AT REST.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 May 1925, Page 3

AT REST.

(I 1 rom Our Wellington Correspondent) WELLINGTON, May It. Divided as it may be in polities, in creed and in .social circumstances, the whole community is mourning to-day the passing of a, distinguished figure in the public life ol the Dominion, and a vigilant guardian of its rights and privilege!,. Mr M ussey wa.s Jong enough in the liercc light which in these days heats more ardently about the politician than iL does about the Throne, to encounter all the adverse criticism that could he heaped upon his head, ami all the laudatory appreciation that could he .sounded in his luts. These are Lite fortunes of every courageous soul that dares to assume the responsibility of leadership. But amongst Maine and praise, evil report and good report, Mr

.Massey .s l< •< 11 1 lour square to every Wind th;it blew unshaken in his faith, tiiid never doubting the righteousness of hts cause, lie did not make his "'ay into the highest position within tin; gift of the nation hy chance or by influence or by design. It was a pure love of battle inherited from a lone line of sturdy ancestors and ■strengthened perh.'i| s by a sense of political wrong, that firi-t impelled him towards Parliament. When there he was in doubt for a session or two as to whether or not lie really had found his vocation, hilt the very hopelessness of the pa-ition of his party at that time carne to him as a summons and an inspiration and for fourteen or fifteen years he carried on a gallant light against overwhelming odds, which, at last, brought him victory, and the opportunity to write a notable chapter in the history of this country.

It is too early yet to discuss in detail his legislation and administrative achievements. They will not fall into their prop® prospective t;ill they have been tested hy the passage of the years. It may he said it once, however, without any hesitation. and without, any reservation, that hy lii.s zeal and temerity, hv his knowledge and understanding, by his courage and his daring, by lii.s national outlook, and his imperial enthusiasm, and perhaps most of all, by his ready sympathies and intense familiarity ho won a very high place among the whole-hearted patriots who have made the history and shaped the destiny of this young nation. New Zealand while mourning its own loss, will extend its warm and earnest sympathy to tht.se who are suffering the more personal and the more poignant sorrow. They have made sacrifices only a little lews in degree than those made hv the man who literally gave his life in the .servers of his country, hut they at least have the comfort of knowing that his sacrifices am! theirs were not made in vain, and that the nation will profit through all the years from the fruit they hear, No man could he more greatlv honoured than by cidi a monument of hits own erection .

SIR F. BFPL'S THIBET!'

[HY TEt, 1,0 it A I’ll —CEit fit ESS ASSOCIATE

WEI.iL!.>GTOX, -May 10

Referring to the death ol .Mr Massey, Sir Francis Hell, the Acting Prime Minister said : ‘‘Though for many days ’I have known that the death of lay friend and header was near, the actual end has brought sorrow which is too great to leave me capable of writing of him as he deserves iruin me. Year hy year, during his long leadership of the Opposition, and then throughout the thirteen years of his tenure of ollite, as Prime Minister, Alt Massey had grown grater in the estimation of the people of New Zealand, and had won. more and more, the affect ion of those who have been privileged to serve under him. Ihe value of his strong, patient sense of public duty will he more keenly It'll. now that his wise and prudent control of public affairs lias ended. Ihe whole Empire will mourn his less with us, for among Empire statesmen, he had long since advanced to the loremost rank. A real and lasting tribute to his memory is the unanimity of till classes and .sections ol our political and social life in their expressions of personal affection and anxiety. Since the serious nature of his illness became known, the country had come to know his worth as its Leader in Parliament, but even more to understand bow just and upright lie was in all his dealings, and his liappv, unalJe; ted consideration to all alike hail disarmed many opponents, and attached to him more firmly his hosts ef friends.”

(SIR JOSEPH WARD’S TRIBUTb

WEI.LI.N'O'fON. May II

Kir Joseph Win'd, in the eoiir.se of a warm tribute, said .Mr. Massey s death will be deplored by all seat ions of the people. His own feelings were of the greatest sympathy lor Mrs Massey and family. To the people of the country he has so long served, Mr. Massey’s death comes as a great blow. Even those who had dill'erod strongly from his views must leel deep regiet. that he was not permitted to live to finish his public career, and live in (poet retirement. Kir Joseph Ward said he was in Parliament when Mr. Massey entered it. and though they often crossed swords, ho recognised in Mr. Massey a man o! strung .courage and a tearless oghtei. one whom the country can ih-a!!ord to lose

Sir Josenh said that lie li:ul ntltMulod several conferences with .Mr. -M s"'sey in the Old I,ami ami canid alhrm that he did good work. “He will he missed very (.'really " said Sir d. (!. Ward, “Hath in Parliament. ami in the conntrv. and such a man’s removal, especially while occupyin-i the highest position in the State, eonies as a disaster that is widespread troll) end u> end of the country.”

mu wh.koed’s regrets. ‘ WELLINGTON, 'Mnv 11. ( \l r Wilfonl t l.cader of the Opposition! triliutiiiK Massey, said for twenty- ] five years they had been opponents. > The dead Premier hit hard, nave ana rter and took anytime quietly which was given in return. He was atwavs punctual tor business, and always ready for any eventuality. His steady Imperialism was a joy to me and 1 always saw eye to eye with him on matters of common loyalty and obligations which knit together, and alone ean maintain the integrity of the Umpire U It is ditlieult to imagine Parliament without him.” MU HOLLAND'S SYMPATHY. WELLINGTON. May 11Mr 11. Holland (Lender of the Labour Bartel telegraphed conveying lus own and the Labour Party’s sympathy with Mrs Massey and with the Government m their irreparable loss. ” t shall always remember him as a states- , man of wide capabilities and strong determination, and a great oppomn who. having given bis word, never or.ee In-oke it. After life’s titlnl lever, may be sleep well.” CHURCH REFERENCES. WELLINGTON. May Id. Reference was made in all the chinches to -r Massey’s death and in many cases special l.vmns and anthems were suin', as at St. Paul’s Pro Cathedral wlicrc the solemn, beautiful ‘‘Give Res O Christ to They Servants ” taken from the orthodox eastern church was

rendered. Archdeacon Johnson preached an eloquent sermon eulogising the departed statesman. I’oshop Enroll declared he felt sure, that all parties would recognise in Mr .Massey not merely a partv leader, hut one who loved New Zealand, lie had Us welfare at heart, and gave his adopted countrv unstinted service.

At St. John's (Presbyterian) Doctor (lihhs spoke of the high appreciation, wherein Mr .Ma.s.sev was held on all sides. All would feel deep sympathy with the widow and lamily. AECK BAND, .Mat 11.

Reference to .Mr .Massey's death was linele in all life churches. Special h\ inns wel l- sung, and in several iu-.-Icures the Dead March was played by the organists. BISHOPS' TRIBFTES. CIIRIsrCIIFBCII, -May 11. Archbishop Julius paid a brief, hut eloquent tribute to the late I’rimt Minister. His Grace said “Every thoughtful member of the eomniimHy will receive with profound regret the announcement of lie death ol Mr Mas sey. for whatever may he our political opinions we cannot fail to rocogn..sc inestimable worth, ol honesty of purpose. strict integrity, and devotion in duty. By such sterling qualities, rather than by < uiisj iriioiis ability, .Mr Massey attained and held hi< high position toil secured the confidence and t.stoem of his fellow citizens. Sir'll men may not achieve great things I'r.uu parly, but tliey render the best i.f service to the State.’’

liis Grace Archbishop Redwood who is present in Christ liunh gave a message stating that lie joins with the community in expressing his snrow at the loss ;,u-t ined by the Dominion. in the demise ol the I’riine Minister, who for so many years worked so strenuously for the public welfare. lie added that he wi-heil to extend deepest .sympathy to Mrs .Massey nil I her familv in their great bercave-

TIIE BFRIAE SITE. A ICELAND. May 10. It is practically certain that Mr Massey will be buried on Point llalswel 1, Wellington liar'our. 'ibis plan, which was lirsl .suggested by Cabinet, has the approval of Mr Massey's v ; and daughters.

It is imposed that Mr Ma-sey he given a State funeral in Wellington and that his resting plate should he ill the centre .if New Zealand, near the Place of Government, which lie ha., directed for thirteen years; and also near Parliament House, in w behe has seined lor HI years. It is considered due and fitting by his tolIcagucK.

Point lialsnell lea's to the imagination as the burial place of the -New Zealand statesman. It is a bald point jutting into Port Nicholson. 'I here it looks oil open .sea. and as well upon the eitv. Any monument erected there will he always before the eyes i the people in the capital, and will he the first to catch the eyes ol men on the tdiipji arriving and departing. The dedication of hill tops as resting places of great men has several precedents. Sir John l.ogan-Camphell is buried at the summit of One Tree lliil; Cecil Rhodes is buried in the Matoppo Hills ol Rhodesia ; and Robert Louis Stevenson on Villa Mount in Samoa. Richard John Sedilon licit

in a grave oil the I roiniuence overlooking Parliament House ami Lamb ton Quay. Wellington.

BEX EDEN SYMPATHY. DENKDfN, May 10.

The news of Mr Massey's death vie received with profound regret by all ..tedious of th" community. Sympathetic and appreciative reference was made in | ra"tieallv all the ■Churches, feeling tributes being paid to his outstanding abilities as a public man and as a citizen. SYDNEV REGRET. SYDNEY. May 11. The news of Mr Mo. cK- death a , received with deep regret. AN FNBI.EMISIIEI> RECORD. SYDNEY. ...ay IE The •‘Herald'’ in a leader on dir Massey, says; “By the passing of Mr Massev, the Dominion wherein he spent must of his life loses one of its most honoured citizens, and the Empire tt devoted son. Rugged plainness, integrity and directness, were outstanding qualities in tins sterling farmer, who established for lumscll and his partv an authority which siomimpregnable, ft was an instructive achievement, to he long niomornhlo. for the career of Mr Massey, il reliedt ng anything at all. is an annihilating answer to those tricky minded people with a demoralizing gospel that, 'wiliness ami art dice are the sounded passports to public confidence, f rom tile day he entered Parliament, until lie died, no suspicion of betrayal ol the public interest was even attached to his name. He leaves an unblemished record, that of a plain simple man seeing l-.i.s duly clearly, and. doing il fearlessly. In what more vital way could the theory of Government, common to the British Dominion-,. >•" justified.”

SIR. G. m.I.KU. SYDNEY, May 11. Sir George Fuller said- ” I re«ret exceedingly to hear of Mr Massey’s death, lie was one ot our loremost Empire men. He has done work of tremendous worth, not only to Mr" Zealand, hut all the Empire as well.

HISIIOP CLEAKY’S TUI BYTE. AUCKLAND. May 11. Cshop Cleary last evening paid the following tribute to the late Prune Minister:-“As a Catholic Churchman. I stand aside from political partallegiance of any kind, hut the predominant feeling over the death of the late Prime Minister must ever be one of deep sympathy with him in his long sulferiigs. so bravely lxirno. that pro.eded his death, and one of heartfelt condolence with Mrs Massey | and faniliy. and one ot grateful remend.ranee to the departed statesman for the great and unselfish and valued serviTes rendered by him to this Dominion and to the Empire throughout the long drawn agony of the Great War. Those were years that tried the souls of New Zealand's, responsible’ rulers, and of New Zealand's manhood and womanhood, and r believe the Dominion will, at his graveside and in years to come, recall with deep appreciation tee patriotic services of the deceased Prime Minister. The -proudest, opitah ot Lawrence, of East India fame, was that “He tried to do his duty. 1 lie late Mr Massey both tried to do his duty to his country, and lie did it in those darkest and most soul-searching veins of the war in the Dominion’s history. My sympathy goes with my \\hole heart to his bereaved tamdy. NELSON. May 11. AH tings were half masted and the schools and Government offices closed. Feeling references were made to Mr Massey at all the churches last evon- - ing.

A LONDON TRIBUTE. LONDON*. May 10. Mr Thomas, in a message to the Australian Press Association says the Empire as a whole will hear with profound regret of Mr Massey s death He was one of its most distinguished statesmen. None who had the privilege and honour of knowing him could be Otherwise than impressed by his sincerity, and single-minded de-

sire to work for the good of the conn

THE THGXDERER SPEAKS

(Received this day at 10.20 a.m.j LONDON, May 10.

Tho “Times" in a leader says New Zealand lias lost a I rusted. National leader, and the Empire a most, loyal, devoted servant. One of the statesmen who dominated the p Jitiiai -lagof the Mother Country and Dominions during the war years lias retired into the background. Mr Ma-sey was the hist, and perhaps he. himscll. would have preferred that death, mil deleat, ending ins long honourable eareci in office. New Zealand is a country of fine loyalists. If her people are loyal to the Empire, they are also loyal t" the men of their choice. Mr .Mas-cy, like his old npoom lit. .Mr Eedd m. was Premier for thirteen years. It is a tribute to his power and leader-hip

that the varimi- attempt.- et opposition during his period ol "Ike ■ seamed half-hearted and almost unreal. I! 1 ' was an Imperial leader ei the old school. Even after the war he had little sympathy with the p ’lili' al ideals of s line of his brother oremiers. The British partnership herein, however. is relied (d in the opinion of a vast majority of tellow countrymen, for the restless doctrines of the past few years has taken longer to reach New Zealand than the nations nearer the heart of the Empire. Ihe British people, knowing Air Massey lot a lliilf. kindly figure, will receive the m w.s of his death with the keenest regret and will be the first, lo sympathise with New Zealand in its great

KING AND QEKEN’S MKSSACIWEEB'I.NGTON. May El

The following cable message has been received by Mrs Ma-sey “The Queen and I join in the sorrow winch has Befallen you hy the death of your dear husband. The Dominion will mourn ihe loss of a. Prime Minister who held that office with honour and distinction before, throughout. and since the Croat AVar. AYc heartily sympathi-e with yon, your family and the people of New Zealand, and fed sure that, these sentiments are shared geiicrall; throughout ihe British Empire. - Signed George R. 1."

BODY TO 1.1 K IN STATE. AY ELLINGTON. Alay 11. Arrangements are being made t"f Mr Alas-";.'-, h «ly to In in -late in the mail, vestibule of the Parliament Buildings, A M!M-TEE'S REFER hNT ES. ABOKI.ANP. May 11. Sir .laiiies Parr said: “I consider Mr Massev to If the grcaP-l Parlia men - tarv tactician New Zealand me, known. Hi the lloii-c he knew exactly when to take d! the gloves and when to coneil,t, •. He was keenly sensitive to the psvciu.diurv of i'tiTV situation. When sudden and unexpected happened, and an iie.taut decision mu-1 he made. liiuund worked like lightning ami however serious the emergency hm quick judgment was nearly always equal to the occasion. What, did be in our darkest hours, lie stood like a rock through the w ars dread a! terma th. For six wears he udminisiered and rul-

ed hi- >. icmiry saneK and w isely so that he dies leaving. New Zealand the most happy and prnsneruus ol all the King Dominion-. All New Zealand will lament the passing ol a pilot wno weathered the slonn.” BISHOP AYKRIBB'S TRiiU'TE. Aft K BAND. May 11. Archbishop Averill say.-: “'l l:-' Right II,;:,. \Y. F. Mas-ey. P.C.M.tB. whose death, not only New /'.'-aland. hut the while Empire mourn-, lies been tor many years past an peisone.lilv in ; his Dominion ami al--o among the Premiers el liters'll s Dominion- who from time in mue have 'sen summoned to coaler with the .dalesmen ol England on matters til Imperial concern. New Zealand owes I erhap- nmi'e than it knows to Mr \;,, .|oi- ,!i- hole ei l a hie no -i l ion v, he'll Ice Do a i in, ii fold - ic :no c-1 imataiii oi England and par, laiila, It Um-e wlm occupy responsible positions in the Covernincnt , ! the leillitry. Mr Mas.-ev was a mail whose word mind he relied upon and who inspired (oillideuee not only in liimsell. hut m the ( overumoul and the Domiiiuiii whi'Ti he represented. While lie was at all Hum extremely loyal to New Zealand lie was never m any danger ol becoming a hill-' New Zealander. j WE EE I NT-TON IN MOEKNING. 1 WE BEING TON, .day 11. | There are sign.-, of mourning cveryI where ill Hie city to-day. All the GovI eriimeiii offices under the Public Kerj vices Coiiimissiclicr. except those transaetliig urgent public business, have lieeli < lose.' l until alter the tmu-rul i which is fixed lor Ihursday. j Many businesses are closed and seme ! are draped in mourning, i Sir Charles and Gaily Ferguson ari rived from Auckland to-day. I The Supreme Court has been adjourned.

Tlie schools and colleges on assembling were addressed by the headmasters nml then the scholars were dismissed for the day. The schools will ills,, he closed on Thursday. An extraordinary Gazette notice was issued this morning nolilying the death df Mr Massey. AT CIIUISTCII FUCII. CHRISTCHURCH. May 11. When the Supreme Court adjourned this morning as a mark ol respect, .Judge Adams said the Ices sustained |,v the death of the Premier would !,e felt throughout the Empire. FTe was not only a local statesman hut rendered unique and likable service during the war.

Schools and public officer; are closed in Christ lnirch uml Hag' wen half-masted everywhere.

The morhid microbes which peiplex n\s iliev squirm and roam about. Around the lings and solar plexus I f unchecked may “lav us out. Vile germs of septic influenza, Mean much anguish to endure: Tiicir victims moan in sad cadenza “Send for Woods’ Great Pepper mint Cure.’’