MEMORIAL SERVICE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4830, 15 May 1925, Page 2

MEMORIAL SERVICE.

THE LATE RT. HON. W. F. MASSEY.

TRIBUTE FROM PAEROA CITIZENS

A very reverential air permeated the large gathering of citizens who attended the public memorial service to the late Right Honourable W. F. Massey in the Gaiety Theatre yesterday afternoon. Mis Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Mrashall) presided, and seated on the stage with him were the Revs. F. B. Dobson, R. Morgan, A. M. Costahi, and Adjutant Arnold (Salvation Army. Cr. A. It Robinson (chairman) and Mill. W. Evans (county clerk) represented the Ohinemuri County Council, and Crs. P. E. Brenan, J. W. Silepck, E. Edwards. H. J. Hare, E. A. Porritt, G. P. de Castro, J. Pinder, and Mr W. C. Alexander (town clerk) attended on behalf of the Borough Council. The stage ways draped in purple and black.

The proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by a brief address by the Mayor in the course of which he said that the service had been arranged as a tribute to the late Premier and r. mark of respect to his memory. He wished to thank the local ministers of the different churches for their help and co-operation in arranging the service. His Worship said that be would not attempt to refer to the work «-.f their late Prime Minister, as an? tribute that he could utter would pale into insignificance when compaied with the gloving praises an L sincere expressions of sympathy forwarded to Wellington from every corner of the Dominion and the British Empire. The last sad, solemn rites being enacted that afternoon at Point Halswell closed the career of a, wonderful leader —a man.among meh. It was with profound sorrow and a deep feeling of loss .that the passing of 90 great and generally beloved person ars the late Mr Massey would be felt in the Dominion.

Turning to’ the children, of whom there was a large' number present, the Mayor said that he hoped the simple service that afternoon would make a lasting impression 'em their minds, and he trusted that they would be inspired with She love and veneration that was felt throughout the land for their late Prime Minister. The hymn “O God, our help in ages past” was then sung, followed by . a prayer offered by Adjutant Arnold. Tiie 9otli psalm was recited by the Rev. F. B. Dobson, who also read a passage of Scripture. Prior to the address, which was given by the Rev. R. Morgan, the hymn “Lead, kindly Light”, was sung. .. . . THE ADDRESS. Commencing the address the Rev. R. Morgan said that the occasion of the gathering that, day was necessarily a veiy sad one, as. it meant paying a last tribute to their esteemed late Premier, the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey. With King David of old the gathering mi’ ht appropriately say “Know ye not, that there is a great Prince and 3 c"eat man fallen thiis day ?n Israel. The late Mr Massey was one of New Zealand's great men, and a man raised from among tlTe people, and for the people ; and his greatness stood forth as a monument to his memory in the splendid service he had rendered this Dominion and the British Empire. We would be unworthy, indeed, did we not that day recognise with gratitude the services rendered. Not all, of course, would agree with the policy the Prime M-nteter had pursued, for no one man could, please all men; but all would admit that with honesty and uprightness of purpose he had puisued hie ideals for the welfare of New Zealand. When the present period of New’ Zealand’s history was written Mr Massey would undoubtedly have a unique place in the annals of our political records. The late Prime Minister was a plain, homely man, an unpolished stone from the great quarries of life, with a big heart, broad mind, and an intensely Imperialistic spirit. To him had not been given great genius, but he was blessed with practical qualities, common sense, sound judgment, and foresight which had made him more useful in the every-day life of our modern world. As a good steward he had exercised those qualities- with a singleness of purpose for the land he loved, to her advantage and prosperity. What he had lacked in greatness of mind he had abundantly compensated for in greatness of heart, for no matter how busy a time he mav have had, or how important the work in hand, he always had an open ear for those in need, and was ever willins’ to give kindly’ aid, especially to the"sick and the poor, who, it was said, had no greater friend in NewZealand. .When a. man filler! the office that Mr Massey had, and had spared time to minister kindness to the sick and needy, it was a mighty tribute to his greatness of heart and gave him .t place in the affections of the peoplo that no dazzling genius could ever do. Had our late Prime Minister not been a manly man, and a great man, there would never have been those tributes of affection and esteem which had flowed iii from every part of the vast Empire. A visiting American tfho landed in Auckland on Monday last said, “We do not know New Zealand, but the name of Massey is not strange to us.” It had been those homely qualities developed in a wonderful degree that had made the name of Massey , great, and 'accounted for the hold lie retained until the day of his death on the respect and confidence of the citizens of our Dominion. Not only was Mr Massey a great man, but he had been a great politician. That point had been revealed in the fact that the period of his Premiership w-as one of unexampled difficulty. We had had other notable Premiers in New Zealand, but never one who was called upon to face such a succession of difficulties and problems as Mr Massey had been called upon to. do. Industrial upheavals, the Gt eat War, epidemics, and commercial depression, each of which had followed hard on the heels of the other. Mr Massey had seen all the other, wartime Premiers put of office, and who

but a man of great political.skill and statesmanship could have accomplished so fine a service for the State. His critics might carp, but could they have surpassed his service for the welfare of New Zealand ? In layifla down the tools of service he had left New Zealand financially sound and prosperous, and probably’ one of. the happiest of the King’s Dominions. Further, Mr Massey’s statesmanship had not been bounded by the boarders of this Dominion. While he had put New Zealand first, he was not a little New Zealander. His vision was broad and embraced the Empire. The late Prime Minister had always , been a great Imperialist; indeed, it might be questioned whether there were any greater, within the Empire. The welfare of the Empire as a whole, its security, prosperity, and prestige had been his intense desire, and, always held a prominent place in his thoughts and efforts. From time to time be had been with the Premiers of other to confer with the statesmen of England on matters of Imperial concern, and at those conferences his common-sense, vision, and sound judgment had made him a valued member of those councils, and he had been by no means the least among those .statesmen and worthily upheld the honour and dignity of our Dominion. The speaker said he believed it to be true that New Zealand owed more than she yet realised to Mr Massey for the honourable position she held in Britain, and for the favourable conditions on which our loans wereraised in London. The late Premiei had inspired the confidence of the British financiers in himself as a sagackus political leader. Yet it so oft<n happened tnat places knew not the greatness of its leaders until they were removed by the Great Disposer of all events from their sphere of service. Mr Massey had gone, and his woik for our country was done, and. it was fitting that we should thank God for his services and pray to Him to raise up such another able statesman to guide the destinies of this fair “Britain of the Southern Seas." I’hc Rev. Morgan empnasised the _fact that the late Mr Massey had been a man who revered the Divine Name, mid he had been a diligent student of the Bible and had valued its words of admonition and counsel.' Ajs a good Presbyterian the truths of the grand old Book had been instilled into him, and he deeply realised the worth of the Bible and how much he owed to it. It had been the late Prime Minister's belief, as it. w'as the belief of many more competent to judge, that New Zealand was slack in the mattef of Bible study. Tn July last, during the debate on the Bible-in-schools question, Mr Massey had said, “The more cur growing people can learn of the contents of the Bible the better it 'vill be for them and for the Nation. It is the basis of pur religion, and, I believe, our civilisation.” It had been e. fine thing for Mr Massey as the first Minister of State in Parliament then assembled to give such a testimony for the worth of the Bible, said the speaker, and it had been his desire that the Book of Books should be in our schools and. its teaching become a part of our children’s education. Whether New’ Zealand would yet rise to that phase was still hidden in the mists of the future, but without doubt it would be to the enrichment of her people if she did. In conclusion the speaker said that the country should thank God for so faithful a servant of State, who had done so nobly and so well according to his light, and measured the tasks committed to bis hands, .it was now. necessary to ask the Almighty to raise up another servant, strong and _ true, who would take up the tools of State fallen from the hands of him whose mortal remains were laid t 6 rest that day on Point Halswell until the Resurrection morning, when all should meet where death, sorrow, and tears prevailed not and dwell with Him Whose septre was a septre of Righteousness, and who loved righteousness and hated iniquity. At the conclusion Of the address the hymns “For ever with the Lord” and “Abide with me” were sung, followed by a prayer and Benediction by the Rev. A. M. Costain, after which His Worship the Mayor moved, and the chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council . (Mr A. R. seconded “That this congregation, representative of the people of the Borough or Paeroa and the County- of Ohinemuri, assembled in a united memorial service, tenders its deepest, sympathy to the widow and family of the late Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, and expresses its own sense of personal loss in the death of so great a statesman and . Imperialist as our late Prime Minister.” The resolution was carried by the gathering standing in silence. The sounding of the “Last Post” by Bandmaster E. Martin concluded the solemn and impressive service. A word of praise is due to Mrs Cooke for her able accompaniment of the hymns.