LAID TO REST

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20131, 20 July 1914, Page 4

LAID TO REST

FUNERAL OF TAKARANGI METE KINGI. The rattle of musketry, as the filing party discharged their rifles in the still ah- of the closing day -was followed by the beautiful and solemn "Last Post," the notes of which, floating across the river to Wanganui, and» echoing among the hills, that lie to the eastward of Putiki, told with ■wordless eloquence that the body of Takarangi Mete Kingi had ! been laid to rest. Then the heart-renid-innv wailing of the women, as they crowd)ed round the open grave to sing farewell ,to the departed chieftain, i-ose high !in the air. Kinsmen and friends paid: ! their .last respects, and a vast gatner- ; ing of people, Maori and European; j turned homewards. Soon the graveside was deeierted, and the pah, bethinking itself oif tlie living, though not -unmindful of the illustrious dead 4 resumed its ordinary appeanan.ee. The funeral of Takarangi Mete Kingi, which took place yastercEay afternoon, was a.notable event, not alone because of the number of people who attended it, but because, in all probability it will prove to be one of the last of its ' kind, at any rate so fai* as the magnitude of the obsequies is concerned. As mentioned by. vs> on Satrnxiay, the De- " fence Department, in view of the deceas- ~. Ed chieftain's military services during the Maori war on this coast, decided •that ±h© funerial should be conducted with military lionours."^ This was abcordingi.y done. The funeral was of an unusual nature. The -body was firsfc taken to the Drill Hall, and thence a procession was formed "to the Putiki Cem«t«ry. The procession to the Drip Hall' was participated ia by a "largenumber of people. The coffin, draped' with the Union Jack and surmounted by tlte d-eoeased's swond; and, helmet, ■Alias followed by the riderless charger. Then caime the Maori mourners, all wearing mats and the customaay green, emblems of mourning. A large number of Europeans also followed. At the "Drill Hall another procession was formed. An. : advaittoe guardl of Territorials was followed by the Garrison Biand', playing the ''Dead March" in "Saul." Then came the Maori mourners, and a vasti host of Europeans. It is difficult to es- ' timate the number oif »eopl© pnesecat, but ia, majority o f the population of Wanganui must have attended. The Avenue sidewalks were crowded., with people who, as the cortege reached tSbein, ipincd in the procesfiion. The Elame tuiog occui-red during the whole of the rouibe, whichx was lined with people, while groups occupied points of vantage on the hillsides. Arrived a.t Putiki, the Rev Williams and four members of the Maori clergy—the Revs. Moana. Rawiri ('Otaki), Cotton (Marton), and Tutua (Taupo)— -met the procession, which then n?ade its way to the Putiki Maori Church, tlie pall-bearers being: support- • ed by members of H.M. Veterans. In" the church the beaiitiful funeral service of tlie CShuich of iElngland was impressively ooncfuckedl in the Maori tongue. The singing was particularly striking,the fine voioag of the choir giving an added'■ solemnity to "Days andf Moments" and "Lead, kindly light." Fxom the church {he coffin was carried to the grave by Territorials. There another impressive service was conducted, the choir singing "For over with the Lord." Theni came the three volleys of the firing party, and the "Last Post." Among the chief mourners wore _ the following visitors: Dr Pomare (representing the Government), Messrs W. Duncan and J. R. McDonald and Major Brown, of the Waararapa district, %vho was in command of the Maori contiagent,^ (which .atteiided the Queen Victoria Diaimond Jubilee celebrations in London in 1897. Over two* hundred Territorials and Ciidets, and a good muster of H.M. Veterans, took part:in the procession The Wanganui Ambulance Brigade made excellent arrangements to succour any travellers who 101 lby thewwaty t bufc fortunately their services were net required. As a mark oF appreciation of tli<* band's playing yesterday of the "Dead March," and "A Garland of Flowers," the Takarangi family^ have invited the members of the Garrison Band to visit Putiki this evening