ASSASSINATION OF LORD MAYO—THE LYING IN STATE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1323, 14 May 1872, Page 2

ASSASSINATION OF LORD MAYO—THE LYING IN STATE.

The Calcutta correspondent of the Allahabad Pioneer thus deacribos the lying in state of the body of the late Yiceroy of India : "During the lying-in state, Government House was thrown op-mi unreservedly to the public; and during the appointe 1 hours —that is, from 6.30 to, 10 a.m., and again from 3 to 6 p.m. of eacli day—>a continuous stream of human beings of all olass&s poured into the Government House from the north-east irate, in Old Court-house street. The entire spectacle was .solemn and imposing in the extreme. Over the entrance to (lie Mai hie Hall fell heavy folds of black drapery which completely shut out tlie light of day As you entered, and these folds of black cloth closed behind you, there; stretched away before you, ovei the whole length of the Marble Hall, a long and gloomy vista draped in black, and dimly lighted by an array of candlesticks on either side. There was a softening and chastening influence in this shadowy place which excluded all idea ofghastliness from themind ; and but for the knowledge that the murdered Viceroy la.y beyond, you might, as you paced if., have thought yourself in one of those painless dreams in v,liich the mind is oppressed by a sense of gloom, and gradually yields it self up to the prevailing influence, without any anxiety as to how or when it will end. The Hall passed, you came to the threshold of the Throne Room, and then the light grew brighter as it fell on the coffin of the murdered man This room was also draped in black from lop to bottom, but the candles placed round the bier were larger and brighter than those in the Marble Hall, and took away enough from the darkness to make it less oppressive, without robbing it of any of its gloom. The first tiling that caught the eye as you entered was the Hash ot a polished plate on the coffin, which bore the following inscription :- - RICHARD SOUTHWELL BOURKE, KABL OF MAEO, VISCOUNT MAYO, BAROX OF NASS, K.P., G.MS.I., Viceroy mid Governor-General of India, Born 31st Feb., 1822. % Died Btii Feb., 1872. As the eye grew accustomed to the light, it took in next the immediate surroundings of the coffin. The nag still lay over it, wrapt in which it had been brought op on the previous Saturday. On the coffin lay the plumed hat which Lord Mayo had worn on State ceremonies, the insign'a of the Orders to which he belonged, and some wreaths of flowers, lmpre-sed with the solemnity of the scene, few present could ha ,r e given very close scrutiny to the objects lay before them. I noticed little more than I have mentioned alxne. I may add that two of the late Viceroy's Aides-de-Oamp stood near the coffin, one on each side of the bier. Each of them held a drawn sword in his hand, with the point turned to the ground, and they stood so still that they looked like a couple of statues. Altogether the spectacle was one of the most imposing that Calcutta has ever witnessed, and the melancholy interest attaching to it helped to make it all the more solemn and impressive.

Morning broke to day with the booming of guns, summoning Calcutta to the funeral services, which weve held on the broad Might of t*teps on the north side of Government House. The coffin was placed in front of the steps on the guncarriage which had brought, it to Government House on Saturday. About five or six; hundred people occupied the steps, and twice as many more gathered round the coffin, from which they were separated by a space of about six or eight yards. The Body Guard were grouped VX front ot the bier, and from thence the Calcutta Volunteers stretched away in two lines to the northern state. The service read was the usual burial service with modifications. Tt opened wiih a hymn which was sung by the choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral ; and' although the hymn was beautifully sung, yet it struck me as taking away something from the mournful character of the sceen, which however, as a whole was very impresshe. I do not remember the precise order in which the other portions <»f the music were gone- through, but the music

consisted of Hyma 163 from Hymns. Ancient and Modern, Psalm 60; and an anthem specially composed by theorganist, for the words, " Man that is born," &c. ; and Hymn 114. A harmonium and the band of the 14th accompanied the singing. I find it very difficult in giving you this, meagre narrative to convey to yon any accurate idea of the general impression created" on the spectators by the ceremony. To. the profound grief which the tragedy has created in all hearts was added, on * the occasion of this ceremony,, the thought that this was the last of poor Lord Mayo in India. Speaking for myself, I say that with (-his thought there came up again before me the whole story of the horrible*crime— the story of a brave, trusting, energetic soul going forth in its might,to perform, a self-imposed duty, and being brought back a few weeks later a senseless, corpse. Thai, something like this also, occupied other inhvU was evident from, the settled gloom on the faces of all the spectators. That a good deal more' than this filled some other minds was sufficiently obvious from- the tears: which fell while- the sew ice- was being; read. I ) I 111 l 1 , I——^—ll lIH The following i<s from, the New Zealand Herald :—A correspondent writes,, us from Wangarei : ** Times are dull, money is scarce —Mich is the cry in our district. What is the reason?. Is it from want of energy on. the.part of the settlers? Is it from want of proper roads to bring produce*to market? Onething is certain, that in Wangarei it is. very difficult to obtain, a cabbage at any price*" If the last statement is correct, it does not say much for thegood effect of horticultural shows in. the district. A country settlement that cannot or doe-? uoi grow ample supplies of vegetables for home consumption; must be in a poor way. For our own, part, we cannot understand the condition of residents in the country who, cannot supply themselves in everything, but clothing, and a very few groceries. Tiie produce of-i very small farm should' do far more than pay the billy, of a moderately-sized family, besides affording ample supplies tor household use.. Where this i-: not the case, depend upon it there is .something wrong. We learn from the New Zealand Herald that one of the mo»t influential meetings of the leading merchants of Auckland held in that city en the 3rd inst, «'ith a view to take into consideration the difference in freights, existing between New Zealand and Australia. ft was clearly proved that,, under the present monopoly of charters to Auckland, goods can be landed via Melbourne at a cheaper rate and in. a shorter space of time than direct front the United Kingdom. It was, therefore, sought to establish a Freight Company, hereafter to be defined upon a sound basis of principles. The arguments were in favor of supplementing,, upon a co-operative basi*, a class of vessels that would deliver cargo in New Zealand at the same rates of freight as those delivered in Melbourne ports. The meeting unanimously coincided in the original resolution, "Thata Freight Association should be formed." Nothing was stated, however, as to the class of vessels visiting Auckland for same time past. The best idea that has been propounded is that of a Freight Company, chartering out and home new first-class clipper vessels, on the mutual principle,, to. be quickly loaded, and to. meet with equally quick despatch. The wharf accommodation and the slow discharge- of vessels, appeared to be a bugbear, and some animadversions were entertained on this subject, which evidentlv might be construed, that vhe introduction of one new system ought to be supplemented by an equally rapid discharge of goads. A little girl, about three years of age*, died at Hokitik.a a few day*, ago, from, the effects of chlorodyne, a bottle of which was left in her reach, and from which she helped herself. The Provincial Government of Wellington have sold the Wanganui Budge to the Wanganui Corporation, for .£26,0.00. Hospitable Host: " Does any gerttleman say pudden ?" Precise Guest i " No, sii'j no. gentlemm says pudden..'1 Punch,