GATHERING AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13201, 12 June 1906, Page 5

GATHERING AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

SOME STRIKING EULOGIES. [ J SEDDOX MEMORIAL DAY SIX?' I IiKSTED. I , I A meet had been called lor yesterday I afternoon by the Deputy-Mayor '(Mr. C I). Grey) to arrange for a public reception to Mr. fjctldou on Thursday. The news! of the Premier'? death upset all such ar-j raßgements, but Mr. Grey decided to hold a- meeting us at) opportunity to pass a mo-j lint of condolence to the - family of the! deceased. Consequently, at four o'clock j there was a, large, and most represents five gathering of Auckland"» most prominent citizens in till walks of life. The Council Chamber was crowded, and a number of ladies were present. A goad deal of emotion was shown by a.'number present, while several of the speakers were visibly affected; The Deputy-Mayor said he felt sure the news of. Mr. Seddou's death bad given all] a shock, lie had hoped to read in different circumstances the following telegram he. had received from the Premier: "All wed.; Will reach Auckland era. Thursday." They had intended to consider how they would honour the late Premier, and they had laid themselves out to do that right loyally and well: but now they were there to mourn the dead. He moved:-- 1

That this meeting or citizens of Auckland with feeling:.* of the deepest sorrow testifies its sense of the irreparable loss to the Empire and to the people of this colony by the sudden death of the late Right Honorable Richard John Seddon, Prime Minister of JN'ew Zealand, and offers its heartfelt condolence to his widow and family in their hoar of trial and affliction. That this testimonial of oar sympathy and sorrow ho forwarded by the Acting-Mayor to Mrs. Seddon and family.

Mr. J. A. Tole (Grown Prosecutor) said the sad intelligence, came so suddenly that it was almost impossible to J'ormti- 1 late the impulses of grief that came upon one. All they could do, as had ljeen. done in, the resolution, was to express, lie feared ! but too feebly, their grief at the. loss of so i are at, so good, and so noble a man —(hear, hear)—and to express their sorrow to the deceased's loving, but broken-hearted wife, and! his family. Mr, Seddon, no oh.e could deny, loved the people, and next to that he loved; to labour for them. And lie had died, he might say,, as he had wished .to I die, not, as he used to say, by rusting out, but to wear out, and to be worn out. as he t was in labouring for the preservation of the Empire, and for the present and future venerations of humanity of ibis land, which 'was the laid: of his adoption ''.'■ With the greatest possible regret he supported-' the resolution. ' -'. - TRIBUTE FROM LADIES. Mrs. Nieol said a number of ladies had intended to present Mr. Seddon with a laurel wreath, with the words, "New Zealand's tribute to her Premiers greatness." The wreath, however, would still be sent, but instead of the above would have the words attached, "New Zealand mourns her dead hero." No person had (lone for New Zealand what Mr. .Seddon had done, and this death -was a calamity. _ '::''■■■ '■.;' LABOUR'S EULOGY. Mr. A. Eosser, secretary of the Trades and Labour, Council, and the. recognised leader of labour in Auckland, said he could well wish, that some words representing the workers had come from other lips.than, his, but he felt it would not be fitting were he to allow the resolution 'to pass - without a. few words as a tribute from the workers of Auckland to the memory of the deceased.'; The life, of Mr, Seddoa had the peculiarity that whereas he laboured, for he multitude| no one or class could say," He. was our man." The workers had great hopes from the' future life of Mr. Seddon, and the words of the workers in that respect were the words of pretty well'every class in the colony. As representing, the Trades and Labour Council and the many unions and unionises in Auckland and the workers, he, offered his : humble tribute to the worth of the late Premier. ..;.■ ■■■'■'"

LV. An old geatleman, who described himself -as an ordinary working man, said he knew Mr. Seddon 30-years ago. : They all met I on common ground, rich and poor alike, ! to pay their tribute to the man that had stood to New Zealand for over a-quarter of a. century. He knew that he spoke from the-hearts of the workers of New Zealand .when he said. that, their sympathies went j out to the wife and family of the departed statesman. The workers' position to-day was [ happier ■■through the work of Mr. Seddon'."-'. "HE LOVED THE CHILDREN."' \ Mr. P. McKay,' chairman *£ the City Schools. Committee, said as the children's ; representative he paid 'his tribute to the Premier's worth. , Mr. Seddoil's work for the ■„children, socially and educationally, showed that he loved the children, and no man had done more for the children of New Zealand than he had. (Hear, hear.) - AN'EX-MINISTER'S REMINISCENCES; The Hon. E. Mitchelson, : chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, and formerly a, Minister of the Crown, said, as one.' who aat in Parliament with Mr, Seddon, ho desired on that occasion to add his small tribute. When he went into Parliament in 1881, M.iv Seddon was then member 1 -for Kumara,. From that day till the i present., the late Premier and he. were close friends. Though '.littering in poll-, j tics, they had never, lost tlieii friendship. ! Mi*. 'Seddon liad done a great deal for I New Zealand, and hits Visit to Australia j was for the purpose cemem i«g the rela- ! tions of; New Zealand, and the Cornmottwealth. They had aioticed in the press the success that his efforts had met with, i and there was no doubt that the result of ] his conferences, with the various Ministers j 1 "i •-■■ - '■"■ in-Australia would have. good results for | both countries. He had died in harness,.j in attending to the well-being of "his -fellow colonists. . .; I Mi*. P. J. Nttheay, president- of the j Auckland hr-Hcb or the Libera)' and La- : J j ljsiir IVJer-, ion, &!;>o spoke,. ai>d said the j workers 'am? Uieir families moiKpned fox* ihe| loss of a good friend. :■:' : l'-y- i Mr. J. V.. Jackson, as one who voluri* 1 teered for' South Africa, paid hia tribute § to the deceased, as a young New Zealander.l and on behalf of -other Contingenters. 1 j Mr. Johns, ''as an old uruKr," said'^Mi !«lti«ased had been lb - means of giying* ■subsuntial help to vh.- working farmers. 1 j The AdTaHces to 1 Settlers Act' was- Kiiffi-' [cient to. make the farmers of the colony 1 J everlastingly indebted to .Mr. Seddon'. To j it-he separator and refrigerator, they .. were ; all indebted, but to the cheap; money pre-1 Tided through legislation '; earned'by Mr';: 1 ; Seddon, they owed still more/- v J j REMARKS BY MIL-TiAUME. Mr. F. E. Baumc, M.11.11,, felt, that lie ! preferred' to echo ; fche.ecnfiinenta^express-1 '£<*, it juibfi^^--?

frig of him, as'representative. of the city, ; ■— were he v not to add »f few' ••JVOwlfi,, ■;:Hef , '''f *''■ thought li" fonkl say advi,<-»diy that tho ' ||§g deceased v/af the greatest man -that New ■ ■ , Zealand* had yet seen i ■"• !■.'■!■■, iKear., Iter,) ; The deceased .waa''*;mau: :: with •.,*..., heart, a mas, with * brain, at.-i a- 'man in every ;.'■. sense,:-''" '» every !, k£''As detail;. He hat! Seen deceased when Hi© ■political' atmosphere was clear., ami when if was 'far from clear. He ho& seen :ldm/- : : s C::':J: In liia deportment -to his friends, kindly, : and cotrddprate. and lie had seen him th* the battlefield fk'hting resolutely, but ft!* :: ways 'i man. The deceased loomed large* ■-';;■"■ ■% ry in New Zealand politics, ami also in . the polities of .Australasia and' the* Empire. f' Very few won had been ■ .move prominent . ... upon' that groat Imperial stage now occu- -,- pying so much attP.atioTi. The colony and '';:,.' the Empire had sustained a great loss, ",

Mrs. 'Keats; suggested that a, memorial should be'raised—one to which every person of every •class could- contribute.

Mr. 0. 11. Poole, M.H.8., said the death had created -consternation in the colony* ■■■. but the lips were unable adequately to express all the grief. .He had admired at 1 all times the great- persistency of i.ho Pre- "' g-.f niier. In America they know who Mr. '";.;:'; Seddoii was, in Australia . they asked foi? a visit from. linn. Some, years ago he stood in front of the monument -erected to . ■■■■ ■' The late Joint BuDance in W*uganui, aad ' V:. -| read the noble inscription thereon, and jfe ' would he flic- duty of the bard- to frame a ' suitable, eulogy for tho monument of tlieii late Premier. He, suggested that in the • .near future a-. "Keddon Memorial Hay" [should be instituted, and arrawgemeni s J made to keep green the memory of thn man who had done so much for New ZeaHand. '-■:..,' fii | Mr. Maud«r, M'.IT.E., gaM lie regretted j there) was no stronger representative of ■• i the Opposition, present,. A wire had been :>\ I sent to Mr. Ma.vsey (Leader of the Opposi- !| jtiou), but unforttmatoly.-it had not reached j him, or So doubt lie would have been present. . ■'■'■' : }M Mr. Parrel!, Mr. 6. 1,. l J «acoci>, ami .Ganoa Nelson also spoke. ! The Deputy-Mayor requested that all ■■.■.= ' Should stand and pass the resolution in g silence. Thus was done, the gathering , bowing their heads-. ' -.