THE FUNERAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 143, 18 June 1906, Page 5

THE FUNERAL

BURIAL TO TAKE PLACE IN WELLINGTON. When it was definitely decided yesterday that the funeral should take place in Wellington on Thursday next at 2.30 p.m., the Hon. W. Halt-Jonfes telegraphed to Mr. T. J. Jil'Guigan, Chairman of the Wes.tland County Council, as follows:—"I folly appreciate tho dosire of Westland friends that the resting-place of our hondrtred chief should be ia Westland. In arriving at a decision, it must be remembered that your' member, as Prime Minister, had loving and devoted friends throughout the colony and the Empire. I am of opinion that the desire oi the people of the colony should b6 considertd. Tliat, I am satisfied, is that the last restingplace should be in the capital city of New Zealand. The great services to this country and the Empire of the man Xou honoured so long and so loyally

will, I hope, reconcile you to tho sacrifice of your wishes to the wishes of the people of Now Zealand. This will be appreciated 'and tho peopla of Westland will bo honoured by the decision arrived at." In reply to thiß, Mr. T. J. M'Guigan telegraphed as follows : — "I thank you for the information conveyed in reference to funeral arrangement. Westland will, of course^ respect tho decision arrived at, and the loyal > and staunch supporters of a lifetime's career aro proud indeed that the greatest hondurs the colony can offer are to be bestowed upon the memory of our revered member. His life's sacrifice for the colony and -the Empire demands everything possible at our hands, and Westland but wishes that the greatest and best should be the portion of Richard 'John Seddon's memory." The attention of headmasters and officers commanding public school corps' v called to cadet orders by LieutenantColonel Loveday with regard to details concerning the funeral of the late Bight Hon. the Premier. THE ROUTE. Colonel Collins, who has been appointed to marshal the funeral procession, informed a representative of the Post this afternoon that the body will lie in statb at the Parliamenary Buildings from 9 tS noon on Thursday, and the proceßslon will leave llhere at 2.30 p.m. by way of Aitken-street for St. Paul's Pro-Cathe-dral in Mulgrave-street, where a sh&rfo i service will be held. Afterwards the procession will proceed by way of Mul-grave-street to Pipitea-sfcreet, along Davis-street and Thorndon-cluay" to Lamb-ton-quay, pasb the Government Buildings, up Bowe/i-street, and through Museunlstreet to Sydney-street, and thence to tho cemetery gates and tihTough the grounds to the observatory. The general public will not be allowed into the grounds at this time, but arrangements have been made to allow those desiring to pass the grave to do bo afterwards. The Permanent Artillery .will supply 1 the fmn£ party, and minute guns -will be discharged from the forts. The line of procession will be lined 1 by volunteers and cadets. A number of bands have offered their services. It has been arranged that tihey will play alternately the "Dead Match) in Saul" and the "Garland of Flowers." ■So far 'no definite order of processioQ has been arranged, and Colonel Collins requests that all societies wishing- to be represented shall send in their application immediately so that positions can be allotted to-morrow morning. THE BURIAL PLACE. OBSERVATORY SITE CHOfiEN: Much interest was manifested by- a large section o"f the public in the announcsment concerning the Premier's l*Sfc resting-place. When it was posted on the Evening Post office on Sunday afteinoon that the burial would take place at the Observatory site in Sydney-street on Thursday at 2.30 p.m., many hundreds of people blocked the street, and thousands read the announcement in the evening. The cite, which occupies a prominent position adjoining the ceme--tery and overlooking the hwbou^, ' has already been described in the Post.A TRIBUTE FROM- THE NA'ttVES. A meeting of Maoris was held in the Wellington Hotel on Sunday, when the. best way of perpetuating Mr. Seddon's memory was discussed. Amongst those present were the following • — A. T. .Sgata, AI.H.R. (East Coast), Honi Hefee, M.H.R. (Northern District), Eruera te Kahu (Wanganui), ]<!ruera Nekitinc (Horowhenua), lhaia Hut&na (Heretaunga), Nireaha Tamaki (Wairara*a), Otene Pitau (Gisborne), Panapa Waihopo- (Gisborne), Rora Potaka (Rata), Takarangi Mete Kmgi (Wanganui), Tame Parata, M.H.R. (South Island), To Rane Para (Gisborne), Tuta Nihoniho (East Coast), Utiku 1 Potaka (Rata), Wi Pere (Gisborne), Wirihana Hunia (Horowhsnua), Wikitoria Keepa (Wanganui). One suggestion made was that a great war canoe should be fashioned and carved in the best Maori style — it should have a figurehead representing' Mr. Seddon and should be placed in front of the Parliamentary Buildings. But this proposal did not meet with general favour. Another proposition was that a large mausoleum or house should be erected as a covering to the statue that will be erected to Mr. Seddon's memory. The best-favoured suggestion, however, was that the Maoris should subscribe a sufficient sum of money (to be subsidised by the Government) for the erfection of a technical college for the natives on land to be given by tho Maoris .of Porirua. Those present unanimously expressed the opinion that this would be tho most suitable method of perpetuating the dead Premier's regard for tho native race. The Maoris are renearsing the laments they propose to chant on the day of tho funer&l.