The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1925. THE INSPIRATION REMAINS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 15 May 1925, Page 8

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1925. THE INSPIRATION REMAINS

“Prom the day Mr Massey entered Parliament until he aied, ire suspicion ol betrayal ex Uiu public interest has been attached, to las name. ±Le leaves an unmeumshed record —Mat ol a plain, simple man who saw his uuty clearly and did it fearlessly.” in tiiese words tiie "ttyunoy Morning Herald" most apuy summed up Me life anu record ol Me., departed Prime Minister, ft is a noble and wellmerited epitaph, it was tiiese qualities oi patriotism, homeliness and rugged courage which evoked the respect and admiration oi tiie people. In a word tho late Mr Massey was a man of Me people who loved his country and was ever obedient to the heavenly vision l .

“And generous foes confessed the magic spell Of greatness gone, that left the common score Poor by his loss who loved his party

well, But loved his country more.” me day ox mourning yesterday expressed Me appreciation ox Mo people anu voiced men’ gnex au tiro passing* ox a disxxng uisiieu and trusted statesman. "mr raussey stands axone, as the lass ox tne. Prime Ministers oi Me war period," wrote the Eondon * rimes,” in one ol its many' tributes to iiis services as a statesman ol Empire. ‘'Mis cheerxul acceptance ox Me increased naval programme, made necessary by Mo abandonment oi Mo Singapore scheme, is proof oi Me way in wined ins devotion to tne umpire lias risen superior to Ins natural disappointment at Mo abandonment oi Mose Imperial policies ior which he has lougno so Hard. Amid the many perplexities winch beset the Encash commonwealth. to-day, it, is pleasant to rellect that so great, a iuiM, and so great a sense pi service remains to inspire tiie leader of our most remote Dominion.” There was something more Man mere flimsy dag-wagging* winch actuated the late Prime Minister in Ins sturdy imperialism'. “Mr Massey felt anu saw that the safety of the British Empire made our civilisauxon saxe, anu lie was an enemy, not only to ms country, but to nunianicy, wdo did not guard and uoxcna uai; Empire," said me on’iex Justice in ms eloquent trxUULO XU VilOi p'U.td'lGtlSlii. 01 LiiU uisiinguisned ivew. Zeal anu siuiesman. fins wus, nooerc. auded, “Me most importune ideal ox ms iue, unu wnu uai‘o suy in was nut une ox uxe xngnesu ,»o snoaxu ever maintain .** Arouuu uis memory tins meal may ever ce entwined. Vv e nuve lost a great uexender ox Me lampire, U iiu pur young people sXiodxu sec cO it: mat ins uxa unu example uo not cease to inspire mem. ic is to our youM we must iooji. Pnu uiuer seutdeirs will soon cease to oe, ana woe will oe to Meu* successors n i\ ew neuianu, is not maintained as a Homo ox Mat iv uruio race Mat has played no small part m Me progress oi numamty." Hunng- me lpng j cars and of laiMXui sex vice to nis country ana Empire Me late mi* Massey never iunered. “Wo in iNew Zealand," Me late Prime Minister, declared during* Me aunt day's of tne war, “nave our little dinerences wim regard to political matters occasionally, out, for ail Mat, I believe Mere are very lew people m Eew Zealand wiip do not pub Me public good —Me country's g*oou and Me Empire's g-oud —btsiore anything m tne way ol personal uextent. And i hope ana believe Mat in years to come, when this war wilt appear to the people oi tins country only line the menipry of an evil dream, New Zealand citizens of Mose times—-twenty-live or thirty years from now, pea-naps.—will be able to took back with pride upon tho position taken ujj by the citizens oi i\ew Zealand during the years of war.” The late Mr Massey’s love of country and faith in, tho destiny ox Me race and the Empire illumine the darkness filing across the national horizon by tiie visit of the Angel of Ecu tli, and stand out as a flaming* beacon diffusing* inspiration to the people oi this fair Dominion to emulate his lofty idealism and worthily follow; his noble example.