TRIBUTE BY AIR

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 41, 5 April 1940, Page 10

TRIBUTE BY AIR

HE following tribute was broadcast from all National Broadcasting Stations on the morning of the Prime Minister's death: The great Prime Minister who has just passed away was in his sixty-ninth year, having celebrated his sixty-eighth birthday some two weeks ago. Born on the farm of his parents on March 7, 1872, at Benalla, Victoria, Australia, and educated at the Benalla Public School, he subsequently followed various occupations-using his spare time to build up the co-operative movement and the Labour Party. Arriving in New Zealand from Australia in 1907, he immediately became active in the Labour Movement, contesting the Auckland Central seat in 1911. He subsequently stood for Auckland West where he was elected in 1919, and retained the seat until his passing away. His keenness for the removal of poverty and the improvement of living standards brought him to membership of the Auckland Hospital Board and the Auckland City Council. Selected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in Parliament in 1923, in 1933 he succeeded the late Mr. H. E. Holland as Leader of the Party and the Opposition. His personality combined with his able exposition of his Party’s policy contributed in a major degree to the result at the 1935 General Election; since then he has led the Government with conspicuous success. During his visit to Great Britain in 1937 as the New Zealand representative at the Coronation of His Majesty King George VI. and as delegate to the Imperial Conference, he won the respect of the British people. His quiet sincerity, accompanied by great strength of character, left a deep impression on all whom he met. During his illness messages have been received from the King and Queen, from Mr. Chamberlain, from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, Mr. Anthony Eden, from the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mackenzie King, from the Prime Minister of Eire, Eamon de Valera, and many others from all parts of the Dominion and the British Commonwealth. Mr. Savage had a profound love and regard for New Zealand and its people, and his work for the aged, the ailing and the young has won him the affection and love of thousands of people in the Dominion. A man of simple tastes, he was fond of his home and enjoyed nothing more than quiet conversation with his many friends. Those who were closely associated with him feel a sense of irreparable loss. His personality, his selflessness, his messages of sympathy to all in trouble, will keep his memory alive in the hearts of the people whom he loved so much. This was followed at 8 p.m. by a Musical Tribute, announced in these words by the Director of Broadcasting, Professor James Shelley: As a simple but heartfelt tribute to our honoured and revered chief, the late Prime Minister-who was Minister in Charge of Broadcasting — the National Broadcasting Service offers the first performance on this evening’s concert programmethe NBS String Orchestra will play Elgar’s "Elegy." Message from the BBC The following cable was received from the Director General of the BBC: Shelley, National Broadcasting Service, Wellington. The BBC tenders its respectful sympathy to the National Broadcasting Services upon the death of the Minister of Broadcasting, and through those services, its sympathy to the people of New Zealand upon the passing of a distinguished Prime Minister of the Dominion. DIRECTOR-GENERAL, BBC.