NEXT PRIME MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1314, 18 December 1911, Page 5

NEXT PRIME MINISTER.

MR. MASSEY'S CAREER, AS POLITICIAN AND MAN. It is now just over 41 years (says. I.lm Auckland "Herald") eince Uicrc flopped ushoro at Auckland from an passenger ship u Ind of H years, fresh from school in his native town in Ireland, full of boyish hopes, ar.d fired with all (ho cifler onthusias.m that Hie loiminco of coiiiini'ncin? lifo im tho then comparatively little-known colony naturally awakened in Jiis yoiitlii'ul nii'iid. William Peranum Massey, for such vns the boy's iiiiino, hud just left behind him tin; land ot hif, birth and tlm homo of hid fathers in »rd(jr to rejoin his parents, who, in the early sixties, hail come out from Iho Kincr.'Jrl lslo to Auckland in order to c/irvu out. '(or themselves and their children i> now home in n no.w land. The educational facilities in >'ew Zealand in those day?, nu'iiko those of to-day, were very rcstrieWi, and Mr. and Mrs" Mass.cy had loft tlif/.r son with relatives in Londonderry i;a order that ho might receive his erlucnU on there. In tin- year 1670, the Mibjcd; of the present, sketch, having completeil his studies, came cut to joiu his JanirVj-. The Auckland district has been his homo from then until the preMnttiino, and neither ho nor his adopted land liita had. reason to regret it. Entry Into political Life, The immigrant la/.l lived with his letft p/.rents, who wore farming-first at Taimiki 'West, and toon afterwards at MaCfore. Hero the rjoy developed into the J'outh, and in dun course rosu to man's ostate. First as t'ae energetic young settler, and again as, the ardent ktudent of public affairs, sawing his political apprenticeship on various local bodies, \V. I'. Miisspy l)ecain<i known and respected by t.hose amongst whom he lived sad laboured as one, of the best types of the sturdy, industrious, and successful colonics. Thus honoured ]>ff the esteem and confidence of his fellows', his horizon of thought soon began to -extend. Endowed with a natural energy and a dm; shan.! of that ambition that characterises t/ac man of brains and a capacity for iimu" them, Mr. Massey's. sphere of usenilnitts was not long confined bv the narrow borders of parochial politics. Thus, a few years later, wo behold him, with, his political vision and aspirations broadening oot, seeking « voicu in the councils of the Stale. At the first attempt, in 1633, when he first contested the 'Franklin seat against Major Harris, fortune did not attend upon him, but at the second effort well-earned victory, after a hard-fought fifth'*, was his, and thus in ISM he Ulado his.. appearance into the political nrcii* ai the chosen o'f tho electors of Wnileinala. A Historic Telegram. "Anything noteworthy in connection ".vith my entry into I'nrliament? Yes, there was something that 1 well remember," siiid Mr. Massey,'ill tho course of a recent chat with tho present writer. "It van harvest time, in JBSU, when the Wβitf!|natu. sflat became vacant. I was'in my htackyard liui'ding a corustack when a telegraph messenger came along with it telegram. Tho stack was , some height from tho ground and the message w»n hiuided up to me on ono. of Iho prongs of a pitchfork by tho driver of tho waggon that was being unloaded at the stack.'" This telegram, which deserves to become historic, but which unhappily was not preserved, contained a request from ft number of. Waitoinata electors that Mr. Massey would meet thfm on thp following day lor tho purpose of receiving = a iroquest to contest the seat. "I met them on the following day na requested," the 'Leader of tho Reform parly proceeded, "and I consented to accede to the request" After a keen' fight —thp late Premier (Mr, Soddon) and tlm Native Minister (Mr. James Carroll) stumped the electorate in favour of the Government nominco—Mr. Massey was returned. Threo years later he was elected for Franklin against his former opponent, Major Harris. Ho is s-tiU member for Franklin, and as shown by his largo majority at last week's poll, lie enjoys lh« confidence of his constituents in more than an ordinary degree. A Career of Hard Work, Mr. Massey's political career has been ono of hard work, of faithful service in tho cause of his constituents and country. . For -nearly 18 years a member oi tlio Houso of Representatives, for several years tho chief Whip of his party, and for the past eight years Leader of tho Opposition, he has been always a prominent, and of laic.years a foremost, figure in the political arena. As Loader of tho Opposition (to which position ho was elected in 1903), Mr. Massey has carried out tho duties of. an onerous and oittimes thankless position with an inclofatigabk zeal and industry that hiia characterised him in his private walks of life. The leader of the party in opposition, must bo over on tho alert, ready ior new Government Bills, Ministerial statements, or enui.i.iations of policy in whatever form they may be .presented. Hβ cannot 101 l when some new move may bo made, and if he is faithful to his trust he must bo ready to examine, and, if need be, to ct-iticiso any new proposal brought forward. He cannot absent himself for any lengthy period from his srat, for lie kuowetk not tho houi nor tho day when, his time cometh. Eternal vigilance, in short, is a necessary qualification for the leadership of an Opposition, and in Mr. Massey tho Boform party in New Zealand has a leader who possesses this great quality. A nocesary corollary is a good physical constitution, and hero again the condition ia not lacking. Tho strong, vigorous form of the member for Franklin has always eiTP.stcd attention as he has sat, through many a weary session, in his place in tho Itouso, with dm Prime Minister as his vis-a-vis. One of the first to eater and ono of the lust to leave the Chamber, ho has earned ii reputation for unflagging industry that is recognised by members on all sides of (ho House. Looking to the Future, It is, of course, only as Leader of the Opposition, that Mr. Massey is as .vet known to political fame. If, as now seems utmost certain, he- will shortly appear in tho even more important and responsible position of l'rimo Minister— (he highest post in (ho gift of the people —he will no doubt Ijo able to fill the position with hnnuur to himself am! credit to his party and his country. His policy, as he has steadfastly declared, is (hut of true, progressive mid these are tho principles on which he will build his policy if ho is given tho opportunity of rnrrying them into administrative effect as the leaner of tho Ecl'orm Ciovernment. Ho. has fought long and valiantly for his ideals, and the reward (hat now appears to be within his grasp is a fitting vonsmmunlion of good and faithful service. A "Son of the Soil," A true "sou of (lie toil"—his forefathers worn farmers in County Derry for generations back—Mr. Mnsscy kits identified himself with agricultural pursuiis from his first arrival in New Zealand. For jjonio .years past lie has been one nf tho most prosperous farmers at Mangcio, where he is tho owner of a farm containing some of tho best land in that fertile district. As a practical agricultural, and one well versed in nil the points connected will) the successful tilling of- the soil, Mr. Massey, th*s farmer, is as w<-II known in his district as Mr. Mns.sry, tlm politician, is known in the wider circle of national nfl'airs. Bluff and hearty, thick-set, and broadshouldered, of massive brow, open ami earnest in coiiiitammfc,' big-brained, as well as big-bodied, William Ferguson Massey is u man among men in whatever capacity he may be found, 'flu . Rood old North of Ireland grit—determination ami perseverance—makes its presence, foil:. A close thinker and » hard worker—one whn will not allow Mimll dilliciiKios to >tt\nd in liis wnjr, but none thp l-ss a man nf worthy idenls nnd high principle?, nf \uiiinpeactiahln honour in p-iblic ns in pW-' ' viiii , life—he is ef the type of public tm-n that a country stands most in neril of.