WEST COAST MOURNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26581, 2 October 1947, Page 6

WEST COAST MOURNS

PASSING OF MR O’BRIEN CROWDS AT RAILWAY STATIONS PA. GREYMOUTH, Oct. 1. Scences of public grief were witnessed on the West Coast to-day when the remains of Mr James O’Brien arrived for interment to-morrow morning. At Lyttelton the coffin was removed from the Rangatira in the presence of an official party of 64 and a large body of workers before transference to a special express which reached Greymouth nearly an hour late this afternoon. . ~ On the Christchurch railway station, where a brief stop was made, a large number of friends of the former Minister gathered with Labour Party representatives to pay their tribute, and after Otira was reached stops were made at numerous West Coast railway stations, where crowds varying from a handful in the smaller places to upwards of 600 at Wallsend, filed past the funeral coach and conveyed their personal sympathy to Mrs O’Brien. One of the largest crowds which have gathered at the Greymouth railway station for a quarter of a century stood in deep silence as the tram drew in A party of Arahura Maoris greeted the coffin with a lameht led by Mr E. T Tirikatene. The remains were received at St. Patrick’s Church by Monsignor Long and clergy. The body will lie in state all night, with vigil kept bv members of the Greymouth Labour Party, of which Mr O’Briep was a foundation member. . To-morrow’s final ceremonies will be broadcast by 3YA, 2YA, and 3ZR, commencing at 10 a.m. More than 75 offl cial cars will convey the Cabinet Ministers, legislators, members of political parties and leading industrialists. Solemn High Mass will be sung by Monsignor Long, the preacher being Monsignor J'. A. Kennedy, of Christchurch. Immediatey after the service at the graveside, the Ministers and visitors will leave by special train for Lyttelton.