LATE PRIME MINISTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 5

LATE PRIME MINISTER

TRIBUTE FROM RETURNED MEN.

“BEST FRIEND THEY EVER HAD.”

“I think it would be ill-fitting any association in New Zealand not to make reference to the passing of that splendid old man—William Ferguson Massey,” >aid Mr B. J. Jacobs when presiding at the annual district conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association on Saturday. “He has been, in many instances, opposed to us politically, but irrespective of that fact, we as an association are not political, and, although questions relating to retuned soldiers are not tho subject of party politics, the fact will go down to poster ty that the best friend the returned soldiers ever had in New Zealand, or in any other part of the British Empire, was Mr Massey.” (Hear, hear.) “Every promise he gave was 'ulfilled, and every question he tackled required not only great pertinacity but also the greatest possible moral courage. You have only to take tho quick and decisive manner in which he grappled with the .'evaluation question on his return from ho last Imperial Conference. Revaluation required great courage by any leader, especially in a country like New Zealand, where wo were trying to recover from the effects of the so-called ‘slump.’ ”

Mr W. J. Pascoe (Wellington) stated that he was very glad to hear thj sentiments expressed by the chairman. “I have had a long association with the Returned Soldiers’ Association and I can assure yOu that your words about his being tho greatest friend that returned soldiers ever had are absolutely correct.” Mr Mas3iy had had their interests at heart and hod ever been willing to assist in any possible way. "But we must not lose sight of the fact that, during the past 30 years Mrs Massey ha 3 made great sacrifices and is now lying seriously ill.” Mr H. G. Dickie (Waverley) staled that it had been his privilege both i:i New Zealand and in London to have bee n associated with the lute Prime Minister, and that one could not but be impressed with the man’s honesty of purpose and scrupulous fairness. In all matters everyone had had “Bill Massey’s square deal.” “It is a matter for gratification that tho next Prime Minister will be a returned soldier, but I am certain that we cannot possibly got a fairer hearing than from Mr Massey.”

A motion of condolence with Mis Massey and family wa3 then carried in silence, all present standing.

FURTHER OVERSEA TRIBUTES.

Tributes to tho late Premier continue to be received by Mrs Massey from oi erseas, the latest being: From the Duke of Devonshire, Chaisworth, England.— Deeply grieved to hoar your great loss. Accept our sincerest sympathy. —(Signed). — Devon, shire.

From the Mayor of San Francisco. — Deepest sympathy in tho death o: your distinguished husband.—(Signed) Rolpb. From General Sir William Birlwood, London. —Deepest sympathy in loss of that great*statesman and staunch Br tishor, Prime Minister Massey. Tho High Commissioner, London, telegraphs:—Have received message of sympathy from Empiro Press Union, and especially from those members who saving had privitego meeting Mr Massey keenly regret his loss to Empire. From Hon. J. C. C. Davidson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Admiralty, London. —Please accept my sincere sympathy in your irreparable loss. has lost a stout hearted, loyal statesman and I have lost a very kind am! real friend.

At to-day’s meeting of the Palmerston North River Board a vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives if the late Mr W- E. Massey. „

REFEREES’ TRIBUTE.

“AN ADMIRER OF MANLY SPORTS.”

At the weekly meeting of the Manawatu Referees’ Association, the pre iident, Mr C. W. White, in referring to the great loss the country had sustain id by the death of Mr Massey, moved tie following resolution: — “Tho members of the Manawatu Rugby Referees’ Association desire to place on record their profound regret at tne death of the Rt. Hon. William Ferguson Massey. The late Premier’s services to tho Dominion are truly recognised and have been suitably acknowledged throughout the whole Empire. The members of this association wish to specially emphasise their sincere feelings and respect for ths late Mr Massey. He was an admirer of all manly sports and pastimes and a kindly and generous patron of athletics throughout the Dominion. By his death the members feel that the cause of a thirties in New Zealand has sustained a great loss and, recognising this, respectfully beg to offer tneir condolence to Mrs Massey and the members of her family in their sad bereavement.” Mr B. Hands seconded ihe motion, which was carried in silence, the members standing.

REV. STEWART’S FINE TRIBUTE. A service in solemn commemoration of tho lato Prime Minister was conducted in Emmanuel Congregational Church last night by tho Rev. J. Milburn Stewart. The pulpit was heavily draped in black and a large portrait of Mr Massey placed on the communion table was similarly draped and surrounded with a laurel wreath and a garland of white flowers. Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., and members of the local Reform League attended the service. The choir rendered tho anthem “Abide With Me,” Mr Norman Leet presiding at the organ and at the coc'x.usion of the service played tho “Dead March.” The preacher took as his text John 5:35 —“Ilo was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” The Rev. Mr Stewart said that he thought that those words were conclusive upon a point often in dispute —how far the pulpit should bo made ft channel for the pronunciation of a eulogy on departed worth and Christian greatness. “It is surely most natural and fitting,” ho stated, “that as Christian heroes leave us—the wise, tho noble, and the gifted—we should gather together and pile tho stones of memory and love, publicly paying our homage, through them, to the graces which made them great and call on tho survivors to follow the lead given.” Proceeding, tho Rev. Mr Stewart alluded to the necesisty for all giving attention to tilings eternal ere the pain of body and mind denoted tho approach of dissolution. He directed the attention of the congregation to the thought of how through straightforwardness and honesty of heart —a heart full of tho love of Jesus Christ —wo could conquer death. The late Premier’s had been a noble and self-deny-ing life, passed in devoted service to the Empire, with a spirit inflamed with zeal for the advancement of a great cause. As a burning and shining light William Ferguson Massey had for one of his great characteristics reality. lie was in earnest. That was the strong attraction about the man. The preacher had recently been told by a Government officer of high rank that when any matter was placed before the Premier ho did not ask whether it would be for his benefit or that of his party but whether it would be right, honest, and for the benefit of the people. That wa< the spirit of the man; “righteousness exslteth a nation” must have been the keyno.e of his success. A man who believed in his mission attracted thousands about him—the masses longed to see a man who could tower in spirit, strong, and colossal, over the petty formalities and conventionalities of his age. Such a man they followed. Mr Massey had never had tho good foi tune smooth waters through which to steer the ship of State. He had had to solve problems which this fair Dom nion had never before known. He had dealt with the land question in such .fashion that to-day it had for all practical punposes disappeared from politics. New Zealand was a land of freeholds and seemed

likely to remain so to tho end of time. Had the war not intervened, this resolute settlement of a lpng standing question might have gone down as his greatest achievement. At considerable length tho preacher proceeded to voice an earnest eulogy of the splendid attributes of the deceased Prime Minister quoting, at the conclusion of the address: “Rest, rest, beautiful and bTessed spirit, rest.” The Christian soldier and statesman, lie said, had laid aside his armour and now reposed in tlie full light of tho “Captain of our salvation.”

FURTHER CHURCH REFERENCES. Further reference to the passing of the Prime Minister was made in the local churches yesterday. ‘There were two things which I believe largely contributed to Mr Massey’s greatness,” said the Rev. C. W. Duncumb at the morning service at the Baptist Church. “The one very possibly came forth from the other. First, his knowledge of God’s Holy Book; {he second, his sanctification or consecration, to the service of his countrymen, his Empire and his God. I recall the words with which Mr Massey concluded a very fine speech in the House last year, in support of Mr Isitt’s Bible-in-Schools Bill. C believe,’ said Mr Massey, in conclusion, ‘that tho Bible was given to humanity to be a Light to its feet and a Lamp unto its path, a guide for us in __this life and a direction concerning the world to come. The more tho people learn about tho Bible, tho better it will be for them, and the better for the nation.’ Tho late Lord Morley, on being asked concerning the great W. E. Gladstone, what was the secret —the magic of his power? said: ‘lt is something we have definitely lost out of our political life, perhaps are losing out of our national life—it was moral enthusiasm. We have run after cleverness, astuteness, adroitness, trickery.’ In carefully reading through all the tributes paid to our lato Premier, I find that it is not cleverness, astuteness, adroitness, trickery, they pay tribute to —it isn’t there if they would —a nation’s tribute is paid to a man thoroughly honest, oft moved by moral enthusiasm and where did ho get that from but from God’s Word ?” At St. Peter’s, Terrace End, Mr G. F. Whitehorn sang “Crossing the Bar.” At the evening service at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, the Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt, in making reference to the departed Prime Minister, said that he had shown himself the man of the hour. The history of the world was tho history of its great men, whose names were a register of change or advance in the history of the race. Such a man was Mr Massey. These men did not appear by chance; God was behind all movement of human affairs. As the hour struck He raised up supreme men to grapple with supreme problems. This explained tho unity in history and the continuity of tho world’s great characters. In conclusion, the preacher expressed confidence that the right leader would be raised to take Mr Massey’s P *At' Cuba Street Methodist Church feeling reference to Mr Massey’s death was made in the prayers.