Tributes Paid By Prime Minister, Mr Nash

Press, Volume C, Issue 29623, 20 September 1961, Page 9

Tributes Paid By Prime Minister, Mr Nash

(NZ. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 19. Members of the House of Representatives today stood in silence as a mark of respect to Mr Dag Hammarskjold. The Prime Minister, Mr Holyoake, told a hushed House of Mr Hammarskjold’s death when it met this afternoon.

"This is tragic news,” Mr Holyoake said. "Mr Hammarskjold’s selfless dedication to his great assignment, his supreme skill in quiet but effective diplomacy and his impartial judgment deserve the profound gratitude of mankind. “Above alt Mr Hammarskjold epitomised the impartiality of the international civil servant. When, at the General Assembly last year. Mr Khrushchev advanced the idea that there were no neutral men he was, in fact, attacking a man who in himself was a perfect example of a neutral man, a servant of the international community, owing allegiance not to any group of States, but to all members of the United Nations,” Mr Holyoake said. “In replying to Mr Khrushchev at that time, Mr Hammarskjold made a brief but moving statement He said that ‘strict impartiality appeared partial to anyone who himself took the position of a party.’ • "He pointed out that the Secretary-General’s duty of impartiality, as imposed by the Charter, might become an obstacle for those working for certain political aims which could be served more readily if the SecretaryGeneral compromised: for the Secretary-General to do so, however, would be a grave betrayal of trust.

"Never Spared Himself’ “He interpreted his role positively and never spared himself in the faithful fulfilment of United Nations decisions," said Mr Holyoake. “His task was extremely difficult because, in the Congo especially, he was required

to exercise a greater degree of discretiion and authority than were envisaged in the Charter. “His loss bears all the more heavily upon us at a time of grave international tension. No-one was more dedicated to the resolution of the problems creating this tension and he exerted the influence of a man who served all. “He was a man deeply committed to the pursuit" of international harmony,” .Mr Holyoake said. “The world can ill afford to be without his integrity, his wisdom and his experience, and his loss bears all the more heavily upon us at this time of international tension." P.M.’s Message

Mr Holyoake has sent the following message to the President of the General Assembly: “With profound sorrow I convey to you and his colleagues in the Secretariat the condolences of the Government and people of New Zealand on the tragic death of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Dag Hammarskjold. “No man has more ably served the United Nations nor worked more effectively to sustain and strengthen it during years of unparalleled danger and difficulty. We join with you in mourning the death of one whose life was unsparingly devoted to the cause of international peace and human freedom.” The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) said Mr Hammarskjold did fine and remarkable work. “He was greet in his own right, dedicated to all human life.

“He sleeps but he is not dead—what he did lives. He was a great world citizen,” Mr Nash said. Mr Hammarskjold’s death would create a break in the united effort for peace and development that would be hard to repair. Great Achievements “His great ‘ achievements were his contribution to the solution of the Suez problem, the effort to save the people of Hungary, and last but not least, the reconciliation of the contending parties in the Congo, the last of which he said was the test as to whether the principles of the United Nations would work. “His principles' were to work for reconciliation and realistic construction with strict adherence to and respect for the foundation rules of human personality. These Were the principles to which he dedicated his life workpeace and goodwill to all men.” The Secretary-General of the South-east Asia Treaty Organisation, Mr Bote Sarasin, occupied a distinguished visitor's seat in the chamber during tributes to Mr Hammarskjold. Mr Sarasin said he was shocked to hear of Mr Hammarskjold’s death. “I knew, him well. He was certainly a man of great ability and of independence of mind. He is a great losk to the free world,” he said. The blue and white United Nations flag flew at half-mast above Parliament House today. Flags were also flown at half-mast from Government buildings.