THE LATE PREMIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1786, 18 June 1906, Page 3

THE LATE PREMIER.

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST, PAUL'S.

By, Electric Telegraph—Per Pross Asaoai atiem—Copyri gh t. Received 4 20 p.m., June 17.

London, Juno 16. A memorial servioo is to bo held for the lata Mr Seddon at St. Paul’s at noon on Tuesday. Some surprise has been expressed at S : r H Campbell Bannerman not asking tbe House of Commons to express regret at the death of Mr Seddon.

ARRIVAL OF OSWESTRY GRANGE

A SOLEMN MIDNIGHT PROCESSION.

FUNERAL FIXED FOR THURSDAY

(Per Press Association.)

Wellington, last night. H.M.S, Eooonnter, wbioh went out again at 5 o’clock to meet the Oswestry Grange, failed to find her, the steamer arriving in the stream shortly after ten o’olook. She anobored there, and was joined by the Totanekv, which took oat the Aoting Premier and membors of the Seddon family. It was half-past eleven before the ships oamo op to the wharf, midnight striking jasl as the Oswestry Grange lied np. Members of the Ministry and of Parliamem went on board to see the body, whieb lay in the saloon. The expression of the face was peaoefnl, and very lifelike. Mrs S-ddon and family, who were very maoh affected, went ashore shottiy afterwards. More than an boar was occupied ia the difficult work of putting the body in an outer coffin and moving it to the gangway. The whole thiDg weighed nine hundredweight. About halfpa9t one twelve artillerymen went aboard to aot as bearers, and the body was carried down ta the wharf, Mr Hall-Joues preceding it. All stood bareheaded, a group of offioers of the military staff and H.M.S. Pioneer standing at the sa’ute. The coffio was covered with the New Zealand ensign and the hearse with the Union Jack. At the barriers of the wharf thore was a orowd of one or two thousand people, who had waited four or five hours. They reverently parted to let the hearse pass, and followed Bilenily to the Minist rial residence In Molesworth street. .ELM 8. Eooounter, which had resumed to port in rosponso to a wireless message from the Pioneer, fired a talu'.e of 20 gons as the body left the wharf, the Post Offioe bell tolling at the same time. The remains will be interred at Welling ton on Thursday, at 2.50 p.m.

WESTLAND’S MEMORIAL.

(Par Press AscoeiatloaO Westport, last night, This morning the City Band, No. 2 Battery, tbe sohool oadets, and a Jn-ge gathering of tbe pnblio assembled in Y.o. ton's Square, where an impressive eervioe in oonneotion with the death of Mr Ssddon was conducted, Mr J. Marshall, tbe

d>epnty-Mayor, pronoonoed a panegyric - on tbe late Premier. Tbe gathering sang " Bock of Ages,” and the City Band played the Dead Maroh. In all tbe oharches, end at the Salvation Army citadel, feeling references were made to the Premier's death, ahd sympathy expressed with the bereaved family.

BANK’S APPRECIATION.

.(Per Press Association.) . Wellington, last night. The Board of Directors of the Bank of New-Zsaland-resolvedf tbAl the Board » desires to place on record its deep sense of the very great lose sustained by the colony through the death of the Bight Hod. B. J. Seddon, Prime Minister of New / Zinland, and to record! its, high appreoia- ■ tion of the eminent Bervfim rendered by him to the colony, and also, of the.action taken in 1894 by the Government of which towfce was head m promotion of legislation whereby assistance from tbe State was ■ accorded the Bank of New Zealand, and tbns by coming to the rescue of the bank, averting a widespread financial disaster throughout the cmatry. The Board ' desires, further, to convey to Mrs Seddon and her family its profound sympathy with them in their great sorrow. Greymo'utb, last night. At a sp cial meeting of the Grey County Connoil a motion of regret at tbe death of Mr Saddon and condolsrci with Mrs Seddon was passed. Ia tbe csuree of a lengthy resolution it was stated that ••by the death of Mr Seddon, tbe Conn* oillors and district have lost a dear nnd personal friend, the colony its ablest leader, and the Empire one of its builders Tbe late Premier’s fa<t works speak for themselves, and had be lived a few years longer tbe Council feels eat'sfied be would have made his beloved colony, 1 God’s own country,’ even belter and more fsm u« for advanced and progressive legislation ” The Oonnon will be repose .ted a th» funeral. There are indioa iops that the proposed memoiial to Mr Saddon in tbis >own will matt with warm support from the people of town and district. The matter will be discussed at a public meeting to be held ‘ altar the obsequies.

Ashburton, last night. Memorial services for the late Primier were held io all the ohurobes to-day, and feeling reference was mtd-j from the pulpits. The Dead Maroh was played in meet of the churches. The two volunteer

companies, headed by the Mayor and ♦•'-‘Borough Councillors and County C-.ua oillors, and accompanied by the County bta'B bonds, pa-afed and attended morning service at the Anglican Church, where an appropriate memorial service was conducted.

REFERENCES MADE IN COMMONWEALTH.

By tel*graph, Presa A*«’n, Received 1 o.m„ June IS, Sydney, June 17. Special reformers to Mr Seddon’s death were made in many ohurches throughout the Commonwealth, laudatory of bis work as an Empire statesman and .humanitarian.