Obituaries Australia

In our last issue we referred briefly to the death of the late Mr. Lyne. The Manning River 'Times' referring to Mr. Lyne, says: —

After an illness which lasted for many months, the death occurred at his home, 10 Fotheringham Street, Taree, on Wednesday morning, at 7.50, of Mr. Herbert John Henry Lyne, to his friends familiarly known as 'Bert' Lyne. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Bishop Lyne and was born in Tasmania. He received his education at King's College, Launceston, in the island State. Then the family moved to New South Wales, and first settled on a station property on the Bogan, in the Nyngan district. From there they moved to Tenterfield, where they remained for a few years, and then Mr. Bishop Lyne was appointed District Forester for the Moree-Narrabri district. When the subject of this notice reached manhood's estate, he entered a wool store in the city. From there he went to Western Australia in the same capacity. Later on he returned to this State and joined his father at Narrabri. Like his father, he entered the Forestry Department and eventually became a District Forester, while stationed at Taree, in which town he lived for about 30 years. Then the Taree District extended from a little south of Crescent Head, in the Macleay district, almost to Raymond Terrace, and embraced the hinterland on the eastern slope of the Dividing Range. He retained this position until nine or ten years ago, when a nervous breakdown in his health caused him to take long leave. However, he eventually resigned from the position, and made his home in Taree, where he was so widely known. Here he remained until the end. His grandfather was John Lyne, who was one vested with much authority in the early days of Tasmania, where he acquired much property. The late Sir W. J. Lyne, who was Premier of New South Wales in the days when the rival policies were Protection (which he favoured) and Freetrade, was also a son of John Lyne, and uncle of the subject of this notice. When the late W. A. Holman, then Premier of New South Wales, decided to experiment in the treatment of prisoners by engaging them in afforestation work, the late Mr. H. J. Lyne had charge of the foundation of the Tuncurry Afforestation and Prison Camp, and he gave it supervision for a number of years.

The late Mr. Lyne was an inmate of Mayo Private Hospital, Taree, for some weeks, and a month or so ago he was taken to his home where he remained until the end came. 'Bert' Lyne took an active interest in most of the town's activities, apart from Local Government and Hospital matters. In the days when horse racing prevailed on the Manning, he was always an official. During the war of 1914-18, he assisted in raising much of the big money which was gathered in in those days by special efforts, being always willing to do even more than his share, in which work he had the able assistance of his partner in life. For many years he was a member of the committee of the Taree Literary Institute, in which he took a great interest, and his counsel was always valued by his colleagues. In later years his main recreation was bowls and he was an old member of the Taree Bowling Club, and often travelled with teams from the club when on tour. Some years ago he skippered a Taree rink at the Inter-State Bowling Carnival at Brisbane. He thoroughly enjoyed the game and the bonhomie of his associates while his health permitted him to fraternise with them in ye good olde game. Always a lover of good horseflesh, he naturally took a great interest in the annual shows of the M.R.A. and H. Association, and he was always to be found lending a hand in the conduct of affairs in the ring. In any community move that tended to advance the interests of Taree or make it more modern and up-to-date, he was always behind the citizens, if not actually one of them. When war broke out he threw all his energies and activities to assist in any way that he could. He was made Chief Warden of the town and to this position he devoted all his spare time, and in connection therewith he spent much of his own money. He was the principal figure in the brown-outs, enrolled the men who had enlisted for the whole of the branches of the fighting forces while he was able to attend at his office in Martin's Chambers, and did all that he could for the soldiers. This work was carried out without any remuneration. None appreciated more than he the patriotic services of the women workers of the town — W.V.S., Red Cross, etc. — and incidentally he was the means of helping them in various ways in a quiet, unobtrusive fashion. He was a man who had a good deal of spare time after his retirement from the Forestry Department and he hesitated not to give it freely to town activities. The passing of such a man is a distinct material as well as personal loss to the town. His son, Mr. Victor Lyne, who is a First Officer of Qantas Empire Airways, Ltd., and British Imperial Airways, and late of the R.A.A.F. and Aus. National Airways, came home at the week-end to see his father, but the time he was allowed off made it necessary for him to return to Sydney on Tuesday night. It was not then thought that the end was so near. First Officer Lyne returned to Taree on Wednesday morning. Mr. W. H. Simpson, brother-in-law, arrived on Wednesday morning to see the patient, but within a couple of hours of his arrival the end came unexpectedly. The late Mr. Lyne, who would have been 70 years of age had he lived until November next, was married to Miss Coral May Swanson, of Sydney, by whom he is survived, together with a son, Victor. One brother, Mr. Vivian Lyne, of Sydney, survives, as also do four sisters, viz., Mrs. E. Wisdom (Sydney), whose son resided in Taree many years ago; Mrs. Irene Bell, widow of the late Dr. Bell, of Murwillumbah; Mrs. Chambers, widow of the late G. W. Chambers, of Emmaville; and Mrs. Simpson, wife of Mr. W. H. Simpson, of Mosman. The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon.