The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1921. OUR BIG CHIEF.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 652, 22 July 1921, Page 4

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1921. OUR BIG CHIEF.

We notlii.’ii* extenuate, no* £>c

Not in his own day, perhaps, but certainly in the years to come, the

Hon. W. F. Massey, member for Franklin, who recently entered into his tenth year of office as Prime Minister of this Dominion, will be

appraised at his true worth as a statesman and an Empire builder. Of Mr. Massey it may well be said, “ ’tis dogged as does it,"’ for it is to his indomitable and unyielding allegiance to his principles and convictions, and his refusal to be discouraged by de-

feat, that he owes the proud position he occupies to-day. Through long years of seemingly hopeless conflict against overwhelming odds he led the forlorn hope of a small but loyal and compact Opposition against an apparently invincible regime, confident always, even in the darkest hours, that sooner or later the flag of Reform would be carried to victory. That well-woH victory came with the epoch-making election of 1911 when the opposing hosts were, shattered and the doors of the Promised Land i were opened to the pioneers who had sojourned s<] long and courageously in the wilderness. Strongly reinforced and encouiaged by the plaudits of a grateful and expectant country they entered in and took possession of the riens of Government. It was on July 10, 1912, Mr Massey took office as Prime Minister of New Zealand, and from that day to this he has proved himself- a Rig Chief, in every way worthy of the trust reposed in him by the people. The time of his coming into power was most- opportune. It enabled a strong man to be in command just when the controlling force of a strong man was most greatly needed. First the big strike, an industrial emergepcy fraught with disastrous possibilities, called for firm and fearless handling. What happened is a matter of history wholly creditable to the man whose Government unhesitatingly shouldered the responsibility of settling the trouble in the only way.it was possible to settle it in conformity with the best interests of the community as a whole. Then came the international upheaval which set civilisation rocking on its foundationsI—the 1 —the Great its stupendous, world-moving consequences. Here, again, the big chief proved himself the right man in the right place. “Ready, aye, ready!

New -Zealand’s ever ready !” was his ir tont response to the call >f the Motherland, and his message—racing all others to Downing Streetcarried with it ttys heartening- endorsement of every loyal man and woman in the Dominion. Then the weary, anxious, nerve-racking years of the war, .terrible years, years of unsparing sacrifice and staggering, awe-inspiring responsibilities. Here, truly, was the test of courageous ancr .enduring leadership, and the people of New Zealand realise to-day how well and how ably their big chief stood the test. And then at Versailles, when at last the time had

come to present the Allies’ b:ii of costs to the defeated Germans and theii associates in the world-crime,

Mr Massey won further distinction for himself and for New Zealand.

Many months filled with troublesome post-war problems of momentous magnitude have since elapsed, and although we are all feeling more or less severely the pinch of the-inevit-able financial slump, we are all heartened by the knowledge that the man vho speaks and acts for us as our national chieftain has shown himself > able to face every difficulty with ; cheerful optimism and to grapple ; with it in a spirit of sane statesman- ! ship. To-day he is on the other side I of the world, representing the whole ; Dominion at the Imperial Conference, and the reputation which he established for himself at Versailles is reflected in the spontaneous tributes to his common sense, his ability,, and his force of character which have j found expression in public print since ! his arrival in London. The National I Review, impressed hv the distinjiguished New Zealander’s personality, | sturdy patriotism, and breadth oi i vision, announced his-arrival with an * eloquent eulogy: ‘‘We may look foi | sense whenever Mv Massey speaks, j and never fail to find it. Were there ! ji-jore men of his temperament -O the i fore in the public life oi the Empire, ; the outlook would, be brighter than it i js.” Tt is something'to have lived to be- | come the recipient ol tributes such as ! this, especially when they are voiced > jjy those who have had the oest op _p:-vtunity of impartially estimating hie worth as ar. Imperial statesman. ' It is as a prominent figure in one of

i the most vital inter-Empire gatherings ever held that Mr Massey enters o n his tenth year of office as Prime Minister of New Zealand, and the people whom he represents, the people who are proud to own him as their big chief, know that in him they Lave one whose voice and judgment wii. not be lightly disregarded by ■ those who, with him, are charged ; with formulating decisions of the

most weighty consequence to every part of the Empire. We extend to tlie Prime Minister our heartiest congratulations; may he live long and prosper in the good work he has shown himself so abundantly able to do.