REVERENT CROWD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23619, 1 April 1940, Page 12

REVERENT CROWD

WELLINGTON PROCESSION LORD GALWAY AT HEAD JOURNEY TO STATION [by TKLKGKAI'il —SPKCJAL KKPOHTEHj WELLLXOTON, Saturday Followed on foot by the GovernorGeneral. Viscount Galway, the King's representative, most of the Legislature and many leaders of public life, the remains of the late Prime Minister. Mr. Savage, were carried through the streets of Wellington to-day, while crowds numbering many thousands looked on in reverent silence. Citizens were early astir, nnd well before nine o'clock, when the funeral procession was to start upon its journey, crowds had taken their places along the route and in the grounds of Parliament House. It was a beautifully fine morning and only the subdued demeanour of the waiting people, on the lawns suggested that the occasion was one of mourning. Farewell to Parliament Tn front of the main entrance stood an 18-pouuder gun-carriage drawn by a six-wheeled motor tender carrying it complete gun's crew. 'J ho naval, mili* tar.v and air escort, soire .'SOO strong, had been formed up facing the buildings and its ranks stretched nearly their whole length. On the left Hank was a band of Royal Marines. The bronze doors under the portico stood closed and the broad flight of steps below them was empty except for a radio announcer and his assistant with their electrical gear. Punctually at nine o'clock the doors opened and the casket appeared, borne on the shoulders of eight soldiers, four pakeha and four Maori. A kiwi feather mat was draped over its foot and over the middle was a silk New Zealand ensign. Procession Formed The acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Eraser, and nine members of the Cabinet, walked on either side as pallbearers, ami immediately behind tho casket was the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, in full mourning, accompanied by his military secretary and aide-de-camp. As the bearers carried their burden slowly down the steps the escort presented. arms. The casket was placed upon the gun-carriage and strapped down. When all was ready the troops moved off at a slow march, with arms reversed, the baud playing the Dead March in "Saul." The mourners waited up.on the stops while six motor-lorries laden with wreaths' drove slowly past, making a gorgeous display of colour. Then they joined the procession, all walking bareheaded and for the most part four abreast. Official Mourners Behind, the Governor-General was Mr. Savage's old friend Mr. A. J. French, with his sou, Mr. C. JX.. F reneb. Then in order came the High Commissioners for the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, a former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Speakers and members of both Houses of Parliament, three of them in military uniform, the Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court, several representatives of the Maori race, the presidents of the New Zealand Labour Party and the Federation of Labour, trade commissioners, consuls, representatives of religious denominations, the heads of the 1 fighting services and of Government departments, ministerial secretaries and representatives of local bodies. j . After the official party, more than a thousand members of trade unions, who had formed up in near by streets, closed the procession. 5 At the Station All along the route, which was lined by all the available troops from Trentham Camp and with home service troops nnd territorials, thousands of people thronged the streets, watching the cortege pass in reverential silence. At intervals military and civilian bands were stationed and played a succession of funeral marches. . At the end of the two miles journey the cortege halted before the entrance of the railway station, where a guard of marines had been mounted. Ihe escort marched in and halted on the departure platform facing the train. A second time the bearers took up their burden, carried it through the building and deposited it in the mortir ary van. In a few minutes the Ministers and others who were to travel had entered their carriages, the van doors were closed and the train set o;l on its long-journey to Auckland.