Service In Cathedral

Press, Volume C, Issue 29587, 9 August 1961, Page 16

Service In Cathedral

(New Zealand Press Association,

WELLINGTON, Aug. 8. “Sidney George Holland’s whole life was lived in the spirit expressed in the text ‘He hath showed thee, O man, who is good,’ ” said the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) at the funeral service tor Sir Sidney Holland in St. Paul's Pro-Cathe-dral, Wellington, today. Sir Sidney Holland knew the prophet's definition of the Lord’s requirements “to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before his God,” he said. “I think one of his greatest qualities was his humility," said Bishop Warren. The bishop took the text from the eighth verse of the sixth chapter of the prophet Micah. “We have gathered today to honour the memory cf one of New Zealand’s great sons, Sidney George Holland, and to commend his soul into the everlasting care of his Father." said the Bishop. “Many tributes have been paid to him from one end of the country to the other and these have expressed the feelings of our people. Now, after all others have had their say, the task has been entrusted to me of gathering up the thoughts of the nation as we lay him to his rest “Sidney George Holland was born in Greendale, in

Canterbury, one of a family of eight children, and he early learned to take his place with others as one of a group, as one of a team. “I think he was rightly proud of the fact that he made his way from the bottom of the ladder to being the Prime Minister of his country and the servant of his Queen. “He was first of all a New Zealander of New Zealanders, a man of the people who had inherent simplicity because he was a man of profound integrity and real principles. “He believed in hard work which he began at the age of 15, and through his own toil and effort he rose to the top. “He rapidly rose in his party and became the elected leader, and it had been said of him that his party’s success was the personal success of Sidney George Holland. "Through his determined efforts he prepared himself for what proved to be the further responsibility of being Prime Minister. “He had a strongly developed sense of loyalty, loyalty first of all to his friends, and he never forgot those who worked with him and for him. “He had loyalty to his country, and ... he enlarged his loyalty to include the

British people. But all the while he never lost the common touch. . . . “In his youth he had a vigorous and robust physical health. This served him well, but he may have tried it too far. “There is a heavy burden placed on public men and in this country we sometimes demand too much of those in high places. “Certainly he demanded it of himself. . . .' “Your presence here today speaks of your sympathy with his children and especially with his wife, who throughout his long career helped him so devotedly. “May God uphold her and them in this hour of their loss." The sentences were read by Canon M. R. Pirarii and the lesson, the 20th verse of the 15th chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, was read by the Primate (the Rt. Rev. N. A. Lesser). Prayers were led by the Dean of Wellington (the Very Rev. D. J. Davies). Led by the choir of the Cathedral, the congregation sang the 23rd Psalm, and the hymns, “Jesu, Lover of My Soul” and “For All the Saints Who From Their Labours Rest.”