LATE MR MASSEY

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1641, 14 May 1925, Page 5

LATE MR MASSEY

STATE FUNERAL TO-DAY.

MEMORIAL SERVICES IN MANY CENTRES.

Tributes to the ideals and character of the late Mr W. F. Massey continue to be received from all parts of \the Empire. In these there is unanimous to the worth of .one who ga>e pt his best to the Empire he loved. The arrangements for the State funeral, which is to take place.' today, leaving the Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington at 1 p.m. are complete. Memorial services to coincide with /he ceremony in Wellington will be held in the various centres. The Government requested that shops and business places be closed; and that all activities cease for ten minutes from 1 p.m. All trains and postal "business will observe the ten minutes' cessation.

•WAfriATO REPRESENTATIVE AT FUNERAL.

Mil J. A. YOUNG, M.P. LEAVES,

(By Telegraph. Press Association.) HAMILTON, Wednesday.

Mr J. A. Young, M.P., left for Wellington last night to attend thefuneTal of the late Prime Minister,pas representing the constituency of Hamilton and in his official capacity as Chairman of Committees in the House of Representatives. At the request of the Mayor of Hamilton, who is unable to visit Wellington. Mr Young will represent his Worship, Councillors and bu'rgesses of the town. He has also been asked "by the chairmen of the Waikato and /Waipa County Councils also to officially represent their respective bodies at the funeral.

LYING IN STATE.

AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. <By Telegraph. Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The casket containing the remains of the late Prime Minister was taken from the Ministerial residence to Parliament Buildings this morning. Before the casket was removed there was a simple religious service, attended by the members,of the family and household staff. This was conducted by* the late Premier's old pastor, the Rev. •Gibson Smith, formerly of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, assisted by the Ten. Archdeacon Johnson, of St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral. A military escort carried the casket ■ to a gun carriage, which was drawn by six horses at a walking pace to the •entrance of Parliament Building, followed by the sons of deceased and his private secretary. Soldiers carried the ' coffin shoulder high to the bier in the vestibule, and immediately a long line 'Of_sympathetic onlookers commenced "to file past. Wreaths are arriving in hundreds. It will be difficult to display them all, though the arrangements made appeared to have been ample. Public bodies from all over New Zealand are already Represented in this beautiful tribute to the dead statesman. The guard mounted around the bier includes naval and military representatives. The casket stands on a large dais, ''draped in black, having a canopy of mauve and black. It is a dignified, impressive place in which the public may ■see the remains of a doughty fighter who so long dominated that scene. The vestibule is the centre of Parliament Building as it is planned for completion. The dias is surrounded by Tailings, and four soldiers stand facing the coffin with reversed arms. The public is permitted to enter through the main, doors and file past the dais, leaving Parliament Building "by the lower floor, after passing the hundreds of wreaths which have been carefully displayed in screens, draped in black. Surrounding the coffin are -wreaths from members of the late Premier's family, his Ministerial colleagues and a personal wreath from the Governor General and Lady FerS usson >- °- bright red roses, violets and autumn leaves.

PROVINCIAL OBSERVANCES.

VARYING PERIODS AND METHODS

At Hamilton the business places are closed all day to-day. Hotels throughout the province are closing for one hour from 2 p.m. today. Aucklanders were asked by the Mayor to observe complete cessation of activities for ten minutes, starting at 1 p.m., and to observe the first two minutes of this period as an interval of complete silence. [ Coal miners throughout the province have ceased work for the Whole day. Every public school in the Dominion is closed to-day. Telephone exchanges ceased operations for ten minutes from 1 p.m. today.

No mails of any description were sent out from or received by the local post office to-day. Special religious services are being held in many of the centres. In some places the service is a united">out-door one, while in others each church is conducting a service.

In Auckland some of the business places ere remaining closed the whole day, others are closing for varying periods from mid-day.