LATE MR SAVAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 April 1940, Page 5

LATE MR SAVAGE

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL PROPOSAL ADDRESS BY MR FRASER. MAN WHO DID GREAT THINGS FOR PEOPLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A. I ribnte to I he memory of the late Mr Savage was paid by the Prime Minister, Air Fraser, when referring in an address last night Io the proposal to ereel a national memorial Io his.predecessor. Air Savage, he said, was mourned wherever social progress was valued and democracy treasured ; his name would live in the history of New Zealand and of humanity in general. Mr Fraser also asked that the measure of support and loyalty which the people of the Dominion gave to Mr Savage be extended to him in the great task and throughout the difficult days that lay ahead. Declaring that the greatest tribute that could be paid to Mr Savage's memory, was to work as he did for the ideals he served and for which he sacrificed himself, Mr Fraser continued: “The political philosophy which guided Mr Savage’s endeavours, from which so much good has come to our land, was the direct result of his own experience of living among his fellow men as well as of deep study. Every one will agree that the late Prime Minsiter was an idealist, but it is essential to remember that he was a practical idealist with both feet firmly on the ground. We have only to recall the facts of his youth and early manhood to realise to what extent his later practical philosophy was based on first-hand experience.”

After giving details of Mr Savage’s career, Mr Fraser said that in the ups and downs of political fortune, Mr Savage never lost heart, and never deviated from the priciples he believed in and for which he had pledged himself to fight. It was an essential part of his policy that whatever he did must be with the full understanding and the full co-operation of the people. He always sought to persuade and never to force and preferred to wait till the majority of the people were in full agreement with what he wanted to do. Mr Savage was great in character, great in honesty, great in outlook, great in achievement, great in sympathy, great in loyalty, great in defeat, great in victory, and greatest of all in selflessness, he was a man who did great things for the people. “He is mourned by the whole nation and throughout the whole British Commonwealth of Nations,” Mr Fraser continued. “He worked to uplift those who had fallen by the wayside; to help and comfort the widow and orphan; to assist the mothers; to succour the sick, the suffering, the afflicted, the distressed; to give security to the aged; and to make life worth living for all.”

A PEOPLE’S MEMORIAL. Stating that everyone in the Dominion was invited to contribute to the cost of erecting a national memorial to Mr Savage at Bastion Point, Mr Fraser added that large contributions were not asked for. It was felt that the memorial should be in every sense a people’s memorial —symbolising the esteem and regard of all the people of New Zealand, Maori and pakeha, a contribution of sincere gratitude and love straight from the hearts of the people. The Memorial Committee, said the Prime Minister, was very anxious that contributions should not in any way prejudicially affect the patriotic funds. They felt that this would have been the wish of Mr Savage. They also wished everyone to feel that it was not the amounts of the individual contributions that would matter so much as the fact that everyone would have a chance to contribute. It was intended that the Dominion-wide scope of the appeal, not insistence upon large contributions, should be its central note. APPEAL FOR UNITY. “In this country." said Mr Fraser, .“we have built up a standard of living that is our pride, and the envy of others. We enjoy privileges of freedom and democracy which can hardly be appreciated by those who have never been without them. It behoves us to count our blessings, and to make every necessary sacrifice to preserve our happiness and our prosperity and to hand our rich heritage on to oui children. “I want to appeal to everyone to give to the Government and myself the same measure of loyalty and support which you gave to Mr Savage. “I earnestly appeal to every citizen to play his and her part at this time, whether it is at home or abroad on active duty.” the Prime Minister concluded. “Our men overseas will acquit themselves as men and heroes in the way New Zealanders have done in the past At home we must work hard, we must work efficiently, we must, as a nation, provide for future development by putting aside more, and finally I would appeal for unity of purpose and unity of effort, and thus show that we truly appreciate and will not forget the lesson of the life of the gicat man who has gone from us.”