LATE PREMIER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 143, 5 April 1940, Page 5

LATE PREMIER

CHIEF MOURNERS FORMER THORNTON RESIDENTS Mr and Mrs C. R. French, who were among the members of the family of Mr and Mrs A. J. French, chief mourners at the funeral of the late Right Honourable M. J. Savage, are well known to many! Whakatane district people. Mr French was appointed sole teacher at the Thornton School in 1923 and. remained there as headteacher until three years ago. He sought a transfer to the Wellington district in order to be near his parents, Mr and Mrs A. J. French, who moved to Wellington with Mr Savage when he became Prime Minister in 1935. Mr Savage had lived with the French family for over 30 years. Mr Savage was best man at Mr G. "R. French's wedding about 15 years ago, and later visited the young couple at Thornton. His wedding present was a pair of binoculars. While visiting Thornton Mr Savage was asked to address a public meeting, and this he did. No one present could have imagined that the speaker of the evening would one day become Prime Minister and be accorded such tributes on the occasion of his death.

LABOUR PARTY

WHAKATANE BRANCH At the meeting of the Whakatnne Branch of the N.Z. Labour Party on Wednesday night, the following resolution was passed:— "That this meeting of members of the Whakatanc Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party expresses its profound sorrow at the sad loss of their beloved leader and sincere friend. "Our utmost appreciation goes out from the bottom of our hearts at the unexampled manner in which the cause of humanity has been served by his untiring devotion i.ll pursuit of humanitarian ideals. "The cause has lost a great and kindly figure but the monument of ills life's work will serve as an inspiration to this movement here and in all countries in time lo come."