The Late Major Parris.

A MILITARY FUNERAL.

The funcraf of the lato Major Parris t^ok place on Tuesday afternoon, as briefly mentioned in our last issue, at St. Mary's Church, and was a most impressive ceremony. At two o'clock the cortege left the deceased's residence, headed by the Taianaki Hiiles, under Captain "Weston and Lieutenant Okey, the Taranaki Guards', under Captain Mills and Lieutenant Messenger, the Waitara Eiflcs, under Captain Gray, and the Inglewood Eifies, under Captain Leech and Lieutenant Surrey, and the Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Gordon, the whole parade being under the command of •Major Okey. Then followed a gun carriage drawn by two houses, bearing the coffin, which was covered with a Union Jack. Alongside the gun carriage wette the bearers, Messrs A. Standiah, 18. Weston, 0. Samuel, W. D. Webster. W. H. Skinner, and W. L. Newman, and following were Colonel Ellis, Captain- Ad jut ant Malone, and Captain-Quartenm'astter Cock, of the battalion staff. Then followed the chief mourners, Messrs It. C. HaiU'orton, E. T. Mfonshead, and T. E. Hamerton (sons-in-law of the deceased) and Mossrs Wm., Chas., and Ed. 'Hamc'r'ton. Howard Ridhmond, and Herbert Morshead (grandisons). Behind thorn wore the veterans, under Lieutenant J. C. J)avie.s, who took command in place of Captain Standi.sdi, vice-pros id ent of the Veterans' Association, who vk as one of tho bearers?. The veterans present wore Captains .J. H. Arm'st/rong and T. Wilson, Lioultonanls C. 'M. Kyngdon and J. C. Pavip<. Soirgoant^ N. Golding and J. Ikfflin. and Messds TO. Okoy, C. Tunbridgo, T. Furlong, sen., J. JWtlfcote, T. Williams, J. Hoskin, W, H. Scott, H. Movetriey, — Walker, J. Handy, J. O'Donnell, S. Allan, — Cronin, H. Hooker and J. C. George. Following behind wdre a large numbelr of Mends of the delcteased, and representative citizens, included the Mayor and the Chairman of the Harbour Board. The Garfrison Band played tho " Doad Marth in Saul" and as the cortege approached the church the volunteers formed two linos along Vivian-sdreot, through which tho gun-carriage carrying the coffin proceeded to tJie chiwfch gates, king thence Carried into the safcired building by the bearers. Heire a Psalm read by the Rev, F. A. Bennol;t and a lesson by the Vicar were followed by a short but most appropriate and impressive address by tho Maori Missionor.

Mr Bennett referred to tho fact that on Sunday night the Vicar had spoken of tho loss the Church and the community had sustained in the death of Major Parris. He desired to speak more of the loss to the native race in the death of one who had been their friend, and who had earned their respect and affection. Had there been time to give notice "there would have been a large gathering of Maoris ihat day, wearing the green wreath of kawakawa leaves. Those leaves signified, in their sharp, peppery taste, the bitterness of spirit at loss of a loved one, while the shape of the wreath, without end, signified that this life was not the end, and the green leaves signified that the memory of the departed would be kept evergreen. Going on to speak of deceased Mr Bennett said that about 1846 Bishop Selwyn asked him to go to Auckland to take charge of the industrial and agricultural departments [of St. John's College for Maori boys. [Tie went and there gained that intiImacy with the Maori tongue and native customs "which enabled him to be !of such service to the race afterwards. During the war Major Parris was naturally opposed to tbo Maoris on very mauy occasions, but they learned to respect him ; and afterwards many of them had come to him for advice. So great was his influence among tho [Maoris, and so high the estimation in which they held him, that they often came great distances to him for counsel. TTe (the speaker) had often been struck in recent years to hear natives >peak of Major Parris in tones o! strong esteem and affection. They had, lost a good friend who had done much 1o bring about good feeling between the races, and to establish the peace we now enjoy. "Farewell, favewoll ; farewell, 0 <hou groat totara tree, under tho protecting caro of whoso lirnii'-hos irinny ni^n of both races found their refuge."

The coffin was then borne from the Church, and carried between files of Volunteers to a spot on the higher fcade of the churchyard, and there reverently laid in its last' resting-place, the Vicar 1 arid the Rev. F. W. Bennett reading the remainder of the service. '' > •. - - Then a firing party, consisting . of the whole parade^- f| re d <three volleys over the-' 'gravp, and tho band played 'The Hymn of the Homeland." I Tho military arrangements were adimirablo, ,and Captain- Adjutant Malone, upo"n,'. /Whom most^^p|Ji|i©^ respon- , sibility fell, must b"e' eomplimented.