FUNERAL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 48, 25 August 1930, Page 11

FUNERAL SERVICE

A MAORI TANCI

The remains of the late Hon. Sir Mani Pomare, M.P., wero brought tot i\e\v Zealand by the Makura. which arrived at Wellington to-day from San Francisco. On the arrival of the Makura at j Karotonga on Tuesday last, the casket | was taken from the steamer to the pal-1 ace of Makea Nui Ariki, where a funeral service was held in the presence of a large gathering of the native and European population, all the arikis and chiefs attending. The service was conducted by the Rev. Bond James, assisted by native pastors. Funeral addresses wero delivered by the chiefs. The casket was covered with wreaths of flowers. Kadio messages of sympathy from New Zealand were received from the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, Judge Ayson (Resident Agent, at present in New Zealand), and Mr. S. J. Smith and officers of the Cook Islands Department. There was a large and representative attendance at the funeral service at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral to-day. The principal mourners were Lady Pomaro (widow), Naera and; Te Eakahcrea (sons), and Ana (daughter), Mrs. Woodbine Jbhnstone (mother of Lady Pomare), and Mrs. B. Sherratt (sister of Lady Pomare). Amongst those present wore Sir Michael Myers (Chief Justice) and Lady Myers, the Hon. Sir Apiraua Ngata, the Hon. W. A. Veiteh, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, the Hon. S. G. S.mith, the Hon. A. J. Murdoch, the Right Hon. Sir Francis Bell, the Hon. W. Earnshaw, the Hon. Sir B. Hcaton Rhodes, Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P., Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., Mr. R-. M'Keen, M.P., Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., Mr. G. R, Sykes, M.P., the Hon. Sir Charles Statham (Speaker, House of Representatives), Chief Judge Jones (Native Land Court), Judge Ayson, Messrs T. .K. Y. Seddon, Johannes C. Andersen, C. M. Luke, F. Castle, G. F. C. Campbell, Mrs. P. Fraser, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, Dr. M. H. Watt, Dr. T. M'Kibbin, Dr. Ada Paterson, Dr. Agnes Bennett, Dr. E. P. Ellison, Miss J. Bicknell, Messrs. A. H. Hollis, A. T. Markman (representing Wellealey Club), A. J. Conway, E. N. G. Poulton, J. T. Waugh, and others. The pall-bearers were Sir Apirana Ngata, the Right. Hon. J. G. Coatcs, M.P., Mr. K. S. Williams, Mr. Tau Henave, M.P., and Mr. Hapi Love. Mr. A. C. Day re-presented Government House.

The service, which was choral, was conducted by the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott), assisted by Canon James (vicar of St. Paul's), Canon . W. G. Williams (superintendent of the Maori Mission), +he Eov. P. Kokiri (CarterIon), and the Eev. P. H. Leonard (Marton). .Following the reading of the f'OtH Psalm, the hymn, "When Onr Heads Are Bowed With Woe," was sung. A special feature of tho service was tho singing of the "Cpntakion," "Give Rest, Oh Christ," a funeral hymn of the Eastern Church. This hymn, which was unaccompanied by the organ, was beautifully rendered by the choir. Another feature of tho service was the shifting of a Maori hymn —a translation of "When Our Heads Arc Bowed With Woe." Mr. Robert Parker, C.M.G., presided at the organ. In his address, Canon Vulliums said ihcy had met to express their Christian sympathy with those for whom the most lender and intimate of all those human lies which bound one individual to another on man's brief journey through ihe world had been severed for a. time. They had met together to honour the memory of one who by the patient development of quite exceptional gifts, and by the faithful employment of these in tho service of his fellow-men, won his way to a well-merited position of honour.' The late Sir Maui Pomare had always the welfare of his race at heart. The prominent positions won by members of tho Maori race should be an encouraging assurance to all that the Native who possessed ability, and who diligently cultivated it, had an equal opportunity with the pakch.i of rising to the highest position. Appropriate reference was made to the work of the Maori mission.

At tho conclusion of the service the casket was removed to the vestibule of Parliament Buildings, where. :i, louehing Maori tangi, or service of weeping, was held.