A GREAT MAN PASSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 139, 27 March 1940, Page 4

A GREAT MAN PASSES

WHATEVER their political leanings, all sections of the community will be undisguised in their sorrow and deep sympathy in the passing of the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Michael Joseph Savage, whose death occurred this morning As leader of a party born in the turmoil of class differences and as champion of the labouring sections of the population of the Dominion, he had as yet always endeavoured to avoid extremes and to make an honest effort to bring about an improvement on the old conditions. Whether his policy has succeeded or not, time alone will prove, for the great experiment upon which the eyes of the world were focussed prior to the outbreak of war, has yet to fulfil the hopes of its advocates and attain its objectives. It \is however not his party that New Zealanders recall at this moment. Rather it is with his character, and life as a man, who envisioned Cand strove for ideals which would make the Dominion a better and a happier place. He was not embittered as w T as the former Labour leader Mr H. Holland; neither was he swayed by the fervour of the cause which bred the extremist section known as "the Left Wing". At all times he was governed by the stability of an 'Inborn commonsense, which mere than once prevented the stampede of the newly-strong Labour Parliament which took office after the Conservatives in 1935. By his tact and by his dignity he was able to introduce revolutionary legislation which marked the advent of the new regime, without bringing about the drastic re-action which every member of the old school feared and prophesied. Not without cause, di?d the Dominion look doubtfully upon the sweeping enactments which followed in rapid succession but had it not been for the Prime Minster w"i<th his manliness, outspoken fearlessness his assurance, courage and. tact there is every reason, to believe that this country would not have taken its medicine as it chid. The late Mr, Savage was a visionary, and a true believer in the cause he had espoused. A bachelor, he fought for the betterment of the women and children and for the emancipation of the widows and orphans. A constant friend of the under-dog, he was unremitting: in his labour to improve the conditions of the forking classes; yet at the same time no one could ever accuse him of intentionally precipitating an unfair action which was likely to have repercussions. At this hour Michael Joseph Savage, stands out as "the man" and even his political enemies will have nothing but admiration for his loyalty and' steadfastness to the cause he embraced.