DEATH of MR SEDDON.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 12 June 1906, Page 3

DEATH of MR SEDDON.

DIES AT SEA. HOW HE EXPIRED. UNIVERSAL REGRET. Syi > n ey, Mon day. The steamer Oswestry Grange, which left with Mr Seddon and party on board early yesterday morning for Auckland, put back with the sad news of the death at sea of the New Zealand Premier, the R ght Hon. R. J. Seddon. At 6.20 last night Mr Seddon was sitting with Mrs Seddon in his cabin, waiting for the dinner gong, when he suddenly placed his head on his wife’s shoulder, and said, “Oh! Mother!’’and expired immediately. The vessel was then 140 miles from the heads. Dr Minchin, the ship’s doctor, has given a ve’-tifloate that death was due to heart failure. The body will be embalmed, and the vessel will probably resume her voyage as soon as the operation is completed. Complaining of tiredness Mr Seddon did not rise till about noon yesterday. The end came with terrible suddenness. He was seized with faintness, and gradually became unconscious. The doctor was called, and remedies applied, but these were all unavailing, and the Premier died in Mrs Seddon’s arms.

After a consultation, it was decided to return to Sydney, and the vessel’s head was turned thitherward.

Mrs Seddon is bearing up well. Wellington, Monday.

The following “ Gazette Extraordinary ” was published yesterday It is with deep regret I have to announce the death of the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, P.C., Prime Minister of New Zealand, on board the s.s. Oswestry Grange, at sea, on the evening of Sunday, the lUth day of June, at 23 minutes past 6 o’clock, fifteen hours after leaving Sydney for New Zealand. Officers of the Governservice throughout the colony are relieved from duty for to-day and to-morrow, and only urgent public business wdi be transacted until the day of the funeral, when the whole of the public offices throughout the colony will be closed. (Signed) Win. Hall-1 ones.” Tbe last telegram despatched by the late Premier was to Premier Bent, of Victoria, and ran : —“ Just leaving for God’s own country. The Act : ng-P>’emier is informed that Mr Seddon’s body is on the Oswestry Grange, leaving Sydney to-night, and due in Welbngton on Saturday morning. As soon as the Act : ng-Premier was made aware of the news, a meeting of the Cabinet was hastily summoned for two o’c'ock. Captain Seddon was in the Labour office when the first cablegram was received. He was summoned to Hon. Me Had-Jones office and there made aware of wbat had happenedToe Upera House and Theatre Royal are closed to-night, out of respect to the deceased statesman. It is understood ihat Parliament will meet as originally summoned, on June 27tb, and it is highly improbable that any prolonged postponement will be decided upon.

THE LATE PREMIER’S HEALTH. “ How is your health keeping, Mr Seddon ?” asked an interviewer at Adelaide. “1 am fairly well; not as strong as I would wish. I have had a slight touch of my old trouble since I left New Zealand. The only danger is that the people of Australia are too kind to me and too / exacting, and ask one to stand too much in the way of entertainment. They have an elaborate programme here, which will take a strong man . to go through, but I will do my b st.” Au interviewer’s impression : — « Mr Seddou is in every respect a “splendid representative of his progressive and prosperous colony. The cares of office that have sat on his broad shoulders for fourteen years in his position as Prime Minister have apparently rested lightly, but, as might be expected, Mr Seddon is much grayer than when he passed through Adelaide several years ago, He gives one an impression of physical and mental strength. His burly form tells of great physical strength in his youth, and his character is revealed in his face —a strong, thoughtful, kind face. Jovial and jolly and humanin all his instincts, it is little wonder that he is strong in < j. the confidence of his people, and properly confident in his strength. He is unmistakably a man who believes in his country, and whose country believes in him.”