MR. MASSEY HONOURED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 8

MR. MASSEY HONOURED

A UNIQUE PRESENTATION.

A unique presentation was made to the Prime Minister, (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) this morning by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. 11. Gunson), on behalf of the citizens of Auckland. This took the form of a, casket containing the address which was presented to Mr. Massey _in May last in recognition of his distinguished services to New Zealand and the city of Auckland. Mounted on a stand of New Zealand woods, the casket was a replica of a Maori meeting-house, exquisitely carved and inlaid with richly-grained New Zealand woods. . On lifting the roof of the £>ouse there was disclosed the address bound in a cover of blue morocco. The address was illuminated with paintings illustrative of outstanding events in .Mr. Massey's life 'from his boyhood days i.i Limavady, in Northern Ireland, until his arrival at Auckland, and his participation in the signing of the Peace Treaty at the Palais de Versailles. These paintings Were in water colours, and showed the school and cliurch which Mr. Massey attended in Limavady, the ship (City of Auckland), in which he came to New Zealand, views of Auckland; when lie arrived 53 years ago, and of the city of to-diy. The paintings ,'vere executed by Messrs. Frark and Walter Wright, of Auckland, one of whom, Mr. Frank .(Wright, died yesterday. • Among those present at the ceremony were several Auckland members of the Legislature, the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board (Mr. H. R Mackenzie), his Lordship Bishop Cleary, and various prominent officials and citizens of Auckland.

■Mr. Gunson said the presentation was a mannestation of the high regard which the citizens of Auckland felt for Mr. Massey, of whose record they were very proud. They trusted that Mr. Massey would long be spared to render distinguished services to the Dominion, and they extended every good wish towards him and Mrs. Massev. '

■ The Prime Minister said that words failed him to express his gratitude for the action Of the citizens of Auckland. His most earnest wish was tv be useful to the people of the Dominion, and when at the Imperial Conference he would-do his best to live up to (he sentiments oxpressed when he last left Auckland for Europe. The casket was tho best thin" he had ever seen, and he 1.-ad no doubt but that it would be handed down in his family for many generations to come bo far as the future was concerned, he hoped that he would be worthy of the contideuce reposed in him.