"A GREAT IMPERIALIST"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 71, 20 September 1930, Page 10

"A GREAT IMPERIALIST"

THE LATE MR. . MASSEY

NATIONAL MEMORIAL UNVEILED

sentatives of public institutions, and of private citizens. The simple service of dedication was .preceded by speeches of tribute to the work and -worth of the departed statesman and ex-Prime Minister.

The seats of honour in the sanctuary of the memorial were occnpied by His Excellency the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe, the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. E. A. Eansom) and Mrs. Bansom, the Leader of the Opposition (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates) and Mrs. Coates, . the Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland), the Bishop.of Wellington (the Eight Bey. Bishop Sprott) and Mrs. Sprott, the Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly (the Be.v. G. Budd), and the Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency (Lieutenant Ellworthy, E.N.). The service was commenced with the Lord's Prayer, led by Bishop Sprott. "A CLEAN FIGHTER." The first to pay verbal tribute to the memory of Mr. Massey was the ActingPrime Minister. Mr. Eansom said that the memorial being unveiled was to the memory of one of New Zealand's greatest statesmen. He regretted that the Prime Minister (the Hon. G. W. 'Forbes) was unable to be present,,but the fact that he was on his way to the Imperial Conference was a reminder of the services Mr. Massey had rendered, to New Zealand on the many occasions on which he had attended similar Councils of Empire. The part he had played in the life not only of the Dominion but of the Empire would never be forgotten, and the memorial about to bs unveiled would be a lasting and tangible recognition of the work of a great Imperialist and statesman. The late Mr. Massey was a man who had devoted his life to tho welfare of his fellow-men. He had been a strong party* man, and those who had been privileged to be associated with him in politics had recognised him as a keen debater who., made himself conversant with every matter of importance to the development of New Zealand. A clean fighter at all times, his word was his bond, and all who had come into contact with him knew that a pledge once given would always be honoured. Wonderful service to New Zealand was rendered by the late Mr. Massey during the war. Both during .that period of turmoil and in the post-war period he had been willing to east party politics aside and form a National Government -to carry on the affairs of New Zealand in a manner that would enable the Dominion's part in the world conflict to be maintained and restoration to prosperity, to be attained in the aftermath. It was realised, said Mr. Ban-, som, that Mr. Massey's devotion to duty was . one of the causes of hiscomparatively early demise, but, after all, a, man's life might not necessarily be gauged by the years he lived but by the measure of the service he rendered during his stay ou earth to his fellow-men. ■ Taking that view, it could be said' that Mr. Massey had led a full life and passed away in ripe years. A FITTING BESTING PLACE. Mr. Eansom extended to the relatives heartfelt sympathy, and expressed regret that, although reasonably well in health, Dame Christina Massey had not been- able to attend the ceremony. The memorial to the late statesman was a beautiful one, standing as it did upon an old fort established at one time for the protection of Wellington city. No more fitting spot could have been selected as a last resting place for a man who held tho views and ideals Mr. Massey had held. The prominence of the position would enable visitors to note it on arrival in Wellington as the first point of interest/ The material used was New Zealand marble, which would be in conformity with the wish of the late Mr. Massey had it been possible to obtain his desires in the matter. "A GEEAT PRACTICAL IMPERIALIST." The Acting-Prime Minister then turned and escorted His Excellency to the screen of the memorial, where a marble medallion head-and-shoulders likeness of Mr. Massey was covered with the Union Jack. His Excellency quietly unveiled the medallion which will perpetuate the deceased statesman as he appeared at the time of his death, and then returned to the steps of the sanctuary to deliver the following address: LORD BLEDISLOE'S SPEECH. "Beneath our feet on this lovely promontory in sight of ships arriving from the" Homeland, as well as of the capital of this Dominion, which he served with unswerving fidelity and unflagging zeal, rest ths human remains of a great, practical Imperialist —William Ferguson Massey," said His Excellency the Governor-General. "It is not perhaps inappropriate that a space where once stood a battery to defend Wellington's beautiful harbour should now contain the body of a statesman who, with a view to world liberty and tho honour of the Empire, took so prominent a part in the efficient prosecution of the war and the attainment of the blessings of peace. The surface has in part been laid out as an attractive public garden, and on the spot where we are assembled there has been erected this memorial structure, bold in outline, original and artistic in conception, and skilfully executed in New Zealand marble, which I am now called upon formally ;to open, to the public. Although I would fain that the task had been placed in abler hands, I conceive that, as His Majesty the King is the centre and symbol of Imperial unity, so I as his representative —wholly detached from those domestic controversies which, while putting to the test the qualities of statesmanship, inevitably'range public men in opposite camps—can, not unfittingly, pay a deserved and unchallengeable tribute to one. whom his fellow-countrymen loved, whom the .whole Empire honoured, and whom the outside world respected.

"Massey, a son of virile Ulster, was, like Seddon and Ward, in the . truest sense an Empire builder. The eventful twelve years of his Administration included the period of the Great War. During that strenuous time of anxiety, military activity • and preparation, domestic bereavement and ultimate victory, practical Imperialism was put to the acid test and emerged victorious. Side by side with the unsurpassed achievements of the New Zealand Division of the British Expeditionary Force will stand ever in history tho sturdy and indomitable but always sympathetic figure of him to whom this memorial has been raised, ami whose able guidance of his country's destinies in the hour of: trial elicited the approval and support of this Do-i

In glorious sunshine, the lonely memorial at Point Halswell to the late Right Hon. W. F. Massey, surmounting the tomb where the remains lie, was unveiled by His Excellency the GovernorGeneral (Lord Bledisloe) yesterday afternoon. The narrow promontory where the gleaming marble monument overlooks the harbour was crowded with some hundreds of members of the Legislature, repre- >-

minion, whose counsel as a member of the Imperial "War Cabinet was acclaimed as prudent and statesmanlike, and whose wisdom as one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Versailles won the admiration of all his colleagues. "William Massey, like so many men sprung from the soil and .normally employed in winning a living from it in all conditions of weather and fluctuating fortune, was a man of simplicity of life and faith, of robust courage and unquenchable hopefulness. He -was a shrewd and formidable fighter, but his force of character coupled with his sincerity and honesty of purpose impelled a measure of confidence and respect such as surely few Parliamentary protagonists have enjoyed. ATTRIBUTES OF A STATESMAN. "From a life such as his wo learn the value of the subordination, of self to service, the sinking, of personal ambitions and' interests in zeal for the public weal. These aro attributes of all statesmen who have left' their mark on history, and without them no man live permanently in the memory of his fellow-countrymen. As was said of another man eminent in history, he had 'feet of iron, a heart of silver, and a head of fine gold.' He was passionately devoted to and intensely proud of his country, and yet always anxious that the realisation of ..her ideals should inflict no hardship upon other nations. In one of his last public utterances he. declared that New Zealanders, in building up a new nation in the Pacific, according to the traditions of the island race from which they are mainly sprung, must encourage all those factors essential to the spread of that righteousness which exalteth a nation, and that, it' success is to attend our aims and ambitions, we must always do unto others as we would that they should do unto us. 'If,' said he, 'we of the present generation and those that come after us proceed on these lines, the result will be the building up of a great and righteous nation, worthy of its environment and of the AngloSaxon stock from which it springs.' He, being dead, yet speaketh. • "It is my pleasure and pride now to declare this memorial open, and at the same timo to express the sincere hope that many will arise in all classes and parties in this Dominion and help in tho shaping of its destinies who will seek to emulate the robust simplicity, piety, and honesty of him whom it so fitly commemorates." TRUE SON 01" EMJIBE. "We can truly say that the passing away of the late Mr. Massey marked the loss of a. statesman and a true son of tho British Empire," said the Leader of the Keform Party (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates). "We have listened to the Acting-Prime Minister and His Excellency in fitting terms pay tribute to my late- leader.' We can speak of Mr. Massey as a friend, a colleague, and a man in whom everyone had implicit faith and confidence. He was a man. who carried the mistakes of others and never whimpered. He was a rock, an anchor, and a friend on 9very, occasion. It is these characteristics that his colleagues can to-day call to mind. New Zealand, too, remembers him as a straightforward, unselfish man who saw his duty and did it. Probably his greatest rock <K. belief was his faith in Almighty God and His teachings. He had an abiding faith in the Anglo-Saxon race, and conSdence in the Empire, and he was ever joncerned in the well-being of the people of New Zealand. His faith and his courage carried him through those terrible years of conflict occasioned by the Great War; and this feeling, I have ao doubt, was radiated to the people >f New Zealand in their very darkest hours of trial. All of us felt" he would stand by the country and the Empire. A GUIDE TO THOUSANDS. "We remember him in Parliament, bis courage, and his long years in Opposition," continued Mr. Coates. "Can we forget his keen contests in debate, the- occasions when feeling ran high" But all Parliamentarians will boar testimony that he came through them all frith the respect of every member of Parliament, who knew that there was to one occasion when he ever hit below the belt. Ho was an honoured opponant, respected and admired. Xhe present is an oportunity of remembering iiis finer characteristics. This is a jea'utiful monument to his memory, but lot too beautiful for the man. The tribute paid to-day is one of the finest jiven any single man in the world; it s just possible that this is so." In Mr. Coates's opinion, the example Jet by the late Mr. Massey would be l guide to thousands of men and women :n New Zealand in the future. In the learts and minds of the people, whether ;hey were opposed to his political iriews or not, his life was highly rejpected and his memory held in afrectionate regard. ' Mr. Coates took idvantage of the opportunity to thank ;he Government for the arrangements t had made concerning the unveiling jeremony, enabling many people from ill parts of New Zealand to attend and Day their respects to his late honoured :riend and distinguished leader. LABOUR'S TRIBUTE. In echoing the sentiments expressed }y the previous speakers, the Leader )f the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holand) said that Parliament was a sattleground of ideas, and on the loors of Parliament House, and ispecially in the Chamber of the House if Eepresentatives, men with diametricilly opposed ideas came into conflict vith one another. Some of those who igured as opponents of Mr. Massey mew tho human side of him probably >etter even than those who were his :loe6 colleagues and who were in line vith the policy he advocated. Mr. lolland said that for about three years te was associated with Mr. Massey as m opponent in the House, and his exlerience as Leader of a party which vas nearly always in conflict with the lolicy laid down by Mr. Massey was hat, whatever arrangements were made pith Mr. Massey as Leader of the Beorm Government, once his word was ;iven with respect to any matter whatver they never had to worry over what ollowed;' once his word was given his ?ord was honoured. "It is fitting," aid Mr. Holland, "that he who gave ho better part of his life to the turbu3nt fighting in the realms of polities hould sleep his last long sleep here, iirroimdcd by the muguificencc of the ills and in view of the splendour of ho harbour, where the sea will betimes Hirmur its lullabies, and where betimes

God's wildest storms will rage, and this splendid memorial is fitting tribute on the part of the people not only of AVellington, but of the- whole of New Zealand, to the statesman by whose tomb we stand to-day—a statesman who has written his name very largely not. only into the records of this little and most favoured island of the Southern Seas, but also into the records of the British Commonwealth of .Nations. I join with others in paying tribute to the memory of tho dead statesman."

The official service of dedication of the memorial, which followed, was conducted by the Key. G. Budd, and was of extreme simplicity. JTirst there was a. prayer of dedication; then the hymn "Abide With Me," which it waa stated was a favourite of Mr. Massey, and filially the Benediction and the National Anthem.

Mr. S. Hurst Seager designed the memorial, and was the consulting architect. Messrs. Gummer and Ford, of Auckland, were the construction architopts. Mr. 1\ D. Shurrock, sculptor, of Christchurch, carved the portrait medallion of Mr. Ma.ssey, and Mr. IP. (J. Gurnsey, art craftsman, of Christchureh, carried out the inscription and decorative features. The contractors were Messrs. Hansford and Mills.