"I HAVE TRIEO TO DO ALWAYS WHAT WAS RIGHT."

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24, 28 July 1911, Page 3

"I HAVE TRIEO TO DO ALWAYS WHAT WAS RIGHT."

(** TSLEOaAPtf— SIECUfc TO TJUS JOST.T OHftISTOHUfiCH, This Day. •The death of Mr. Taylor has been the Solo ( K»pic 6f e6UvefSdtioJt since last ev«mag, and one can recall no other iuinilar event eav-e the death of Mr. Seddon which exercisfd go profound an influence over the whole community. For three days Ihs course of the Mayor's illness wad watched with the utmost syiflfiathy and the gravest anxiety by though aiflda of citizens in Christchurch. and by scores of people all over Canterbury. Throughout, yesterday, them were crowds of. eager watchers oufcide the nursing heme where he lay, and no passer-by ifeiled to etfqttire even from stranger* for tha latest news. In all ths etorm and stress that attend^ his public life Mr. xayiof could always number his warm friends by hundreds, and could depend <m their sympathy and support under any circumstances, but it remained for his hour of extremity to show how tremendous an influence his great personality had won ovef people of widdy-diffeiv ing creed* and opinions. To those who ktmw Mr, Taylor in his home life as the perfect husband and father, the bereavemeat of his mte ahd young family is infinitely pathetic, but to those who were associated with him only in public Xt6 t ■keen as h their mtrow. 61ie milaner of his passing was grand and inspiring. Confident and courageous, he faced hie great (trial, and in 6he midst of hig suffering he found Iwart to despatch his last cheering iwesmaen to those nrho had borne with him the heat and burden of tho day. Beiova ho sank into ttticOHficiougness waterday morning, he said good-byg-fco' Ins partners and cToseat friends, Mr". Cole and Mr. L. M. Isitt ware ■ with him. His v</ice was weak, but it was evident that ihers was no lack of ckrifcy in the brain. "I want to dictate a letter to Dawson." she said, referring to tho R©v. John Daw £on, .secretary of the New Zealand Aliietfifle. "I started one, but I did nofc finish it." He paused a moment, and (hen dictated the following letters— "My oeat* Dawsoii,— <!' commenced a note to you a short time ago, bufc I am not sure fn the confusion of affairs if ifc was concluded. I want to say that this year of 1911 is our year of emancipation if we are true to God a«d to ouf opportunity/ Tliea, turning to Mr. Cole, and speaking more emphatically and in a stronger I voice, he s&id:~-"Cofe, they call us fana- J tics, bat national prohibition is worth living tot and worth dying for/ Mr. Taylor paused again, and then his ' eyes turned to Mr. Isitt. "isitt," he «Md", in brighter tones, "Isitfc, this is a lovely country. Tell my Labour friends they have Divine chances here if they will only recognise the religious Element and lift, the movement to its higher plane/ Mr. Taylor Kent other messages of a mwo private and personal character to .friends nofc only in Christchurch, bufc also ih other part?* of the Dominion. He wa,- exceedingly cheerful in spite of suffering, and faced the 'future with uu* ■wavering confidence. He said once to his friends at the bedside : "1 have had a happy life, And ifc has been full from the beginning to the end, t am very tired. I know I shall be happier where 1 I tun going, hut I am glad to think that t h«vc lived out every moment, and that 1 have tried to do always what was right."-