THE PREMIER'S FUNERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8139, 22 June 1906, Page 2

THE PREMIER'S FUNERAL.

IMPRESSIVE SCENE 111 THE PARLIAMENTARY LOBBY. THE MAORIS' LAMENTATIONS. THIRTY THOUBAND VIEW THE COFFIN. AN IMMENSE CORTEGE. EXTRAORDINARILY DENSE MASSES OF MOURNERS. STRIKINGLY IMPRESSIVE SERVICES. MANY SPECTATORS MOVED TO TEARS. SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COLONY. BY TBLEGfiAPU. FEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.

Wellington, June 21. The funeral of the late Premier took' place to day. immense cbowds of people thronged the route taken by the cortege, from the Parliamentary Buildings to the Sydney street ceme- | tery, where the interment took plaje. Shortly before eight o'clock this morning the coffin was removed from deceased's late residence in Molesworth street, to the main lobby of Parliamentary Buildings, where the

AT THE CUUBCH the remains were mot by Dr. Wallis, Bishop of' Wellington, and other clergy. When the Bishop had read the usual texts, the choir sang Hymn Number 231, the 90th Psalm, and then hymn 27, " Abide With Me." On the completion of the sorvice, the cortege moved off, the choir chanting the " Nunc Dimittis." LEAVING THE CHCBCH, the cortege turned out of Mulgravo street, into the serai-circular Pipilea street, past the Girls' High School, and across Hobson street, into Davis street, amid ever the same cordon of WATCHING THOOBANDS. held by the lines of Volunteers: Highlanders, Maori Corps, North Canterbury Mounted Rifles and sundry others, not forgetting t'ie Sohool Cadets. The sumo unimpeded progress, without hitch, siw the cortege pass along Thnrndon Quay into Lambton Quay, where the crowd began to thiekon, and the view opening out showed tho bend of Wellington Terrace, some distance ahead, lined with spectators who had chosen this spot for a distant but comrannding view point. But it was on entering Bowen street, which rises gradually from Lambton Quay, that the great pressure and the

HUNDREDS OF FLOBAL TEIBPTES received by the family during the past week had been arranged. There, representatives of the Maori race, who had assemblod from all parts of the colony, held an IMPBESSIVE TANGI. "The sun has sot," said tho Native Minister speaking in the Native tongue to the mourners of his race, " the people have lost their provider; the totara tree of the forest has fallen. Come, tread where he trod while alive. Death is no respecter of persons. Man is like a butterfly."

The Hon. Jas. Carroll then read an address to Mrs Seddon, which he handed to Captain Seddon, who, with his two brothers stood by the coffin. Following this, laments were delivered, the women keeping up a continuous wailing. Mats and other tokens were placed by the coffin. After this the doors of the buildings were thrown open to the publio, and in the succeeding hours a stream of people filed through the lobby, paying their last respects to the memory of deceased.

MOST STBIKINO SIGHT was witnessed. Here, on the rise at the top of the street, wore gathered in so many people that they presented a SEA OF HUMAN HEADS, rising gallery.wise from the level of the procession to the top of the eminence on which they stood. But on tho middle of tho human sea of heads, something was streaked across. It appeared as a quivering band of green, something that lived and moved, and seemed to beckon. As the cortege drew up, it was seen to he the QBEEN WBEATHS OF THE MAORIS, now waved in tho land m the manner of the poi, and quivering in unison with their wild native chant. It was a

OVEB THIRTY THODBAND people thus viewed the coffin. By noon the streets in the vicinity of Parliament and the Government buildings were thronged, and every point of vantage was crowded. On the lawn in front of the House of Representatives stood a detachment cf military and bandsmen. THE CORTEGE. At two o'clock the coffin was removed from the building and placed on a gun carriage, around which Ministers of the Crown stood as pall-bearers. In a few minutes the gun sounded, and the procession moved towards St. Paul's Cathedral, tho bands playing the " Dead March in Saul." Following the remains were Mrs Seddon, Captain E. J. Seddon, Mr T. Y. Seddon, Master Stuart Seddon, Missos Mary Seddon, May E Seddon, Eubi Seddon, Eev. Mr and Mrs Boan, Mr F. and Mrs Dyer, Dr and Mrs Morice (daughters and' sons-in-law), Mr E. Seddon (brother), Mrs Cunhffe and Mrs McKay (sisters), Mr G. Spotswood (Mrs Seddon's brother), Capt Hennah and Mrs Hennah (Mrs Seddon's sister), Mr W. S. Hennah (Mrs Seddon's nephew), Mrs Hennah, Mr H. Hennah (Mrs Seddon's nephew), Miss Elsie Hennah (Mrs Seddon's niece), Mr Beid and Mrs Eeid (Mrs Seddon's nioce), Mr N. Seddon (Mr Seddon's cousin) and Mrs N. Seddon.

MASTEB BTHOKE OF EFJECT, both visually snd aurally, and one not to be forgotten. For a moment the procession lingered, then on it went to its destination/via Museum street into Sydney street, and so to the eemetory gates. Here was gathered the full force of THE MIGHTY CBOWD, requiring all tho authority of law and order, backed up by the volunteers, to keep the human wave in check, This was however done. AT THE CEMBTEY GATES, the body was received by representafives of the Headquarters Staff, Colonel Webb, Major Joyce and Major A. E. Hislop, T.D. A detachment of Bluojackets from the Cruisers Encounter and Pioneer, under Lieut. Freuin of the former vessel, formed a GUABD AT THE GBAVESIDB, and a gun party from the Encounter, 23 mon, tho gun crew of 18 and five bearers, under Warrant Officer Weaving, awaiting the body at the entrance to the cemetery. Tha nine feet wide gravel path from the Sydney street gates to the summit of the hill, where tho grave is situated, was lined with Naval Volunteers. A detachment of Marines from tho Encounter formed a lino on the north side of tho graye under Marine Liout. Skafe. The Garrison Band, which headed the cortege, drew past the cemetery gates to permit the Artillery gun-carriage to pull up close to the Encounter's 12-pounder Armstrong field gun oarriago and limber. The

The complete order of the procession waiiFiring Party. Girrison Band. His Lordship tho Bishop of Wellington. Hon .Hall Jones Hon Carroll Hon Pitt g Hon Duncan Hon C. H. Mills » « Hon M'Uowan Mr McGuigan § g Mr Murdoch Mr Binns 3 Mr Nicol Mr E. M'Kenzie Mr Colvin

Family and relatives of Deceased. His Excellency the Governor's Carriage. Representative of His Excellency the Admiral. S'.r J. G. Ward's Carriage. Conrnnndant of the New Zealand Forces. Judges and ex-Judges of the Supremo Court. The Speaker and Members of the Legislative Council. The Speaker and Members of the House cf Eepresentatives. Ex-Ministers of tho Crown. Ex-Members of Parliament. Foreign Consuls. Representatives of Other Colonies. His Worship the Mayor of Wellington. Naval and Military Officers. Representatives of West Coast. Memorial Servico Committee. District Court Judges. Magistrates. Legislative Officers. Heads of Departments of New Zealand Civil Servico. Ministerial Private Secretaries. Public School Cadet Band. Old Age Pensioners, Representative Maori Chiefs. Lancashire Men. Mayors, Chairmen, and Representatives of Countios, Municipalities, Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, and other Local .Bodies. Representative Clergy of the Various Denominations. Representatives of Liberal and Labor Federation. Jupp's Band. Trades and Industrial Unions. Petone Workshop Employees. Voterans. Ex-members of Contingents. Old Mombers Wellington Naval Association. Navy League. Tramway Band. New Zealand Civil Sorvicc. Representatives of tho Press. Graduates and Professors of Universities. Boards of Education. I Educational Institute. District Teachers' Association. Staff and Students Training College. Wellington District Law Society. Medical Profession. Chambers of Commerce. Representatives of Banks. Freemasons. Central M' ss i° u Band. Friendly Societies. Mastertou Band. Missions to Soamen, Young Men's Christian Association. Shipmasters' Association. Australasian Institute of Marino Engineers. Scottish Society. New Zealand Rugby Football Union. Salvation Army Band. Salvation Army. General Public. Carriages, n

TRANSFER OF THE COFFIN to the smaller gun oarriage occupied less than two minutes, and tie men-of-warsmen started up the hill at a smart walking pace. It was necessary for all other vehicles to be abandoned, owing to the narrowness of the pathway, and the procession proceeded up the hill headed by the Bishop.

AT THE GRAVE-SIDE.

Soon the gravo-side was reached and the body of new Zealand's greatest statesman lay above tho tomb. The chief mourners gathered around, with MemTiers of Parliament and others, and Bishop Wallis commenced his duties. It was first necessary to

m CONSECRATE THB GROUND, which (was dono in tho following words :

"|lu the name of tho Father, the Son and tho Almighty Ghost, I solemnly consocrato this burial ground, and pray that His Blessing may oyer be upon this place, and sanctify it and keep it holy, that it may be a fit resting place for the bodies of His servants until the day of the Lord Jesus, when He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. Amen "

THE BURIAL SERVICE. The grey winter afternoon was waning, fitful watery clouds wero passing, the wind sang mournfully among the trees, as Bishop Wallis in a clear voico commenced the short, but beautiful, concluding servico of the Anglican Church for tho burial of dead:

"Manthat is born oi a woman, hath but a short time to live, and is full of misory. He comoth up and is cut down like'a flower."

A few raindrops fell at this momont. It seemed that naturo was attuned to tho circumstances. Deliberately, Bishop Wallis proceeded with tho improssive service, and the hearts of the listeners were full of grief as he spoke the words:

" We therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life."

Then camo the Lord's Prayer, which was repented by the vast attentive congregation. A few more sentences, familiar to all, but perhaps never hefore listoned to by many of those present undor sueh significent circumstances, and the Bishop concluded :

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore, Amen."

L'lion a vory brigi

MABOSIC 6EBVICE vvas gone through. Bro. Malcolm Nichol, Grand Secretary, and a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodao of New Zealand, conducted the servioe,' concluding with a prayer, and the customary dropping m tlio grave of the late brother of a sprig of acacia, the Vlasonic emblem of immortality. Thus the religious portion of the t'eremonial was over, amid tho ILI-SOPPBESSBD SOBS of tear-stained mourners, ooncluded to < lie accompaniment of tho weeping of women, but there was one more token of respect to be paid to the departed. In the course of lus busy life Mr Seddon carried out the duties of Minister of Defence, and ho wan therefore honoured by the

rIEIHO OF THBBB VOLI.BYB by a delaohment of the Permanent Force. The men were drawn up on the eastern side of the grtve, and as soon as the devotional service was over, the firing took place. After the first and second Tolleys a bugler sounded a bar ot" The Sunset," and after the third, "THE LAST POST," The oefemony was over.