THE FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 47 (Supplement)

THE FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.

THE LAST NIGHT. It was spent in the Isrge drawingroom, the scene of so many hospitalities cordially extended and much enjoyed. The room was beautiful with flowers, piled np on every hand under the bright lights of the chandeliers. They were the offerings of affection, respeot, regret, condoleno9 from every interest and many individuals—in many shapes, of wreath and initial, and presenting the anchor of hope and the crosß of salvation — chrysanthemums, roses, heliotrope, heath, veronica, stephanotis, violets, jessamine, daffodils, violets, narcissus (the favourite flower of the late Premier), dahlias, every flower to be found within reach, all were represented in these emblems. The prevailing colour was white, with delicate shades of purple and pink and yellow intermixed, with green of maiden hair fern in graceful relief. The wreaths were of all sizes, large as wheels two to three feet in diameter, with rims from six to nine inches wide —the offerings of societies and congregations of men —to the smaller customary wreath of individual devotiou.

The railway men at Petone had sent the biggest —a large wreath, a great circle, enclosing the Southern Cross and a harp with broken strings.

Among the inscriptions we noticed the Cabinet wreath, with its tribute, ' In affeo* tionate memory of John Ballance, from his colleagues,' and the wreath of the employees of the Lyttelton Times Company, 'ln memorlam. John Ballance : Statesman, Journalist, Soldier.' On each wreath was a ribbon, and each ribbon oarried a memorial card with the name of the donor and expression of sympathy inscribed. The crosses were of all sizas, one tall and of rare flowers from Government House being very remarkable. Several hearts were conspicuous, and one design, J. 8., apart from the throng, caught the eye; as did also a magnificent floral anchor. In vast profusion were these, overwhelming the sharply defined coffin lying on its trestles—we noticed Mrs Seddon's wreath placed at its foot, placed there by her special request—overflowing the many ohairs and settees around, olimbing up the soreens, filling the air with heavy perfume. Flowers in vases made harmony of form and colour in the room,

completing the floral picture. Out of the press where the wreaths lay thickest under the mantelpiece rose a black narrow shapebearing the inscription, JOHN BALLANCE, DIED April 27th, 1893, Aged 54 Yeabs, It told whose remains were spending their last night in the big drawing-room of the residence. THE WREATHS. In the room the names on the cards were : —His Excellency the Governor, j The Cabinet, Mr and Mrs Willis (Wan- I ganui), Mr and Mrs Richardson, Mrs Tregear, Mrs Merrick, Girls of the Wellington High Sohool, Mrs John ion, Mr and Mrs MoLeod, Mrs W. Johnston, Mr and Mrs W. H. Hales, Mr and Mrs J. M. Shera (Auckland), Amber Reeves, Beryl Reeves, Miss Pratt, The Mayor of Nelson (Francis Trask), James Laird (Wanganui), Mra A. M. Smith, Sir Jalius and Lady Vogel (per Mr H. B. Vogel), Mr and Mrs R. H. J. Reeves, Officers of

the Treasury, Officers of Customs and Marine, Officers of the Public Trust Offioe, Officers of the Land and Income Tax Department. Officers of the PoßtmasterGeneral's Office, Public Service Association, Mr and Mrs E. J. Fitzgoald, Captain and Mrs Russell, Bond, Finny and Co. (Nelson), Mrs W. Seed and family, William Letham, Kathleen Drewitt, Mrs J. E. Nathan, Miss Sheathen, Mr and Mrs Peter Parfitt, F. and J. Howio (Nelson), Mrs J. C. Gavin, J. G. Ward, Brethren of ' L\Amour de la Verite ' 1.0. F., People of Hokitika (per T. W. Wade, Mayor), Mrs R. J. Seddon (Kumara), Mr and Mrs Heywood, Mr and Mrs T. C Williams, Miss Holmes, Miss Kirthen, Colonel Pat Boyle, Miss Macgregor, John Thompson (Dunedin Exchange), Mr and Mrs F. G. Bolton, Lady Buckley (flowers), Beehan (President Auckland Liberal Associa' tion), Wellington Liberal Association, Captain and Mrs O'Hara Smith, Mrs Blair, Mr and Mrs Travers Em» ployees Lyttelton Times (per R. A. Loughnan), New Zealand Times Company, Mr and Mrß W. L. Meek and Mrs Frank Willis, Mrs Manley, Mrs John Manley, Mrs John McKenzie (Heathfield, Palmers, ton), Mrs J. G. Ward (with Mr Ballance'a favourite flowers, the jonquil and narclssuß), Mrs Didsbury, Lady Stout, Railway Employees (Petone), MrMcKnight, Canterbury Trades Council, The late Mr Ballanoe's Nephews, Government Insurance Depart, ment, Women's Franchise League, Wellington Telegraphists, The Members of the Cabinet, Miss Nellie Anderson, Mr R. A. Woodger, Mr W. H. Young, Colonel Fox, Mr and Mrs G. E. Tolhurst, President of the Dunedin Women's Franchise League, Amalgamated Railway Servants (Christohurch), Canterbury Liberal Association. The wreaths, which were of beautiful design, were supplied by Messrs McNab (Lower Hutt), Cooper, and H. C. Gibbons and Co. (Wellington), all of whose resources were taxed to the uttermost to find sufficient quantity of flowers. AT THE HOUSE. The morning of Sunday broke brightly, in pleasing contrast to the depressing weather which has been experienced for the past fortnight. As early as 6 o'clock a poßse of police under Inspector Pender (in whose hands had been placed the arrangement of the procession), assisted by Sergeant-Major Kamsay, took up their position outside the former residenoe of the deceased Premier, and were soon after followed by a detachment of the Permanent Artillery, in oom« mand of Major Messenger, and 50 blue jackets from H.M.S. Eatoomba, in charge of Lieutenant Gillespie. Soon the crowd began to thicken, the Torpedo Corps and the various Volunteer corps rolling np in large numbers. Captain Falconer was in command of the Torpedo Corps, the Volunteers being under the following commands : City Rifles, 19, Lieutenant Wilson, in the absence of Captain Collins, who was present in the procession in his capacity as aooountant of the Treasury Department ; Wellington Guards, 22, Captain Faterson ; | WellingtonNavals,49, Lieutenant-Command, ing Duncan ; Petone Navals, 38, LieutenantCommanding Kirk ; Wellington Eifles, 19, Captain A. de B. Brandon ; D Battery, 26, Lieutenant Johnston. The Staff offioera present were Colonel Fox, Lieutenant" Colonel Newall, and Majors Shannon and Quick. The Commissioner of Police (Colonel Hume) was also present, and the following officers of H.M.S. Katoomba : Captain Bickford, Lieutenant Youel, Dr Jackson and Vfr Townsend. About 6.45 the Permanent Force marched up the drive and took up a position in line in front of the house. Then the members of the Ministry arrived, followed by Captain Hunter-Blair, A.D.C. to His Excellency th 6 Governor, Sir Robert Stont, Hoes S. E. Shrimski and C. J. John* ston, M.'sL.C, Dr Newman, M. H.R,

Major Steward, M.H.R., Speaker of the House of Representatives)! and Messrs F. McGulre, Sandford, Tanner, Dawson, Buchanan, Joyce, C. H. Mills, and T. P.irata, M.'eH.R. The heads and members of departments included Messrs J. K. Warburtoa, C. M. Crombio, E. G. Pitcher, H. Wilson, A. Barron, W. T. Glasgow, R. J. Collins, J. C. Heywood, H. J. H. Blow, S. P. Smith, L. G. Reid, W. Gray, &c, while thero were also on the scene, Messrs P. F. Parfitt (Manager of the Bank of New Zealand), M. do Baohout; (French Consul), G. Fish6r (Italian Consul), A. F, Castendyk (Danish Consul), H. D. Bell (Mayor of Wellington), White, Parsons, Anderson, Penty, Barber, Vogel, Har. court aDd WilleHton (City Councillors), J. B. Page (Town clerk), J. O'Dea (President of the Wellington Liberal Association), Martin Kennedy, A. Collins, G. Beethara, J. H. HeatoD (Mayor of Melrose), L. Stowe, H. Otterson, C. C. N. Barron (ohlef of Hansard staff), E. Stafford, T. Dwan, D. T. Stuart, C. P. Powles, R. Hannah, G. B. Tolhurst, W. James, T. McKeszie, W. R. Haselden, D. P. Fisher (President Trades and Labour Council), T. W. Hislop, Mason, G. Wood, ward, Very Rav Dr Waiters (Rector St Patrick's College), Rev H. Van Staveren, Drs Fell and Henry, E. T. Gillon, President Journalists' Institute, George Jones, Oamaru Mail, R. A. Loughnan, editor New Zealand Times, and a large number of journalists. Many of the friends of the deneaeed went into tho drawingroom where the coffiu was lying to look for the last time on the features of him whom they had so a liking and respect fcr in life, but at last even thi« solace was denied them, and shortly after 7 o'olock tho mournful procession commenced its. solemn journey to the railway station. The Volunteers marched first, followed by the men from H.M.S. Katoomba, immediately after whom came tbo members of the Permanent Artillery, who acted as the esoort to the gun carriage on which lay the coffin containing the remains of the deceased ; the remaining members of the Ministry acting as pall-bearers. The chief mourners W6re Messrs R. M. McKnight (nephew of the deoeased), D. Anderson, E. Anderson, A, Anderson and J. Anderson (brothers-in-law of the deceased). Following these came a long procession, consisting of those gentlemen we have mentioned above, the Hon E. Richardson and Mra Richardson and many others who took their place in the ranks en route ; after these came a line of 22 carriages headed by the carriage from Government House, the warders from H.M, Gaol, under Mr P. S. Garvey, and the Fire Brigade waggon and a detaohment of firemen under Captain Kemsley. Thousands of spectators thronged the roadway of Hill street, Molesworth street and along Lambton quay, and by their presence testified to the universal respeot in which the deceased statesman had been held, and the profound regret that was felt at his untimely death. AT THE RAILWAY STATION. From about 7 o'olock the publio began to gather around the sides of the large open space in front of the Government Railway Station, upon which converge Lambton quay, Thorndon quay and Murphy, Sydney and Featherston streets. The crowd steadily increased in density until the footpaths and the front of the station were lined up three or four deep with spectators. At the entrance to the station stdod come of the rail« way officialo to reoeive the Ministerial passports, which alone would admit to tho platform and the train which was in waiting. Amongst the earliest arrivals were several of the Supreme Court Judges, and Messrs A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., and J. Duthie, M.H.R., and these were soon followed by Mr J. McKerrow (Chief Railway Commissioner), the Rev W. J. Habens (InspectorGeneral of Schools), Mr D. M. Luckie (Government Life Insurance) and various other officials and private citizens. At about 7.20 a.m. the solemn and impressive strains of * The Dead March.' from • Saul' smote upon the ears of the waiting crowd, and apprißod them that the funeral cortege was upon its way. Very quickly the assemblage of people became denser still and more compact, and gradually the music grew dearer in tone and greater in volume as the band drew near and nearer. At 7.35 the spiked holmots and scarlet coats of the Wellington Rides appeared in Bight, as they marched In open order and with arms reversed. They were followed in turn by the City Guards (who were rendered very conspicuous by their tall blaok busbies), the City Rifles (in their white helmetß), and the D Battery ; then the Petone and Wellington Navals, and the man o'-war's.men from H.M.S. Katoomba. As the blue-jackets reached the centre of the roadway in front of the railway station they lined up in two ranks, facing each other, and between their ranks passed the rest of the cortege, consisting of the Garri. son Band (under Bandmaster Herd), and a detaohmont of the Permanent Artillpry, with the gnn carriage containing the coffin, which was oovered with a pall overlaid by tho Union Jack. The carriage was drawn by a couple of horses driven by two artillerymen. Down the rather sharp declivity of Hill street the trailing ropes had to bo used. In close attendance upon the coffin walked the pall-bearerp, with heavy mourning bands depending from their hats. They were the Ministerial colleagues of the dead Premier, all of them being present, At the head of the procession which followed were the Speaker of the House of Representatives (the Hon W. J. Steward), and various members of both Houses, Captain Hunter-Bloir and Mr Clayton (representing the Governor), the foreign consuls, officers of H.MIS,. Katoomba, heads of Government departments, the Mayor and City Councillors, as well as representatives of tho suburban boroughs, the Chairman and members of tho Harbour Board, and the President and Council of the Chamber of Commerce, and private friends. The train, which was in waiting, oonsisted of two locomotives, a couple of vans, and eleven long carriages, inoludlng the dining oar. The second van had been prepared for the reception of the coffin, and for that purpose it was drawn up immediately fronting the gate at the northern end of the

station. As soon as the gun oarrisge arrived at the gato, the coffin was borno upon the shoulders of the undertakers' men into the van, and a profusion of beautiful floral wreaths wore heapsd up on top of the pall, while tho Union Jock covered all, The wreaths numbered about 150, and were mostly composed of chrysanthemums. Messrs Parsons and Clark, of Pipitea street, carried out all the funeral arragements, and Mr Robert Clark travelled in the van along with the coffin.

The first carriagoa contained Mrs Ballance and other relatives of tho deceased, Lady Buckley and Mrs Reeves, the colleagues of the deceased Premier and Sir Robert Stout. In the laßt carriage of all were about 40 men of the Permanent Force under Major Messenger, who were aeleoted to form the firing party at the grave. The train steamed away from the Government Railway Station at 8 o'clock, and about J 5 minutes later the train which had been laid on for the convenience of the general public departed from the Manawatu Company's Station, but did not carry many passengers.

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE,

As we start away from the railway station we hear about the speed at which the people have come up from Duceiin. 'Nineteen hours from Oamaru,' says one enthusiast. • What do you think of that!' At once this is capped by '23 hours from Dunedin to Wellington.' The train left that place, we leatn, at a quarter past 7 in the morning, reaching Lyttelton at a quarter past 3. immediately the passengers were on board the Rotorua that vessel cast off, and after a smart run was tied

up at the wharf at a quarter past 6 In the morning. As she was not crowded, and the weather was oalm, her people had some needed rest on tho way. The talk runs on about the possibilities of rail and steam, spbculation pets a vision of a 27 hours' trip between Icvarcargill and Wellington, we have a glimppo of what travelling will be one day in New Zealand. The travelling was not particularly fast on the Oamaru side, but on tho Canterbury Plain the train bowled over its 45 miles an hour at times, and that in spite of the slipperiuess of the raila, owing to the drizzling weather. THE JOURNEY UP. On tho road. As soon as we steam over the divide, and get going down on the western side, we realise that tbo bIo v maroh has been chanced for a flying pace. Surely never was Buch a funeral gait; up to 35 miles an hour we get on tho company's lino; we do not keep] at that, but tho pace keeps good, as in duty bound, for we have far to go and much to do. The stations fly past us, each platform with a little knot of hatloss people sweepiug away into space. We stop here and there, under j water tanks only, to rush away after the briefest possible wait. At Otaki, where this occurs, a considerable number of pooplo are in attendance to do honour to our melancholy froight, and their band plays a Dead March, in tho middle of which we are off. When Palmerston after looming into view comes suddenly abreast, we notice as we rush through the atalioii that the platform is crowded with

bare-headed people standing reverent; a band in uniform playing in front of band stands flashes past us, we catch one loud note of brass, the thunder of tho train claims tho rest of that Dead Maroh. Leaving Marton, the sun, after struggling all day with the obstinate clouds, comes out upon us in warm welcome, and keeps with uh for the rett of the way through the beautiful yreen country stretching away to the blue hills in the distance. At 2.30 we are waiting at & ramoho junction for the other train. It arrives presently and before three we are at the Wanganul station, in presence of a great crowd, with the ground

kept open by a large body of soldiery for the j procession. In the Government special train there were some 200 people, in tbo other train nineteen started from Welling, ton and the increases on the way Bwellod the number to about a hundred.