DAME MASSEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 93, 20 April 1932, Page 5

DAME MASSEY.

PASSES AWAY IN WELLINGTON AILING FOR SOME TIME. BURIAL AT POINT HALS WELL. (Hv Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The death occurred this afternoon of Dame Christina Massey, widow of the Rt. Hon. W. E. Massey. She had been ailing for a considerable time, but only during the past week had the illness taken a critical turn. The interment will take place on Thursday. A service will be held in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, The Terrace, at 10.4;"> a.m., and the remains will be conveyed to the tomb on Point Halswell, where they will be laid beside those of her husband. Provision for this is made in the Massey Burial Ground Act, 1925. Dame Christina Massey was a worthy helpmate to her husband during his long Parliamentary career of 31 years. Born at Mangere, Auckland, where her father, Mr. Walter Paul, was occupied in farmin.fr, she married Mr. Massey in ISS2, when he was 2(i years of age. Later he acquired the farm on which his wife had been born, and by 1894, by dint of hard work on the part of both, they had established themselves as prosperous residents of the district. When Mr. Massey was returned to power in 1912 they left the Mangere district and took up their quarters in Wellington, where the remainder of their lives was spent. Here Mrs. Massey entertained many notable guests, and preserved always an unaffected atmosphere in her home.

During her later years Dame Massey suffered indifferent health and there were times during her husband's term of office as Prime Minister when her life was despaired of. At one period after the war her condition was so low that only Mr. Massey's high sense of public duty caused him to leave her for England when Imperial matters called. She recovered, however, and was in devoted attendance on her husband when he passed away in May, 1925. Mrs. Massey did valuable work during the war years in organising women's service to the military camps in the Dominion, and in the furtherance of the arrangements for the dispatch of comforts to.the men on active service. She also did good work in providing relief for sufferers in the epidemic of 1918. She was always a strong supporter of the Plunket Society. Mrs. Massey returned to Auckland after the death of her husband, and in the following year, 1920, she was included in the King's birthday honours, having the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire conferred upon her. Dame Massey later returned to Wellington, where she resided until the time of her death. She is survived by three sons, two daughters and 18 grandchildren.