H.—2B

16

Mr. Walter Symeb to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones. (Telegram.) Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Otorohanga, 13th June, 1906. The awful news of death of dear old chief reached me yesterday. It was a very stunning blow. You must find very trying time. My sympathies are with you. Walter Symes. Mr. J. C. Thomson to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones. (Telegram.) Hon. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Riverton, 13th June, 1906. Received your telegram conveying news death Right Hon. Premier with unfeigned sorrow. His sudden demise created profound sensation. Beg you convey to relatives deceased statesman sincere sympathy people Wallace in their sore bereavement. J. C. Thomson. The Hon. Sir J. G. Ward to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones. (Telegram.) Hon. Hall-Jones, Wellington. London, 12th June, 1906. All terribly grieved. Deep feeling of sympathy London. Ward. Mr. W. T. Wood to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones. (Telegram.) Hon. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Palmerston North, 11th June, 1906. Mrs. Wood and self are deeply grieved at the sad news of the death of our leader and chief. It is a national calamity that we cannot realise. W. T. Wood. COUNTY COUNCILS. (TO MRS. SEDDON.) (Telegram.) Akaroa County Council. Mrs. Seddon, Wellington. Akaroa, 15th June, 1906. The Akaroa County Council desire to express to you their keen sympathy in your bereavement, and to record their sense of the loss sustained by the whole colony in the death of the Premier. W. D. Wilkins, County Clerk. Akitio County Council. Dear Madam, — Pongaroa, 3rd July, 1906. I have been instructed to forward you a copy of a resolution passed at the last meeting of this Council: "That this Council desires to record its sincere regret at the sudden death of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and to express its deepest sympathy with Mrs. Seddon and family in their bereavement." I have, &c, W. Souness, County Clerk. Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. Eketahuna County Council. Dear Madam,— 11th June, 1906. The Chairman, Council, and inhabitants of the County of Eketahuna desire to express to you and your family their deepest sympathy in your sore bereavement, and assure you that the people of this county sincerely appreciate the valuable services which have been rendered by your late husband during the time he has so long and faithfully served the country and the people. I have, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. R. J. McLean, County Clerk. Grey County Council. (Telegram.) ' Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. Greymouth, 16th June, 1906. I am directed to conve)' to you the following resolution, passed at a special meeting of the Council, held this day: Resolved, " That this Council, representing the inhabitants of the County of Grey, desires to express its sincere and profound regret at the unexpected death of the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, P.C., and Premier of our colony, by which sad event we have lost a dear and personal friend, the colony its ablest leader, and the Empire one of its builders. Our Premier's past works speak for themselves, and had he lived a few j'ears longer we feel satisfied he would have made his beloved colony ' God's own country ' even better and more famous for advanced and progressive legislation than it is. We also wish to convey to his true and faithful partner in this life, Mrs. Seddon, and the members of the family, our sincere sympathy in the irreparable loss they have sustained. Our beloved Premier died in harness, preferring, as he so often stated, 'to wear out rather than to rust out,' and we sincerely trust that the Almighty to Whose supremacy all must bow, will give his beloved wife and other bereaved ones strength to bear the heavy blow they have so suddenly received," M, Phillips, County Clerk,