FUNERAL DAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 May 1925, Page 5

FUNERAL DAY

LYING IN STATE SCENES

mountain of flowers

(Per Press Association).

, -WELLINGTON, May 13. To-day the body of New Zealand s .most devoted servant lay in ■ state'at Parliament Buildings, and many thou sands passed reverently by the raised bier on which the casket lay, lovingly guarded by two soldiers and sailors, with heads bowed, and rifles reveised. The bier was surrounded by floral tributes of the choicest flowers that the Dominion could produce, while hundreds of others : poured' in all through the day. The total number rkii iiifto thousands. ' They caiine from high and low- rich and poor, the highest. in the. Empire, the humble cottages in ' the' country districts of the Dominion. The Dominion’s sorrow is deep. The bereaved family’s is deeper, but the wonderful expressions of sympathy that have come from all parts of the wprld have done much to ease the paiii of parting. . . To-morrow morhing, from 10 to 12 o'clock, the public will have the opportunity.’to pay a last-tribute of respect, add. to see the glorious mountain of flowers that have been received.

' At one o’clock a solemn procession will leave the Parliament grounds, ft will pass through, the . heart of |he city, and thence,over Constable Street to Point. Halswell. o The route will be : Laffibton Quay, - .Willis. Street, . Kent Terrace, along,.Adelaide Road to Newtown. , Thence on to : Kilbirnh- until Miramar s Quay is reached. It will then proceed the Quay to the Shelley Bay Road and so on to Point Halswell. It is estimated that hundreds of motor cars alone will form part of the cortege. ' On the adjoining heights, thousands of citizens Will assemble to bid: adieu to one who rose from the ranks to hold the highest honour it is in the power of the Dominion to bestow. There will be many full hearts to-morrow, and while his mortal remains are laid, in mother earth, the thoughts of all will turn to that gentle lady, whose life partner he has been, and to whom she has been a devoted wife.

MASONIC SERVICE. ’ WELLINGTON, May 13. Mrs Massey and family, having expressed their desire that there 'should be a Masonic service at the grave, arrangements have therefore been made to enable the Masonic brethren to con? duct a service. The brethren at tiegrave will be confined to the i Qrand Lodge Officers. The Rev. Brother Shires will officiate. I SHOWERY WEATHER. WELLINGTON, May 14,. Tho weather at 9 a.m. was showery but warm. ... . (l , . It is estimated that some 20,000 persons visited Parliament House yesterday to pay their last respects to the Prime Minister. Throughout the morning, messengers carrying floral tributes wended '' their way to Parliament’ House', Where, tlibre are an enormous number of wreaths. The floral testimony to tho memory of the dead Prime Minister is magnificent. Messages of condolence are still being received. Despite the rain, /many hundreds passed by the catafalque this morning to pay their last respects to the dead. All shops and business places closed, only necessary work being carried on. BAD WEATHER PROBABLE. ; WELLINGTON, May 14. Heavy rain set in at 10. a.in., but it is. lighter now (11 o’clock). The Weather Bureau reports that there is a very slight prospect of clearing during the afternoon.

AT GREYMOUTH. Faithfully observed by the people of Greymouth, the day of mourning is but another tribute to the universal respect in which the late Mr Massey was held. Only essential business is being carried on to-day,, and the streets are practically deserted, the shops being closed alL.dajy.and an air of; Sunday quietness -pprvadqs the town. The 'miserable, weather conditions, no doubt, had some ~en:ect in keeping people .at. home; but the united memorial service, to be held this afternoon at the Opera House, promises to be largely attended. The' late Mr Massey, through his several visits to the town/ was personally known to most of the people, and a general desire to do honour to his memory prevails, throughout the West Coast. Although. not a West Coaster, as was his famous ,predecessor, the late Hon, R. J., Seddon, Mr Massey nevertheless comipanded universal respect, and the tributes paid to him by all political ' parties acknowledge his

friendliness to West Coast, aspirations’, and admit his practical assistance When such' could be given.' 1 ' r "‘ V : f CANTERBURY’S) OBSERVANCE. CHRISTCHURCH, May 13. In weather that was dull and grey, the day of mourning was .observed throughout Canterbury. Most’ businesses are closed, and there is virtually no activity of any kind, except of an Urgent - nature.’.,; Memorial services, largely /attended were held in various suburbs and country centres, followed by the principal fixture of a united service in King Edward barracks. SPEAKERS’ TRIBUTES. WELLINGTON, May 14. Among the appreciations published are tvyo by the Speakers of both Houses. - ~. Hon. Sir W. C. Carncross lays stress on Mr Massey’s fairness,. and the fact that he was the only Prime Minister who ever called to the Council men opposed to him in politics. He did much to raise Hie prestige of the Council. Hon. C.' E. Statham speaks of his capacity for work, and „unswerving loyalty to King and country. / ‘ ‘DISTINGUISHED ULSTERMAN. ’ ’ LONDON, May 12. Sir James Craig,' spehking in the Ulyster Parliament, said that Mr Massey’s whole soul was centred in the people of New Zealand, but nevertheless he had. a warm place in his heart for his native country. ' They mourned a distinguished Ulsterman whpm all loved. /

RUGBY UNION’S TRIBUTE. WELLINGTON, May 13. The New Zealand Rugby Union Executive met to-night, and passed a resolution placing on record its recognition and appreciation of the life work of ,Mr3lassey and its deep sense o; the loss to New Zealand and the Empire by his death. Mr Dean paid a tribute to Mr Massey’s, interest in, and his help given to the All Blacks during their tour abroad. MESSAGES OF CONDOLENCE. WELLINGTON, May 13. Lord Liverpool sends, the following message:-—To the Government and the people of New Zealand, the deepest sympathy °f Lady. Liverpool and myself, and especially to Mrs Massey in her h-Qur of need. ■/ From the Governor-General'of Aus. traliji::—l desire; fully to a associate liiyself with the .Prime Minister’s tele, gram of sympathy on .Mr Massey’s death, and I shall be grateful to your Excellency if you will convey my own personal sorrow and sympathy to Mrs Massey.—(Signed) Forster. GovernorGeneral.

From- the Governor of Newfoundland: —My Ministers and the people of Newfoundland desire to express their profound sympathy with the peo. pie of New Zealand on the passing of a. great Imperial statesman. —Signed Allardyce. From the Governor-General of tin Union of South Africa: —My Ministers have learned with deep regret of the death of the Kt. Hon.- W’. I. Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and ask that an expression o f ’paritelt sympathy- in tiicir irreparable !“Ss be conveyed to his family and !<j tne people of. New Zealand. .. My ALni'teis re. call the great services rendered by,Mr Massey to. the Dominion of hew Zealand and to. the British Empire during his long tenure of office, nvoie,especially at .the Peace Conference hi, where his wise statesmanship was of inestimable value tp his colleagues. Please convey an expression of my per sonal regret, ai d deep sympathy todhe family of the deceased statesman.--(Signed) Athlone. ; Lord Ranfurly cabled : —The principal. merchants and residents of Dungannon, vvho lately met Air Massey on iii,s visit here, together with Lady Ranfurly and myself, tender to the Government and people of New Zealand our sincere sympathy on me death of the Prime Munster.

Mr J. Gilbert pagee, Mayor, of Londonderry, sent the following message : Please convey the deepest sympathy tf the .citizens of I ondomier.- '; to yu”r Government and ro the rel.-itnes of New Zealand’s late Prime ’Minister on the blow thev the Empire have sustained in hisf-untimely leach. Messages of sympathy have teen received from ‘the Governor 1 West Australia, the GVvei)nov-Geineral. of Australia, the Queen of Tonga, the Administrator of 1 Samoa, the. British Ad r miralty, the Agents-General in London, the Premier, of ViciOija, , v th? Speaker of the Parliac ment, Arthur Myers (London).