Bay Harbour: November 29, 2017

PAGE 4 Wednesday November 29 2017
BAY HARBOUR
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
News
Fuel stolen
at Diamond
Harbour
Fire Station
• By Sarla Donovan
THIEVES HAVE targeted the
Diamond Harbour Fire Station,
stealing almost 300-litres of
diesel.
Chief station officer Bob
Palmer said somebody had
gone to the rear of the station
yard on Marine Drive between
Wednesday, November 15, and
Saturday, November 18.
“They’ve smashed the padlock
on the diesel taker and siphoned
(the fuel off.)”
The amount was significant, he
said. “It would be quite a lot to
carry out in a car.”
The station volunteers
were upset about the theft, he
said.
“I’m gutted that our lifeblood –
fuel – has been taken.”
He said security had been
beefed up since the incident
and is asking the public to
be aware of any suspicious
behaviour in the area, and to get
in touch if they notice anything
unusual.
•Anyone with information
about the theft can phone Mr
Palmer on 027 240 1515
Local
News
Now
Brave Sumner identity dies
Long-time firefighter
and Sumner Lifeboat
Institute member
Barry William Kerr
died recently, aged 78.
Sarla Donovan reports
BARRY KERR was a man of
courage and community spirit.
The father of two gave 27
years of service to the Sumner
Volunteer Fire Brigade and 22
years to the Sumner Lifeboat
Institute.
He was a former fire station
officer, and with his late brother
Russel won two national titles in
firefighting competitions, as well
as many Canterbury titles.
In 1967, he was awarded the
Royal Humane Society’s bronze
medal for helping to rescue two
students trapped on rocks between
Sumner and Taylors Mistake.
The students’ other two
friends had been swept out to sea
and drowned while attempting
to swim across a stretch of water.
There was no moon and the
incoming tide was breaking
onto the rocks, according to a
newspaper report of the rescue.
On the return journey, Mr
Kerr, fellow rescuer John
Pickering and the students were
in water up to their waists with
only a precarious hand hold on
a sheer rock face.
Ironically, Mr Kerr had never
learned to swim.
Leader of the Opposition at
the time Norman Kirk wrote a
letter of congratulation for his
“courage and selflessness” in
saving the pair.
Mr Kerr died at his Evans Pass
home in Sumner on November 4.
He was born in Christchurch
on January 24, 1939.
He grew up in Sumner with
father Jack, mother Sybil and
siblings Russel, Iris and Lester
COMMUNITY:
Barry William
Kerr was a 27-
year stalwart
of the Sumner
Volunteer
Fire Brigade.
He died in
Christchurch
on November
4, 2017 aged
78.
and went on to raise his two
children Keiron and Gabrielle in
the seaside suburb with his late
wife Diane.
Jack was also a life member
of the Sumner Volunteer Fire
Brigade, which he joined in 1941.
There have been Kerr family
members in the brigade continuously
since that date.
The couple were unable to
have children themselves, so
both their son and daughter
were adopted as babies.
Keiron Kerr remembers his
Fire rages, homes at risk
father as very supportive. He
followed his rugby playing and
helped out coaching teams at
Sumner Rugby Club when he
was a boy. “He was just a good
all-round guy and couldn’t do
enough for anyone.”
Diane ran the household and
Mr Kerr went out and worked.
A fitter and turner by trade, he
worked on the Lyttelton Tunnel
in the early 1960s.
Keiron said in 2014 his father
was invited along to the 50-year
anniversary of the opening of
the tunnel.
“He was one of only a few people
who worked on it that were
still alive; it was quite amazing
really. They asked him to be a
guest of honour but dad didn’t
like all that stuff and he turned
it down.”
Mr Kerr also ran his own
business for 20 years, Timber
Treatments.
He and Diane were “sports
mad” Keiron said.
“They absolutely loved it. In
their later years they had their
two La-Z-boys side-by-side and
they’d watch everything. Rugby
was their favourite but they’d
watch golf, cricket, anything.
They were mad on it.”
Mr Kerr is survived by his two
children and four grandchildren
– Jakob, Alexia, Rhys, and Paige.
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