Old Hong Kong-5 — Page 39

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TRAGIC DEATH OF AN OFFICIAL.

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Yesterday's article dealt with the career in the Hongkong Civil Service of Mr. Frederick Stewart, who died here while holding the position of Colonial Secretary. An even more tragic end befell another official of that rank, Mr. W. D. Barnes, who came to the Colony from Malaya in 1911, and was seized with a fatal heart attack on the Polo Club's ground after only a few months' service.

A comment on his appointment appeared in the S.C. Post of February 22, 1911, as follows:-

All speculation as to who is to succeed Sir Henry May as Colonial Secretary of Hongkong has been set at rest by the news which arrived yesterday that Mr. Warren Dula-bere Barnes, Secretary for Chinese Affairs in the Straits Settlements, has been selected by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to fill the very desirable post. While there may be some who would, without prejudice to Mr. Barnes, have preferred to have seen the post filled from the ranks of those whose long and faithful service in the Colony entitles them to promotion, all will join in extending a warm welcome to the new official, the more especially as he comes to the Colony highly recommended, with a long and honourable career in administrative work for the Crown and a thorough knowledge of the Chinese. Educated at King's College School and Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. Degree, Mr. Barnes came to the East as a Cadet in the Straits Settlements service in 1888. Three years later, he passed his first examination in Chinese and became third Magistrate at Penang in 1893. He exhibited special aptitude for the work entrusted to him, especially in his relations with the Chinese, and in October of the same year was transferred to the Federated Malay States as Acting Protector of Chinese. He subsequently attained the substantive post in the Straits Settlement service, and thus became essentially an official with a perfect understanding of the Chinese people.

In the issue of Monday, October 30, 1911, the S.C. Post published this tragic report:-

It is with the deepest regret that we record the death of the Hon. Mr. Warren D. Barnes, Colonial Secretary of Hongkong, which occurred on Saturday afternoon under particularly painful circumstances. The deceased gentleman was playing in the trial polo match on the Polo Ground, Happy Valley, and it was at the conclusion of the fourth and last chukka that the sad affair happened. Mr. Barnes, we understand, was at the time riding a new pony, having ridden Kirkmayo during the first two chukkas. The bell announcing the conclusion of the chukka had sounded, and the players were returning to the paddock when Mr. Barnes was seen to leave the others, his pony cantering at a fair pace down the side of the field. Mr. Barnes was seen to rise from his saddle, and a moment later was riding almost on the pony's withers, his arms having dropped to his sides. The pony continued its gallop until it came to a bamboo fence, where it turned somewhat sharply. Mr. Barnes was then seen to fall to the ground, falling foul of the horse's feet. It is believed, however, that the rider was dead before he fell.