Mr. Downie Stewart Placed Principle Before Party

Chronicle (Levin), 5 October 1949, Page 7

Mr. Downie Stewart Placed Principle Before Party

WELLINGTON, Oet. 4. Tributes of respect to the taemory of the late Honourable W. Downie Stewart, a former Minister of the. Crown, were paid in the House of Representatives today. References were made to his indomintable courage in faee of the physical infirmities from svhieh he suffered f ollowing serviee in Pranee in World War One. The House adopted a resolution ree'ording the' late Mr. Stewart 's devoted and distinguished seryices to. New Zealand .and the British Commonwealth and tendexed its sympathy to his relatives. The resolution was moved by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, seconded by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, senior Opposition whip; o(n behalf of the Opposition. After he reeall'ed how Mr. Stewart was wheeled in a chair into the Chamber to attend sittings of the House, Mr. Fraser said that that would have inspired pity among those in the House at the time were it not for the fact that all members knew that his tor tured body eontained a great mind and Lndomitable spirit .that rose triumphant over the painful eomplaint from whieh he suffered. Mr. Stewart was known as a very honourable opponent and as a man who seorned to make mere Party points. Mr. Fraser said he had never found Mr. Stewart dogmatic or immovable. On the contrary, he always found him resilient and receptive and anxious to do the right thing. But any question of prineiple he considered fundamental, was sacred to him. He eould not be a party to monetary devaluation whieh other members of the Cabinet to whieh he belonged, considered necessary in the economic interests of t'he country ' and he resigned from that Ministry. Mr. Broadfoot said that the late Mr. Stewart was a worthy son of New Zealand, who was imbued with high ideals and a desire to serve the community as a whele. He was one of the architeets of the Ottawa Agreement whieh strengthened the ties of Empire and Empire trade. When policy conflicted with prineiple, he stuek to prineiple. Tributes were also paid by. the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash), the Minister of Defenee (Mr. Jones), Messrs. Bodkin, Connolly, Langstone, Algie, Bae and Doidge. The House rose at 3.40 as a mark of • respect, until 2.30 tomorrow.