THE LATE PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 145, 19 June 1906, Page 5

THE LATE PREMIER.

FUNERAL 'ARRANGEMENTS. ORDER OF THE PROCESSION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WEIiLINOTON, this day. The funeral of the late Premier ha» 'been put forward to 2 o'clock, owing to the shortness of the route. It has been decided that those going on foot in the procession shall take precedence of ail cabs and private carriages. A firing party of 50 Permanent Artillery will head the procession; then follow seven massed bands; and immediately thereafter will come a guncarriage bearing the Premier's body, with members of the Ministry as pallbearers. Members of the family and the chief mourners, with the Governor, come next; and then members of both branches of the Legislature. Applications are pouring in for places in the procession.

The marshal has decided to group county councils, unions, and local bodies in comprehensive sections. Vehicular attendance is strictly confined to the end of the procession. The route covers about 1J mile. The Gazette announces that the funeral will leave Parliamentary Buildings at 2 p.m., not 2.30 as previously stated.

LOCAL OBSERVANCE. The Labour Department announce that next Thursday will be accepted as a substitute for the weekly closing day under the Shop Act. The Post Office will be closed between 2.30 and 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, and the usual deliveries by letter-carriers will not take place on the afternoon of tllat day.

At the meeting of the Onehunga Borough 'Council last evening the Mayor explained that he had tried to arrange for a united service in the Public Hall on the afternoon of the Premier's interment. Canon Haselden, however, had already arranged to have a special service at St. Peter's. Father Mahoncy intended holding a service at his church, and all the Nonconformists were meeting at the Presbyterian Church. He hoped the business people of Onehunga would observe the whole day as one of mourning. Councillor Moody said the grocers of the city were closing Thursday afternoon instead of Wednesday, while the masters drapers were closing for two hours. Councillor Blyth said he would like to see the whole day observed as one of mourning. A motion to this effect was lost, and an amendment to only observe half the day was carried. The Mayor said the front of the Council Chambers would be draped in black the day of the funeral. PUBLIC OFFICES DRAPED. The front arch of the Post Office was to-day hung with crape, by instruction from the head of the Department in Wellington. So far other Departments have not been notified to drape their offices. At the Labour Bureau, however, a portrait of Mr Seddon appears on the door, and above is a large bow of crape. MASONIC MEMORIAL SERVICE. held on Thursday in tho Pitt-street Methodist Church by the brethren of the various constitutions of the Masonic Order in the Auckland provincial district. The service will be held at the same time as the funeral of the late Most Worshipful Brother P.G.M. Richard John Seddon i 6 taking place in Wellington. It will be under the conduct of the V.W. Brother J. A. Luxford, P.G. Chaplain. The musical part of the service will be in charge of the Pit-street Church choir. It has been arranged that the body of the church shall be reserved for the Masonic brethren, and the galleries for the general public. The brethren are notified to appear in evening dress with regalia in mourning, and the assembly is at the Wesley Hall, from which place the brethren will march in procession to the church.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' MEMORIAL SERVICE.

A combined memorial sendee of members of the various Friendly Societies in Auckland will be held in the Choral Hall on Thursday afternoon out of respect to the late brother of the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows, R. J. Seddon. The following Orders have agreed to take part:—Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, National Independent Order of Oddfellows, Foresters, Druids, H.A.C.B. Society, Rechabites and Protestant Alliance. The Rev. Canon Mac Murray will conduct the service, Mr Leslie Hunt will preside at the organ, and sacred solos will be sung by various brethren.

The Empire Veterans' Association will parade at the Drill Hall at 1.45 p.m. on Thursday, and march to St. Matthew's Church to attend the funeral service there. A letter of condolence and sympathy was to-day forwarded to Mrs. Seddon and family from the officers and members of the Auckland Empire Veterans' Association, through the hon. secretary, Mr. James Stichbury. The Auckland Railways League sent a wreath down to Mrs Seddon by Mr A. Kidd, M.H.R., who was asked to represent the League at Mr Seddon's funeral. At a meeting of the Auckland Sawmillers' Association on Tuesday morning the president Mr T. H. White, feelingly referred to the death of the late Premier, and the following resolution was adopted: "That this Association desires to express to Mrs Seddon and the members of her family its sincere sympathy in their recent loss." At a meeting of tho Northern Boxing Association last evening Mr Keenan (secretary) moved a resolution tendering the deepest sympathy and coldolence of the executive to Mrs Seddon in her sad bereavement and the great loss the colony had sustained through the sudden and unexpected demise of her illustrious husband, who had sacrificed his life for the welfare of the people of New Zealand. Several members present reiterated the sentiments expressed by the secretary, and recognised the valuable assistance that Mr Seddon had- rendered in connection with the postponement of the opening carnival. The secretary was instructed to forward the resolution to Wellington. The Auckland Eootmalcers' Union forwarded ft handsome wreath to Wellington, and also sent the following message to the Hon, Hall-Jonas:—'TSJndlj. convoy to M*s Seddon and family the Anckland Bootmakers' Union its high appreciation of her late husband's Hervioos, and our inexpressible sorrow for- theirs and the nation's less.

At a meeting erf the executive of tha Auckland Saddlers' Union held last even-! ing the chairman, Mf W* Hawkins, moved the following resolution, whieb. was carried in silence, all standings—"That thia meeting of the Auckland Saddlers' Union deeply regrets the loss which the colony has sustained through the death of the Right Hon. R J. Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and offers' its heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family." It was further resolved that Mr Richard Noble, of Wellington, be asked to represent the union at the funeral

MEMORIAL SERVICES. ESrVERCARGILL, this day. Arrangements have been completed for holding a memorial service in the Garrison Hall on Thursday afternoon, when all business places will close. The interior of the building will be draped in black..The volunteers, bands, and others will form in procession, and proceed at a slow march to the hall, where various ministers will speak. TIMARU, this day. A united memorial service is to bo held here on Thursday afternoon in Alexandra Square. The Battalion Band and the volunteers will be in attendance. The band will play the "Dead March" in "Saul," and the bells at the post office and town council will be tolled.

MEMORIAL SERVICE LN SYDNEY. (Received 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. A memorial service is to be held in St. Andrew's Cathedral simultaneously with the time of Mr Seddon's funeral. CROWDING OF WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, this day. Accommodation in the city is taxed to its utmost, and it is feared that many late arrivals will find a difficulty in securing rooms, since even at present shakedowns are eagerly snapped up. WESTPORT, this day. Three hundred West Coast people are passengers by the Arahura to Wellington to attend Mr. Seddon's funeral. RALLWAYMENS PETITION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GKEYMOUTH, this day. A meeting of railway employees decided to petition for the cessation of work after noon on Thursday as a mark of respect to Mr Seddon, and the 10 minutes' stoppage of work was objected to. RE DAY OF MOURNING. (To the Editor.) Sir,—-It seems a pity that so far no •concerted a.etion has been taken by the shopkeepers of the city to close their premises on Thursday afternoon, in order to more fittingly pay their last token of respect to our late Premier. The Labour Department are allowing all shopkeepers who wish to close on Thursday afternoon in lieu of Wednesday or Saturday, and a considerable number of shops already notify that their premises will be closed on the Thursday. Those shops which are closing from 1 to 3 o'clock p.m., have probably overlooked the fact that the memorial services do not commence till 2.30, whictr-wlll not allow time -for their assistants to attend. Trusting that all shops may yet fall into line and close on Thursday afternoon, and show this last mark of respect to the memory of a great man.—l am, etc., THOS. MILLER. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l was surprised to see the response which has been made to the request of the Mayor to business people to close their premises out of respect to our late worthy and revered Premier. The Association of Auckland Master Drapers and House Furnishers, probably the wealthiest firms in the city-, have agreed to close their premises from one to three, a paltry two hours, or, rather, one hour, as one of them is a dinner hour. After all the eulogiums of the late Premier which we have had from the Press, pulpit, and elsewhere, I do not think that this is a very creditable display of respect, but looks as if they were only closing because they could not very well with decency keep open, and were making a virtue of necessity. How do they expect their employees, who may wish to go to the memorial service, to do so, when the service, is timed to take place at half-past two, -and probably will be later than that, and they have to be back at three. It would have been better if they had altered the Wednesday halfholiday to Thursday; but even diat would look as though it were more a matter of what trade they would lose (or, to put it in three letters, £ s. <1.) than a mark of respect and esteem for one who was probably one of the greatest men Jvew Zealand has ever seen.—l am, etc, RESPECT. ["Janor," "A Toiler," and others write strongly-worded letters, on the same subject, and wrge a reconsideration of the decision that has been arrived at.—Ed.']