LATE HON. J. O'BRIEN LAID TO REST

Chronicle (Levin), 3 October 1947, Page 5

LATE HON. J. O'BRIEN LAID TO REST

GREYMOUTH, Oct. 2. With distriet mines idle and business at a staudstill for tlie duration of the ceremonies, thousands lined Greymoutti

streets this morning in iine, but tltreatening, weather to pay their last tributes, to the Minister- of Tr.ansporr (Mr. () '^Brien), who was accoi'ded a State • funeral at the Karoro cenietery. St. Patriek's Ghurch was crowded fln tlie Solenm Iligh Jlass, the c'elebrani being Rt. Rev. Monsignor Long. The panegyric was given by Rt. Rev. Monsignor Ivennedy, of Christchurch. The caskct was borne from the church to the hearse in the presence of a densely packed throng by national and locai officials of the Labour Party and representatives oi' the United Mine Workers. i-,ed b}' the Greymouth iMunicipal, Baxxl, the cortege ineluded the Prime Minister (Mr. PTaser) and other members of tlie Cabinet, representatives of both political parties, iacluding the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Hollaud), departmental officers, representa tives of every industrial and workers' organisation, local authorities and all sections of tlie communit.y. Immediate!.y followed b}* six lorries of wreaths, the hearse passed in slow time between the. lines of scliool children behind wlioiu were packed a Jarge percentage of the population of Greymouth and. the surrounding districts, and proeeeded to the Karoro cemeteiy for the linal service. For a portion of the last journey to the Karoro cenietery the .members o.f Cabinet, who were the pall-bearers, ivalked beside the liearse, later eniteriug i.ars behind the representative of the Governor-General, Alajor Wigan, and followed by cars eontainiug the members of tlie late Minister 's family. At rhe entrance to the cenietery tlie band fornied a guard of honour through which the hearse passed to the vicinity of the flower-iined grave. With the Prime Alinister and Messrs. Nash, Jones, Alason, Skinner and Tirikatene as the liearers, tlie casket was borne to a specially erected dais where the members of the family, the Cabinet Ministers and the' clergjf had gathered. At the conclusion of the ffrst part of the service,. which was conducted in the presence of several thousands,. in accordance with West Coast custom the •pall-bearers: filled the grave and the principal wreaths were placed before the final prayers were read.