Funeral procession for Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage

Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage; Funeral Train & at the Graveside

disc file label details

D3539a sa-d-03539-s01-pm Funeral Procession of the late Prime Minister the Rt Hon M J
Savage; From Parliament Bldgs via City to Railway Station; 8:50
am to 10:30 am 30 Mar 1940; Nine Sides One hour 17 mins At Parliament Steps
Part 1

D3539b sa-d-03539-s02-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 3

D3540a sa-d-03540-s01-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 2: Procession moves off from parliament

D3540b sa-d-03540-s02-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 4: Procession; cross to announcer at railway station [probably Clive Drummond] who eulogises the late Prime Minister; describes his 'heart of gold' and praises his work for those he called "the underdog"; his love of the Wellington Botanic Gardens; passing of Social Security legislation gave him great pride and happiness.(end cut off)

D3541a sa-d-03541-s01-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 5: Announcer at railway station continues description of scene as procession passes. Band music. At 8'10" announcer recalls that Savage was the first stateman in the Empire to allow radio microphones to broadcast Parliament.

D3541b sa-d-03541-s02-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 7: Procession reaches station. Announcer describes letters sent to him and 'Aunt Molly' (fellow announcer) from children who mentioned the Prime Minister and his passing; band music; detachments of Royal Navy and Air Force at the entrance to the station.

D3542a sa-d-03542-s01-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 6: Procession nears station. Announcer continues explaining the benefits of Savage's decision to broadcast Parliamentary proceedings;
praises Savage's broadcasting voice and the sincerity of his broadcasts.
Recaps Savage's political career briefly; the passing of the Social Security legislation "the greatest moment of his life"; the start of WWII and joining with Britain; his Sunday night broadcasts and illness.

D3542b sa-d-03542-s02-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 8: Procession enters station. Announcer describes casket being removed from gun carriage and carried to train by members of the Māori Battalion; pall bearers are Ministers of the Crown.

D3543a sa-d-03543-s01-pm Funeral Procession For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Part 9: Announcer waiting at the station for train departure; band music; 7'50" train leaves Wellington Railway Station

D3544a sa-d-03544-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Paekakariki, 11:20am. Announcer describes the crowd and wreaths presented at Paekakariki Station. Leaving Wellington, the streets of each town were lined with people to see the train go past; children stood at attention as train passed. Announcer describes the technical difficulties faced in broadcasting live from the train at each station; he is accompanied by technician Alan Gale who connects the line as soon as they arrive at each station.

D3543b sa-d-03543-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Otaki, 12:07pm. Large number of Māori turn out to welcome the train, but as the announcer explains, he is too far away for his microphone to capture much of the waiata and ceremony in this broadcast.

D3544b sa-d-03544-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Levin, 12:21pm. Large number of Māori welcome the train into Levin; also men from the Royal Airforce; announcer again describes people stopping cars as the train passes and getting out to stand to attention.

D3545a sa-d-03545-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Palmerston North, 1:59pm. Announcer describes stopping briefly at Shannon, and then passing through Linton and Longburn where residents stood to attention as the train passed; Māori Battalion lined the station as the train arrived in Palmerston North; various community groups and trade unions are represented at the station to welcome the train.

D3545b sa-d-03545-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Fielding, 3:10pm, Part 1. Band music.

D3546a sa-d-03546-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Fielding, 3:10pm, Part 2. Band music; announcer reads telegrams he has received from listeners as far afield as Kaikohe and Invercargill, reporting good reception of his live broadcast.

D3546b sa-d-03546-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Marton, 4:12pm, Part 1. Local Māori perform haka [heard faintly]; more reception report telegrams from listeners are read; description of wreaths presented by various Rangitikei community groups, local Labour Party and union groups.

D3547a sa-d-03547-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
False cut. Funeral Train at Marton, 4:12pm, Part 2. Announcer describes the official party of government ministers etc. on board the train who have had their lunch; he saw Mrs Fraser carrying a Māori baby as his mother performed in the haka party.

D3547b sa-d-03547-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Hunterville, 5:20pm Announcer describes Māori children and a group of stockmen stopping and standing to attention to pay their respects as the train passes. He goes out onto the platform and talks briefly to some members of the public who greet him by name- Mr Bamford [?]

D3548a sa-d-03548-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Mangaweka, 5:58pm. Description of the crowds that have turned out at every station; description of wreaths being placed in the train; "practically everybody in Mangaweka has turned out".

D3548b sa-d-03548-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Ohakune, 8:27pm. Haka welcomes the train as it arrives; [karanga heard in the background] Announcer alerts 2YA Wellington Control room, that they will depart from Taumarunui next morning at 6.50am, arriving in Auckland at 2.15pm. Himene [unidentified].

D3549a sa-d-03549-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Taihape, 6:36pm. Announcer describes the crowd as "amazing", people packed tight up against the train; reads the names of some families and organisations who have presented wreaths in Taihape;
more telegrams from radio listeners: clear reception reported from men on coastal watch at Point Flat, Masterton; listeners in Mosgiel; Bay of Islands; men at Kaingaroa State Forest camp all report good reception. Announcer describes the broadcast as 'a difficult one' because of the repetition of events at each station, so it is good to know the whole country is appreciative of it. He describes the train; 5 cars and 4 vans, 3 for floral tributes and 1 mortuary van; it is pulled by a KA engine; Mr Dowell [?], district railway engineer gave him the details about the train.

D3549b sa-d-03549-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
[Time unknown for Taumarunui arrival - approximately 9pm?] Announcer explains they were unable to connect and broadcast from Raurimu; band is playing on the platform at Taumarunui and 'a tremendous crowd despite the late hour'; pipe band plays in background; large number of Māori are present. He explains the cable was too short to connect up at Raurimu to broadcast. The train also stopped at National Park where he was able to walk to the carriage where the other passengers are travelling; Hon Peter Fraser and Mrs Fraser and other MPs and Ministers; Māori at National Park also sang a lament and presented a wreath. Large batch of telegrams also waiting in Taumarunui, reporting excellent reception.

D3550a sa-d-03550-s01-pm 31 Mar 1940 Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage. Funeral Train leaves Taumarunui, 7:50am.

D3550b sa-d-03550-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train leaves Taumarunui, 7:50am
(Last Record)

D3551a sa-d-03551-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Huntly, 12pm, Part 1

D3551b sa-d-03551-s02-pm Memorial Service To Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Sermon of the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St Barbe Holland, St Pauls Cathedral, Part 1

D3552a sa-d-03552-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Huntly, 12pm, Part 2

D3552b sa-d-03552-s02-pm Memorial Service To Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Sermon of the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St Barbe Holland, St Pauls Cathedral, Part 2

D3553a sa-d-03553-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Te Kuiti, 8:34am, Part 1

D3553b sa-d-03553-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Otorohanga, 9:21am

D3554a sa-d-03554-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Te Kuiti, 8:34am, Part 2

D3554b sa-d-03554-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Te Awamutu, 9:58am

D3555a sa-d-03555-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Frankton Junction, 10:40am, Part 1

D3555b sa-d-03555-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Funeral Train at Frankton Junction, 11:12am, Part 2

D3556a sa-d-03556-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 1: Arrival at station, 2:15pm, prior to arrival of train
D3556b sa-d-03556-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 3: Removal of casket at station

D3557a sa-d-03557-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 2: The arrival of the train

D3557b sa-d-03557-s02-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 4: Prior to departure of funeral cortege

D3558a sa-d-03558-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 6: Departure of funeral cortege, description of cars following cortege

D3558b sa-d-03558-s02-pm Graveside Service For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
At The Graveside, Part 1: The arrival of the cortege, 4:17pm

D3559a sa-d-03559-s01-pm Funeral Train Of Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
Auckland Railway Station, Part 5: Departure of funeral cortege

D3559b sa-d-03559-s02-pm Graveside Service For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
At The Graveside, Part 2: Casket places on dais

D3560a sa-d-03560-s01-pm Graveside Service For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
At The Graveside, Part 3: The service at the graveside

D3560b sa-d-03560-s02-pm Graveside Service For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
At The Graveside, Part 4: Closing remarks by Mr Drummond

D3561 sa-d-03561-pm Graveside Service For Rt. Hon. M.J. Savage
At The Graveside, Part 4: The burial, The Last Post, 'Abide With Me'