177

H.—2B

ASSOCIATIONS, SOCIETIES, LEAGUES, CLUBS, ETC (TO MRS. SEDDON.) Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Dear Madam, — 167 Queen Street, Auckland, 18th June, 1906. At a meeting of our executiy r e, held on Friday last, I yvas instructed to write to you, expressing the deep regret with which the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association learned of the death of your husband (the late Premier), and their sympathy with you and your family in your sad bereavement. They also desire me at the same time to express their high appreciation of the distinguished services rendered by him to the people of New Zealand and to the Empire. I have, &c, Mrs. Seddon, Wellington. Edwin Hall, Secretary. Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Dear Madam, — Leeston, 30th June, 1906. At a committee meeting of the above association, held on the 26th June, the folloyving resolution was passed, and instructions given to the Secretary to forward to you on behalf of the members of the association : " This meeting desires to place on record its sense of the great loss the colony has sustained by the death of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and to express its sincere sympathy with Mrs. Seddon and family in their great bereavement." I have, &c, Mrs. Seddon, Wellington. Fred. Lill, Secretary. Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Madam,— Feilding, 7th July, 1906. It is my sad duty to forward to you the following resolution carried by the committee of the Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Association at their last meeting : " That this association deeply regrets the death of the late Premier, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, and respectfully begs to tender its heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Seddon and her family in their sad bereavement." I have, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. E. H. Fisher, Secretary. Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Dear Madam, — Palmerston North, 12th July, 1906. I have the honour, by direction of my committee, to convey the following resolution : " That the committee of the Manayvatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association express unfeigned sympathy and regret at the decease of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, Premier of this colony, and desire to tender to Mrs. Seddon and family deep sympathy and sorrow on their sudden bereavement." The committee deplore the loss to the colony of a statesman with noble purpose, who was strenuous and successful in the advancement of the colony and the people, and possessed of a great zeal for the good of the Empire. This association was honoured on many occasions by his presence at its gatherings, and desires to record his unfailing interest in its undertakings and progress. I have, &c, Mrs. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. G. C. Lane, Secretary. North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Dear Madam, — Oamaru, Ist August, 1906. We are instructed by the committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association to express to you their deepest sympathy with you and your family in the sad loss which you have sustained in the death of your illustrious husband, the late Premier of this colony. It is needless for us to recount his many public virtues, for these are knoyvn to the whole colony and to the Empire at large; and who can know his more private and domestic excellences better than your bereaved and sorrowing selves ? We can therefore do little more than hope that this offer of our condolence, and this feeble expression of our deep sorrow at his untimely removal from his large sphere of usefulness, may be accepted by you as a genuine tribute of our respect for him, and of our earnest desire to show our sympathy. Earnestly that you may be comforted in your sad bereavement. Yours, &c, Wm. W. Wylie, President. Mrs. Seddon, Wellington. E. Piper, Secretary. Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society. Dear Madam, — Dunedin, 12th July, 1906. At a meeting of my committee held yesterday it was unanimously resolved, " That this meeting desires to place on record its sense of loss the country has sustained through the death of the late Right Hon. Mr. Seddon"; and I am directed to express to yourself and family the sympathy of my committee in your bereavement. I am, &c, Mrs. Seddon. H. V, Fulton, Secretary.

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