MEETINGS ADJOURNED.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12517, 12 June 1906, Page 8

MEETINGS ADJOURNED.

TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL,

| The Timaru Borough Council met last night, but alter paasaig a resolution of sympathy, adjourned. The Mayor, mx Craigie, proposed the following resolution:—'■J.'h.at *.u«s Council do on record its appreciation of tiie gvou work and distanigu_Uied services rendered to the colony and the Elliptic by our late esteemed Premier, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.C., and that the deepest expressiion of sympathy of the Council arid tho residents ol Timaru bo tendered to mits bcuoon and family in their great bereavement; further as a mark of respect for the memory and career of a great statesman, this Council do now stand adjourned." Speaking to the motion, the Mayor said:—We recogua*o that NeAv Zealand has lost one ot tho ablest statesmen she ever possessed, and tnat not amy does Noav Zealand lose heavily in the death of Mr.Seddon, but the Avhole of the Australasian colonies, and I might say, the whole Empire. (Hear, hear.) The melancholy circu instances of his death comes as a great shock to a- of us. ±1© may have had Avhat most .public men have—some eneinkjs— but I am quite sure that in this crisis, his opponents will sink all diuerences, and Avith one mind, agree that Aye have lest a great man indeed. Mr Seddon had some bitter political opponents, but I think that they avill bo now, as Bohmg-. broke said at,the death of Marlborough —"Marlborough had his faults, but no was such a great man that I havo forgotten what they were." Our late Premier died working the people, doing his duty nobly as well even, as" Nelson, did at Trafalgar. The magnotism and personality ot which he was possessed seemed to gain the sympathy of the people, and added to this, ho had such a capacity for work as was possessed by few men. Only at very long intervals was the world given such a man. I think I have said enough to articulate what wo in Timaru thank of the great and worthy statesman who has now been called jto his rest. Cr. Hawkey, in seconding tho motion, said that New Zealand had lest her greatest statesman—cue Avho had Avrotight lasting good for tho people. Tho resolution was then earned in silence, and the councillors dispersed.

The reunion of Lodge Unanimity No. 3, Lyttelton, whioh was to have been held tc-morroAv, has been postponed on account of the Premier's death.

Tho Avon Road Board, on meeting last evening, immediately adjourned as a mark of respect to the memory of the Into Premier.