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United Otago District, A.O.F. Dear Sir, — District Chambers, Dunedin, 14th June, 1906. On behalf of the three thousand members comprising the United Otago District, Ancient Order of Foresters, I have to convey to you and your Government our sincere regrets at the untimely death of the late Premier, the Hon. R. J. Seddon. Knowing that he took a deep interest in friendly-society work we realise that not only has the colony lost its foremost statesman, but friendly societies generally have lost in him a warm friend. We would be pleased if you would convey to the sorrowing widow and family our heartfelt sympathy in their time of trouble. I remain, &c, The Hon. William Hall-Jones, Wellington. James Macfie, District Secretary. Taranaki District, A.O.F. Honourable Sir, — New Plymouth, 26th June, 1906. At a request from the courts in the Taranaki District, Ancient Order of Foresters, the officers of the district have been asked to forward to you the following resolution: " That the courts of the Taranaki District, Ancient Order of Foresters, desire to place on record the loss sustained by friendly societies in New Zealand through the death of the late Hon. R. J. Seddon, and that a letter of condolence be sent through the district to his widow and family." I remain, &c, The Hon. Hall-Jones, Wellington. C. Trusbridge, District Secretary. Court Robin Hood, No. 3991, A.O.F. Sir,— Port Chalmers, 23rd June, 1906. On behalf of the members of Court Robin Hood, Ancient Order of Foresters, I have the honour to inform you that the following resolution was carried at a summoned meeting of the court held on the 19th instant: "We desire to give utterance to our deep sense of the irreparable loss sustained by this colony in the death of our late Premier, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.G, LL.D. We as workingmen feel that we have lost our best friend. We trusted the Premier, and our trust was not betrayed. In small matters, as in great public affairs, the welfare of the manual yvorker was ever kept in mind by him, and in a hundred yvays the life of the toiler was brightened and his burden lightened by our large-hearted Premier. By his old-age pension scheme, but one of many benefactions, he removed an ever-present fear from the minds of thousands of the deserving poor, and, alas, he died ere completing an even more far-reaching and satisfactory antidote to the haunting dread of old age that obsesses the minds of the poor. But no words of ours could do justice to his benevolent designs for the helping of men. We conclude, therefore, by expressing our heartfelt sympathy yvith his bereaved wife and family, and hope that the grief in which this colony is plunged may, by showing the love and admiration felt by an entire nation for their departed husband and father, tend to lighten their grief." I have, &c, The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Thomas Scollay, Secretary. Court Southern Cross, A.O.F. Dear Sir,— Foresters' Hall, Timaru, 22nd June, 1906. The following is a copy of the resolution passed by our court at the last meeting, touching our late Premier's untimely death, viz : " That this court desires to place on record its deep sense of sorrow and regret at the loss sustained by the brotherhood of the colony and the empire through the untimely death of our illustrious Premier, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and wishes to convey to Mrs. Seddon and members of her family its deepest sympathy and condolence on the irreparable loss of a loving husband and affectionate father. On behalf of the brethren, I have, &c, T. Harris, Secretary. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Court Thistle of the Forest, A.O.F. Sir,— Sydenham, 26th June, 1906. The members of our court at its iast meeting instructed me to ask you to be good enough to convey to Mrs. Seddon and her family our very sincere sympathy with them in their heavy affliction, and we trust that He, who is the Father of all, may in His infinite love and pity fulfil in their cases the promises he has made to the widow and fatherless. I am, &c, The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Wellington. W. D. Marks, Secretary. Foresters of Waiht. (Telegram.) Hon. Hall-Jones, Wellington. Waihi, 21st June, 1906. Kindly convey to Mrs. Seddon and family the sincere sympathy of each and every Forester of Waihi. David Morgan, Secretary.