LATE MR MASSEY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18425, 4 July 1925, Page 11

LATE MR MASSEY.

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The high esteem in which the late Mr Massey was held .by prominent public Irishmen and the Press of his native country will provide interesting reading for New Zealanders mourning the loss of their Prime Minister.. Sir James Craig, Prime- Minister of Ulster, in the Northern Parliament, said it was the desire of members in all parts of the House to offer sincere sympathy to those sorrowing in New Zealand upon the death of their Prime Minister. All sections of thought and feeling in Ulster looked upon the late Mr Massey as one of their most distinguished sons. His whole soul was centred upon people whom he had the aonour to represent in New Zealand, but through it all there was a warm place in his heart for his native Ulster heath. Exile's Notable Record. The "Irish Independent" says: Mr Massey was an ardent Imperialist, an enthusiastic Protectionist, a vigorous advocate of armaments, and a scarcely disguised opponent of the League ot Nations. ... He gained the esteem of the people. and after he had heen prominent in local organisations, entered the New Zealand u Parliament in 1894. ... To his credit, he it said, that lie always opposed the bigoted wire-pulling that tried to deprive Catholics in the Civil Service of their just promotion, and throughout his long career proved himself to be a man of high principles and unimpeachable honour in public as well as in private life. Derry Presbyterian Church. Reference to tho death of Mr Massey was made in the First Derry Presbyterian Church on, Sunday night by" the Rev. Dr. McGranahan, an ex-Modera-tor of the. General Assembly. He said that Mr Massey was one of many TJlsterr.iert who had gone out to the colonies carrying with them the integrity, sincerity and activity that were characteristics of the Ulster Scot. Mr Massey whs a devoted member of the Church, and was deeply interested in Sabbath school, work, a work which he publicly stated recently was one which he regarded as essential to ; he welfare of the Commonwealth.. "It is men like Mr Massey," added Dr. McGranahan, "who have made our Empire what it is, and wo pray that many such may be raised up to further its interests." "Died As He Lived." "Tho Irish Times" says: Mr Massey was the last of the war Premiers. Alone of all the men who held the political chieftainship of their countries during the great struggle, he weathered the storms of the critical years that have passed since the Armistice; and at his death he was just as popular among'his people as he had been at any stage in his career. Men of apparentlv greater stature—Wilson, Lloyd .George, Clemenceau, Poincare, Smuts, and Hughes—all have fallen from their high estate; hut William Massey dies as he had lived, incomparably tho greatest New Zealar.der. .. . He never was a "colonial" in the ordinary sense, and whenever differences of opinion arose between the Dominions and- the Mother Country—more especially during the days of the Paris Peace Conference—he was invariably to be found on the side of the home Government. Under his guidance New Zealand prospered exceedingly. Socially it is the most advanced of all the Dominions, as relatively it is also the wealthiest. Its rapid-progress during recent years has been" due in no small 'measure to the work andi enthusiasm of William Massev, who was among the most successful Empire-builders of our age. The Secret of His Greatness. The "Northern Whig" (Belfast): The story of Mr Massey's career read? like a. romance, and some day, perhaps, we shall have it in full. It would be an inspiration to the youth of the Empire. . . . Mr Massey will take his place in history with those great Ulstermen who have carved for themselves a niche in the Temple of Fame. He was ouiet and unassuming, and lacked all those theatrical arts which some public men are apt to practise. Mr Massey possessed character in the widest meaning of the term. He never sought high office. He had it thrust upon him, but then he soon justified the wisdom and the foresight of those who selected him as their leader. ... It was by

sheer merit that Mr Massey rose to be -the head of one of the great Dominions of the Empire. He died, as we are sure he would have liked, in harness, but he lived, long enough to see his work bearing abundant fruit. Mr Massey was the only Prime Minister in the world whose personal position has not been shaken by the Great War. It was a great testing time for statesmen, and he came through it unscathed. Indeed, it may be said of him that he died in the plenitude of his power. He was trusted as fully in New Zealand as' he was trusted throughout the Em-

pire. . • • We, in his native province, followed his career with great interest and pride. If we seek for the secret of Mr Massey's greatness it will be found in the fact that he feared God and nothing else. It will not surprise those who have followed his career to learn that he was "a great Bible student and a man of simple Christian faith." It was this firm, abiding faith in things unseen that gave Mr Massey such a strong hold on all that is of the first importance in statesmanship, and enabled him to come through the ordeal of the great world catastrophe with an enhanced reputation. So long as the self-governing States of the Empire can secure such-men sis William Ferguson Massey to take the lead m the management of their affairs, there will be no real cause for anxiety as to their future. , The Name Perpetuated. Belfast "Evening Telegraph":—No more loval man ever served the King, and no 'greater believer in the destiny of the British Empire ever lived. Ulster people liked the man, apart from his talents and gifts, for his love of the Old Country. His career in the New World was 'wonderfully successful. He rose to the Premeiership of the land of Ids adoption, which under his inspiring leadership, played a magnificent part in the World War. Behind the amazing efforts of those little islands in the South Seas was the personality and the driving force of Mr Massey, the indomitable Ulsterman who was at the head of affairs. Success did not spoil him, for he was always the same unassuming geuial man. His name will be- long remembered as one of the great servants of Empire provided by Ulster. Countv Dcrry will rank him side by side with the Lawrences, and Lister will give him a niche in the temple of her illustrious dead side by side with the first Marouis of Dufferin and Ava, John Nicholson, of Delhi; Sir George White of Ladysmith; aud many others who have brought glory to the Imperial Province. In the City of Belfast the name of Massey will be perpetuated in the broad avenue that leads from Belmont to the site of the new Parliament Buildings at Stormout, an avenue that in the years to come will be one of the most important in the city.