DEAD GENERAL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18489, 17 September 1925, Page 8

DEAD GENERAL.

FUNERAL TO-MORROW.

TRIBUTES TO SERVICES.

(BFXCLLX, TO "TKB TBISS.") I WELLINGTON. September 16. In order to enable officers from, other parts of the Dominion to be present at the funeral of the late Major-General C. W. Melvill, the burial will not take place till Friday. The funeral will be a military one, in which 3000 troops will take part. The troops will be the First Battalion Hawke's Bay Regiment (now in camp at Trentham), the Signalling Corps (now in camp at Trentham), the First Battalion Wellington Regimont, one squadron of the Sixth Mounted Rifles, the oth, 16th, and 19th Batteries Field Artillery and representatives of the Engineers, A.S.C., and Medical Corps. A salute of thirteenminute guns will be fired from General Headquarters, Buckle street, commencing as the cortege leaves the church. Tho firing party will be provided by the R.N.Z.A., and will fire three volleys over the grave. A salute of thirteen field guns will be fired from the vicinity of the cemetery immediately afterwards. The bearers will be senior n.c.o.'s of the lS T ew Zealand Permanent Staff, and the paU-bearers will be the i three Colonel Commandants commanding the Northern, Central, and Southern commands. All officers will be in full dress and will wear black armlets. There 1 will be a service in St. Paul's ProCathedral at 9.45 a.m.

With the exception of the Union Jack flying at General Headquarters, all flags on Government offices are being noun at half-mast out of respect to the memory of the departed soldier. In 'accordance with military custom the Union Jack is never half-masted at Headquarters. French Condolence. Tho following telegram was received by the Prime Minister (the Hon. J. G. Coates) this afternoon from the French Consul at Auckland:—

"I have heard, with deep regret, of the unexpected death of Major-General Melvill, the noble and gallant soldier of the battlefields of Franco, and send you ajid members of the Government 7.n this great loss sustained by the whole of the Dominion expressions of deep condolence from the French Government a/nd people, whose gratitude will outlast death." Defence Minister's Appreciation, "It came as a great shock to me to lose my right-hand man.in the matter of military defence," remarked the Minister of Defence (the Hon. Sir It. Heafcon Rhodes) in referring to the death of General Melvill. "I am quite certain that all ranks will equally regret that they have lost a commanding officer who had proved himself so keen, to put the forces under liis command on an efficient footing. It is largely due to his enthusiasm and energy that our Cadets and Territorials are now. in such am efficient state. He never spared himself and kept in touch with all officers of our Territorial Force. 1 know that it was his desire to replace our system of training by daylight and eveping parades by a longer period in camp, and my only regret is that I was not able to give him a clear hand in this direction.

' "It is unnecessary for me to say anything about his great services in France when he commanded a brigade of our Expeditionary Force. These are well known to the public, flmd no doubt many who served under him will say ai word of appreciation. I knew that he wished to go into hospital in order to get the operation over, but he was anxious to get his Estimates through first. This is just one evidence of what characterised him through life, namely, the placing of duty before personal interests."