regular visits to outlying centres. He had many adventurous trips over the Carrick Range, and even found time to prospect a little. Strangely enough he has .never had much inclination to try his luck on the goldfields of Victoria, Cromwell, the Nevis, or Waikaka Valley, but it is his firm belief that there still remains much gold to be mined in the various centres. 

"The introduction of the motor is the worst thing that has happened to the Dominion," remarked Mr Barrett. "There was no unemployment in the coaching days. Oats sold at 6s and 7s a bushel, and the farmers prospered; blacksmiths, drivers, grooms, and wheelwrights were in demand: and Cobb and Co. alone owned 2000 horses in Otago and Southland." 

Mr Barrett mentioned the following whips and employees of Cobb and Co. and other private firms of half a century ago: — P. B. Williams, who was on the Balclutha-Mataura via Clinton and Otaraia. run; Harry Yeend, Dunedin-Balclutha; Joseph Mills, the mountain road to Dunstan; James Carmichael, the first man to drive on the main Dunstan road; Harry Nettleford, Palmerston-Naseby; K. ("Long") Carter, Central Otago routes; James Mcintosh, the first to drive from Dunedin to Clutha; John Knox, Dunedin-Balclutha; Chaplin, Hoyt. and Co., Israel Haigh, W. H. Shepperd, W. Crawley, Thomas Pope (Tokomairiro-Lawrence-Cromwell-Queenstown), G. Langley (Tokomairiro), Charles Cole and Leander Cole. J. M. Sutherland (Dunstan routes), Crosbie (Lumsden-Te Anau), W. H. Brayton (Invercargill-Kingston), E. B. Williams (Clutha-Mataura), William Flint (Invercargill-Queenstown), John McKenzie (one of Flint's drivers), W. Duff, and Robert Craig (Roxburgh-Lawrence), and Adam McDonald (Dunstan), who was the last driver of the coach service before the motor service was inaugurated. 

Plain Diet Sought 

"I've spent all my life working, and I hope to go on doing so till I die," he stated. "I don't eat vegetables, and I've no use for puddings. It's perhaps 70 years since I ate an egg and as for potatoes, well I might taste a little now and again. Just plain bread, butter, jam, and cheese, with a piece of steak and a glass or two of milk are all that any man should want.” 

Mr Barrett’s life has been remarkably free from illness, and a few weeks in hospital when he was 80 years old as a result of bronchial trouble is the only period he has been laid up. He still retains all his faculties practically unimpaired, and daily he takes a walk to the Waikaka township from his bach.

Mr Barrett never married, and as far as is known he has no living relatives.  -Otago Daily Times, 15/7/1940.

Otago Daily Times, 15/7/1940.

101 YEARS OLD

Waikaka Resident 

(PA.) INVERCARGILL. July 15. “He is looking even better than he was at this time last year and he appears to be still enjoying good health.” In these words a resident of Waikaka referred to Mr Thomas Barrett, of Waikaka, Southland’s oldest resident, who celebrated his 101st birthday to-day. He visits the township about twice a week, and his faculties are practically unimpaired. He was born in Tasmania and his life has been one of continuous adventure since 1857, when at the age of 17 he set out from his home town, Newton, for Australia. Since then he has travelled the length and breadth of Australia and New Zealand, has groomed and driven for famous coaching firms, worked on goldfields and in other occupations. He has not married and now lives at Waikaka. He has been in illhealth for only one short period in his long life. This was when he spent a few weeks in hospital because of bronchial trouble.  -Timaru Herald, 16/7/1941.

104 YEARS OLD

WAIKAKA OLD IDENTITY 

Mr Thomas Barrett, of Waikaka, yesterday celebrated his one hundred and fourth birthday (says the 'Southland Times'). Still-enjoying good health, he makes periodical visits to the Royal Hotel, Waikaka, to sample what the proprietor may have to offer. Yesterday was one of those special occasions when he was the guest of the management. The self-imposed duty of attending to his welfare is undertaken by Mr T. Corcoran, who visits his hut if Mr Barrett has not been seen about the township. 

Claiming that he was born in Newtown (Hobart) in 1840, the son of a veterinary surgeon, Mr Barrett declined to follow the career mapped out for him by his parents. He came to New Zealand in 1872 after spending some time driving coaches on the mainland of Australia. As a driver in the firm of Cobb and Company, he came to have an intimate knowledge of the roads in Otago. He resigned his position in 1878. Becoming a mail carrier at Cromwell after a short stay in Dunedin, he succumbed to the temptation to prospect for gold, going to Milton in 1915 to work on the Adams Flat diggings. 

Mr Barrett is well known in the Waikaka and Crookston districts, where he accepted casual work 26 years ago. Although his sight is not so good as it was a few years ago, he has up to recently been a wide reader, and in his hut, lit by a kerosene lamp, has delved into the works of Dickens and other distinguished authors. He has definite ideas about diet, and does not believe in overeating.  -Evening Star, 15/7/1944.

Personal

Mr Thomas Barrett, of Waikaka, Southland, celebrated his l06th birthday yesterday. Although he has been an inmate of Gore Hospital since last Christmas, he is not bedridden and goes for a walk every day. He was born at Newtoun, Tasmania, on July 14, 1840.  -Northern Advocate, 14/7/1946.

Recorded Interview

A recorded interview with Mr Thomas Barrett, the Gore resident who believes that his age is 109, is to be broadcast by Station 4YA at 7 p.m. on August 18.  -Otago Daily Times, 13/8/1949.

Gore Resident Believed To Be 110 Today

A birthday cake bearing 110 candles will be presented to Mr Thomas Barrett in the Gore Hospital today to celebrate his birthday. Mr Barrett, who lived at Waikaka for a number of years and has been a resident of Otago and Southland since 1868, will celebrate what he claims will be his 110th birthday.

Although he cannot obtain proof of his great age, the matron of the Gore Hospital told the Daily Times yesterday that an elderly patient at the hospital some years ago had declared that his father had known Mr Barrett many years before and had substantiated his claim to being so old. 

“Mr Barrett is still very alert and reads avidly,” the matron said. He received the Otago Daily Times every day, she said, and few people read a newspaper more thoroughly than he did. Although he wore glasses for reading, she had frequently seen him without them while following this pastime. “Everyone makes a fuss of him because of his cheery disposition.” the matron said, “and there will be a special morning tea for him and the other patients in his ward to celebrate his birthday. 

Mr Barrett says that he was born in Newtown, Tasmania, on July 14, 1840. He received his education there. His father was a veterinary surgeon and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but the boy had different ideas and left for the mainland of Australia when he was 17. He entered the coaching business as a driver, and remained in this occupation for 10 years. One of his runs was between Ballarat and Bendigo.

Many of his passengers were New Zealanders visiting Australia for business or pleasure, and he became fired with the idea of starting afresh in the younger dominion. He set out soon after making his decision, and landed at Port Chalmers in 1868. His coaching experience stood him in good stead, and he secured employment with Cobb and Co. He continued in the company’s employment for 10 years and gained an intimate knowledge of Otago roads. 

He resigned nis position in 1878 and worked in Dunedin for a time before taking a job as mail carrier to Cromwell. He followed this by taking up prospecting for gold around Central Otago, and spent some time on the diggings at Adams Flat. After working at various jobs in the Waikaka and Crookston districts for a period, he retired and lived in a hut at Waikaka. Most of his time was devoted to reading, and he still has a knowledge of the classics and maintains an interest in present-day affairs. 

Mr Barrett was quite active when well over 100 years of age and used to walk about without difficulty until about four years ago, when he became an inmate of the Gore Hospital.  -Otago Daily Times, 14/7/1950.

Death of Centenarian

The death occurred at Gore on Saturday of Mr Thomas Barrett, of Waikaka, aged 111 years. Mr Barrett who was a patient in the Gore Hospital for the last five years, was said to be the oldest resident of New Zealand. He claimed he was born in Newton, Tasmania, a few months after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. In his younger days he was a coach driver between Ballarat and Bendigo and in Otago. — (P. A)  -Press, 26/11/1951.

Gore Cemetery.

John Francis Driver, 1918-20/3/1923.

SHOCKING RAILWAY ACCIDENT

LITTLE BOY’S SAD END. 

TERRIBLE INJURIES. 

A little boy of five years of age named John Driver was the victim of a tragic occurrence that took place yesterday afternoon on the railway line at Wharf street, near the rear of the engine sheds on the Anderson Bay road. So far as is known, the accident was not witnessed by anyone, the unfortunate little boy, with all his limbs terribly injured, being found within the goods yard railings by a shunter on his way home from work. He was removed to the hospital, where it was found necessary to amputate both legs and hands; but at 11 o’clock last night he died.

Although frightfully injured, the boy was conscious when he was found on the track by Mr Cecil Chave, a shunter, at 3.30 p.m., and was able to give Mr Chavoehis name and address. He said he had been riding on the trucks, behind a railway engine, and that one had run over him. It was subsequently found that a train had recently shunted from the engine sheds along the Tahuna line and then proceeded to the goods sheds by the Wharf street entrance. The driver has stated that he did not see the accident.

Inquiries made by the South Dunedin police this morning elicited the fact that two other boys — Evan Bain, aged five years and a-half, and Alick Kilpatrick, aged five years — were playing with deceased on the railway yesterday after school. They all ran after the train, and caught hold of it. From what can be gathered from the two boys, an elder boy called out to them to get away from the train, and they ran away. Driver, however, could not have heard, and stayed where he was, with the result that the train shunted the other way and knocked him down. The boy who gave the warning did not see Driver, nor did he see anything of the accident, as he was on the opposite side of the train. When the little sufferer was admitted to the hospital, to which he was conveyed in a Post Office motor, he was still conscious, and his chief concern was with regard to his school bag. It was found that his limbs were badly crushed, and an operation was performed to amputate them; but he died as stated above. He resided at 10 Rankeilor street, South Dunedin. An inquest on the body was opened at the hospital late this afternoon.  -Evening Star, 21/3/1923.

BOY’S TRAGIC DEATH

TIIE INQUEST CONTINUED. 

The inquiry into the causes which led to the death of the little boy, John Francis Driver, who was fatally injured at the Andersons Bay road branch line on the 20th ult., was continued at the Magistrate’s Court before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., on Monday, 26th ult. Sergeant. Murray represented the police and Mr G. Greig, traffic inspector, appeared for the Railway Department. 

Allan Hardy, 13 years of age, said that lie attended the Kensington School. He was going along the Anderson’s Bay bicycle track on the Tuesday about half past 3. He saw two little boys hanging on to a truck on a goods train which was shunting back to the yards. He went over to tell them to go away. The train went on, and the boys then ran back to him and told him that Johnny Driver had been run over. The distance from where he saw the boys to where Johnny Driver as lying was about three and a-half chains. He went over to where the boy was. He was sitting up between the rails. Two men then came along and attended to the boy. 

Evan Bain, five years of ago, one of the small boys referred to by the previous witness, said that on the Tuesday he was playing with Alex. Kirkpatrick and Johnny Driver near the line. Witness and Alex got hold of a truck, and Johnny get hold of a truck in front. They hopped off after the truck had gone a little way and they then saw Johnny Driver lying on the line. Witness saw he had been hurt and went and told the bigger boy. 

Harry P. Stanaway, goods agent, said that the accident had been reported to him. He had examined the trucks after the train came in. On the trailing wheels of the second last truck and on the leading wheels of the last waggon (on the harbour side of both trucks) were marks indicating that someone had been run over. He also saw marks on the axle box. He thought that the boy had hung on to the side of the truck and rested his feet on the axle box and had then slipped underneath as the waggon moved. The rails were open to the harbour. 

The Coroner said that his verdict would be that the bov had died from shock, following on injuries accidentally received through being run over by a railway truck. It was one of those unfortunate misadventures which would often happen. He could not see that there any negligence on the part of the Railway Department. The only thing to minimise the possibility of such accidents was for teachers to keep continually impressing on the lads the danger of traveling on the foreshore in the vicinity of the railway line. He had to express his deep sympathy with the parents of the boy.  -Otago Witness, 3/4/1923.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

12/871 L/Cpl Robert Mills Sutherland, 13/2/1889-25/10/1922.

PRIVATE SUTHERLAND. 

Private Robert Mills Sutherland (wounded on May 15) was a son of Mr A. Sutherland, late of Orawia. He was born at Invercargill 25 years ago, and was educated at Merrivale. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the Southland Engineering Company, and, while serving with that distinguished himself as a rifle shot in the Awarua Forces. He joined the First Expeditionary Force, and was posted to the 16th Waikato Infantry, but was afterwards transferred to the machine gun section.  -Otago Daily Times, 28/6/1915.

Robert Sutherland's Army Record describes a slight gunshot wound to the head at Gallipoli.  Slight though it was, it sent him to hospital back in Egypt.  It also shows some time spent in hospital in 1916 with a venereal disease.

September 1916 saw Robert with the Auckland Regiment on the battlefield of the Somme.  He was evacuated with an unspecified wound acquired in action but stayed in hospital with a testicular swelling due to his VD - which is later diagnosed as tubercular.  July of 1917 saw him on the "Ionic" bound for home.

His cause of death is recorded as due to a cerebral abcess cause by tuberculosis.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE. 

DEATH. 

SUTHERLAND. — At Invercargill, on October 25, 1922, Robert Mills, dearly beloved husband of Lily Sutherland, and eldest beloved eon of A and D Sutherland, 6 Grace street; aged 33 years. 12/571, Main Body, Auckland Battalion. Interment at Anderson’s Bay Cemetery. — Hope and Kinaston, undertakers.   -Press, 30/10/1922.

OBITUARY.

One of the first New Zealanders to land on the Gallipoli peninsula, Mr Robert Mills Sutherland, died at the Southland Hospital last week. He joined the 16th Waikatos at the outbreak of war and was a member of the Main Body, Auckland battalion. When the battalion embarked for the landing Mr Sutherland was in the first boat. He was wounded in the shoulder on Gallipoli and sent to England for hospital treatment, returning to his battalion during the rest in Egypt prior to the embarkation for France. In the Somme battle of 1916 he was again wounded, this time severely, in the hip, and from that wound he never fully recovered, it being the ultimate cause of his death. When discharged from the army he tried working at his trade, that of an engineer, and acepted a position with the "Southland Times" Company, but was unable to continue owing to his war disability.   

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

3/1552 Private James Reid Struthers NZMC, 11/6/1890-12/10/1917.

James Struthers was working as a Hospital Attendant at Seacliff Mental Hospital when he enlisted, which might have marked him immediately for the NZ Medical Corps.  He was at Bellevue Spur, Passchendaele, when New Zealand troops made their futile, fatal assault on German positions, walking through knee-deep mud to attack concrete fortifications and undamaged barbed wire.

For the stretcher-bearers of the NZ Medical Corps, it was also hard going.  The mud meant that six men were needed for each stretcher case recovered from the battlefield.  And, although the wounded and those helping them were generally left alone by the enemy's rifles and machine guns, artillery did not discriminate.

It is a grim fact that cause of death on James' Army record is stated with no more detail than "killed in action."  If he had "died of wounds," there would be some short note of what those wounds were.  So it is impossible to know in which of the many fatal episodes of the 12th he met his end.  He might have been in the stretcher bearers' relay post called "Dump House" which was destroyed by enemy artillery, with several fatalities.  He might have been at Wimbledon Post, which lost 25 men to poison gas.  He might have been the unfortunate man described in the NZMC's Official History as follows:

At Kron Prins Farm, further north in the valley, and equally exposed, an almost identical situation existed. Two small concrete rooms sheltered 50 men, of whom, the majority seriously wounded. Here Captain Benham, N.Z.M.C., and Lieut. Baxter, N.Z.M.C., both attached to the Rifle Brigade, were working under hazardous conditions. The concrete structure was hit repeatedly by shells which filled the compartments with dust and acrid vapours and drove down heavy fragments from the ceiling on to the huddled wounded below. Close by one of the low windows in the foremost compartment a Lieut.-Colonel of the Rifle Brigade, sitting on the floor, hemmed in by wounded, for a time directed the movements of his battalion. An ambulance bearer in body armour, crouching in the doorway during a shell storm was pierced in the throat by a fragment flying in through the window and, as he sank to his death, a torrent of blood gushing from his wound deluged the unhappy battalion commander at whose feet the lifeless body fell.

James' father inserted "In Memoriam" notices in October 12 newspapers until at least 1929.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

William Ernest Cox, 1899-12/3/1924.

THE DUNBACK TRAGEDY

TWO LIVES LOST. 

David McMillan, a single man, who is believed to have resided at Waikouaiti, died yesterday as the result of injuries sustained through an explosion in the quarry at the Milburn Lime and Cement Company’s kilns at Dunback, and Ernest Cox and William McIntosh are at present inmates of the Dunedin Hospital suffering from injuries received. 

Cox, who is 25 years of age, is a married man residing at Dunback. He sustained venous injuries to the head, and is on the dangerously ill list. 

McIntosh, who is a single man, 22 years of age, also residing at Dunback, received injuries to the head and a fractured leg. His injuries are not so serious as those sustained by Cox.

The men were engaged in blasting schist in order to get at the beds of limestone, and the manager of the kiln, Mr R. M Intosh, who was in charge of the operations, gave them warning to get into safety, which they did. However, for some inexplicable reason McMillan, Cox, and McIntosh left the safety zone in order to change their positions, and, while thus occupied, the charge exploded, and they were struck by pieces of flying rock. 

On advice of the accident being received, the St. John Ambulance motor was promptly despatched from the Central Fire Brigade Station, but McMillan died before it arrived at Dunback. Cox and McIntosh were conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital by means of the ambulance, and arrived at that institution early yesterday evening. 

William Ernest Cox, one of the victims of the Dunback quarry accident, died from his iniuries at the Dunedin Hospital early on Wednesday. This is the second death which has occurred, David McMillan, the first victim, having expired before the ambulance reached the scene of the accident. 

The condition of William McIntosh, who was also injured, and who is an inmate of the Dunedin Hospital, was reported last night to be a little better. 

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS. 

An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Ernest Cox, who died at the Dunedin Hospital early yesterday morning as a result of injuries sustained in the Dunback quarry accident, was held at the Hospital yesterday, before the coroner, Mr J R. Bartholomew, S.M. Evidence of identification was given by David Gordon Cox, brother of deceased, who stated that his brother was a married man, aged 25 years. 

Dr N. C. Speight, house surgeon at the Hospital, stated that deceased was admitted about 8.30 o’clock on Tuesday night in a semi-conscious condition, suffering from severe shock, a fractured skull, severe internal injuries, and abrasions. Deceased was in a low state. An operation was performed about 11 p.m and deceased seemed to rally, but he collapsed and died shortly after 2.30 a.m. Witness would say death was due to shock following a fracture of the skull and internal injuries. 

The Coroner then adjourned the inquest sine die.

The inquest on the body of David McMillan, the first victim of the accident, will be opened at Waitati this morning, before the coroner, Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. The inquest on the body of David Edward McMillan, who lost his life as the result of the explosion at Dunback on Tuesday, was opened at his father’s residence at Waitati before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.. sitting as coroner, on Thursday. After the father of the deceased had given formal evidence the inquest was adjourned sine die.  -Otago Witness. 18/3/1924.

BIRTHS.

COX. — On March 19, at Roslyn, to Mrs and the late William Cox, of Dunback — a son. Both well.  -Otago Witness, 25/3/1924.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

Richard William Newman, 11/1925-22/10/1926

 SCHOOLBOY’S DEATH

BLOW ON THE HEAD. 

STONE THROWN BY COMRADE. 

Richard William Newman, who would have reached his 12th birthday next month, and who was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Herbert Newman, Chatton, was admitted to the Gore Public Hospital at 7 o’clock on Thursday evening in an unconscious condition, suffering from the effects of a blow on the head. 

During the night he rallied for a brief space, when he made a statement to the nurses in which he alleged that at the Knapdale School yesterday another boy had hit him on the side of the head with a stone. He then relapsed, and remained in a state of coma until he passed away at 9 o’clock yesterday morning. 

THE CORONER’S FINDING. 

Yesterday afternoon, Mr A. Martin, District Coroner, held an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatality. 

Richard Herbert Newman gave evidence of identification, and stated that his son, who would have been 12 years of age in November, attended the Knapdale School. When witness returned home shortly after 5 p.m. he found his son lying on the bed. When witness asked him what was the matter he said that he had Leslie Tutty’s hat and Tutty threw a stone and hit him on the side of the head. He took his son’s temperature, which was 96, and told him to be quiet. Witness then went out to milk the cow and when he returned he found that his son had been sick again and was rapidly becoming unconscious. Shortly after he communicated with Dr. Rogers and took his son by car to the doctor’s residence. The doctor ordered his removal to the hospital. 

Leslie George Tuttv said that he lived with his parents at Knapdale, and was 11 years of age. When he came out of the Knapdale School on Thursday at 3.30 p.m. Dick Newman had taken his cap from a peg in the porch and ran outside with it. Witness asked Newman to return the cap but he refused to do so. Witness then took up a few stones intending to throw them at him. One stone was thrown and it struck Newman on the side of the head.

Newman was standing still when the stone was thrown, but moved to avoid the stone. Witness could not say whether he turned to right or left. Three stones had been thrown, the last of these hitting Newman who was not more than a chain away. Newman then threw the cap to witness and rode away on his bicycle. Newman when hit had repeated, “Poor little Leli,” a term frequently used to tease the witness. The other stone thrown passed Newman about shoulder high. Newman did not come over to witness after he was struck. He had always been good friends with Newman, who was at times inclined to tease. The stones were thrown with the intention of missing, but also of frightening, Newman. 

Dorothy Mason, a nurse at the Gore Hospital, stated that when she went on duty at 10 p.m. on Thursday night she was given instruction to closely watch a boy Newman, who was a patient. One nurse was continually at the boy’s bedside. During the night she asked him if his head were sore and he replied that it was. She then asked him how his head had been hurt and he replied that a boy had thrown a stone at him. In reply to a further question as to why the stones were thrown Newman said that he had taken the boy’s cap. No suggestion was made that the stones were thrown wilfully, but the deceased mentioned something about teasing the other boy. 

Dr. J. E. Rogers stated that the deceased was brought to his surgery about 7 p.m. on Thursday. He was then unconscious and witness ordered his removal to the hospital where Dr. Little and witness saw him. There was a small swelling just above the left ear and as a result of the examination they had come to the conclusion that he was suffering from haemorrhage of the brain. Shortly after witness arrived at the hospital yesterday morning the sister in charge of the ward advised him that Newman had taken a bad turn and on going to him witness found that the boy had taken a fit. He never recovered from this and died about 9 p.m. A post mortem examination revealed bruising on the soft tissues at the side of the head, while the bone of the skull was also fractured. The immediate cause of death was haemorrhage of the brain. 

Robert McLelland and Gerald Ross, pupils at the school, gave evidences along the lines of that given by Tutty. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to haemorrhage of the brain caused by a stone thrown by Leslie Tutty. There was no evidence to show that there had been any intention on the part of Tutty to do the deceased injury. 

At the conclusion of the inquest, both the coroner and Sergeant Packer, who represented the Police, extended their sympathy to Mr. Newman, stressing the danger incurred by the throwing of stones. Mr. Martin said that the fatality was one of those things liable to happen at any time when boys threw stones thoughtlessly and without any intention to do harm.  -Southland Times, 23/10/1926.

Gore Cemetery.

74669 Private Edwin Harrison Kemp, 11/1/1898-3/9/1918.

PRIVATE E. H. KEMP. 

Private Edwin Harrison Kemp, a wellknown Gore lad, has died at sea, word to this effect reaching his parents (Mr and Mrs A. E. Kemp, Gore) on Friday. Private Kemp was born at Gore and was in his 21st year. He received his primary education at the Gore school, and followed this up with a course at the Gore and Waitaki High Schools. Leaving the latter institution, he entered the office of the New Zealand Shipping Company at Dunedin, from whence he enlisted when he reached his 20th birthday. He went into camp in March of this year in the machine gun section of the 40th reinforcements and sailed some time later, but died of influenza on the troopship. Private Kemp was a pleasant, manly lad, and his demise will be regretted by a large circle of friends, while much sympathy is extended to Mr and Mrs Kemp in the death of their only child.   -Southland Times, 29/9/1918.

ANGLICAN CHURCH.

PARISH OF GORE. 

REPORTS FOR THE YEAR.   (excerpt)

Work of the Boys’ Memorial Home. Jn this connection I should like to acknowledge thankfully the gift of £100 from Mr and Mrs A. E. Kemp to endow a cot in memory of their son, Edwin Harrison Kemp, who died aboard the transport conveying the 40th Reinforcements to the war.   -Mataura Ensign, 29/4/1920.

Gore Cemetery.