TRIBUTES PAID

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 11 June 1941, Page 2

TRIBUTES PAID

DECEASED LEGISLATORS

CAPTAIN W. J. LYON [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter] Wellington, This Day. “Hjs life is one of the prices we have to pay for this war—a life given to preserve and expand life,” said the ActingPrime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash, in the House of Representatives yesterday when paying a tribute to the late Captain W. J. Lyon, Government member for Waitemata. Mr Nash said that members of the House had lost a comrade who would be greatly missed. He was unselfish in the general sense of the term. He went out as one of the legislators of New Zealand to take his part in the struggle for freedom and liberty and he was particularly qualified for the service ne entered. He had seen service in the Great War. having joined at the age of 17 and had risen to a high position. In the interim between the two wars he had used his energy and skill to fight for better conditions for the people. He was always on the side Ox the bottom dog. His work was selfsacrificing He worked for liberty and he died for liberty. “He will be missed in the House; he will be missed in the lobbies and he will be missed in the train by which he travelled so often from Auckland to Wellington and back," said Mr Nash. “Our hearts go out to his wife and children.” The Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, said he felt sure that every member of the House would join in the tribute paid by Mr Nash to the memory ' x Captain Lyon. “He came into the House the same year as I did, 1935, and we went through the same experiences,” he continued. “There was a great friendship between us.” Captain Lyon was well versed in defence matters and was among the first in New Zealand to volunteer for service in the defence of the Empire. He was a strong Imperialist and was widely-read and well-in-formed in international affairs. When he addressed the House both sides paid nim a tribute by remaining in their seats. They learnt something from what he had to say.” “I also wish to pay a tribute to the memory of my gallant comrade,” said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones Captain Lyon was chairman of the Defence Committee of the House and his advice was always helpful. He was on the Reserve of Officers of a British Regiment and it was possible that he might have been called back to England, but he expressed the wish to serve with the Dominion Forces and was amongst the first to go overseas. He would be missed in the House of Representatives and also by his constituents whom he had served so well Fourteen other members, representing both sidfes of the House and the Democratic Labour Party, added their tributes and the House passed a resolution of appreciation of the services rendered to the country by Captain Lyon and deep sympathy with his wife and children. LATE SIR JAMES PARR Tributes to the memory of the late Sir James Parr, a former member of the House of Representatives, Minister of the Crown and Leader of the Legislative Council were paid in the House of Representatives yesterday by Ministers and members of both the Government and Opposition parties, and a resolution was passed expressing appreciation of his services and sympathy with his relatives The acting-Prime Minister (Mr Nash) referred to the work of Sir James Parr as a civic, as well as a national administrator. His was a long and honourable career of service, including two terms as High Commissioner in London He had made a distinctive mark in tne political history of New Zealand A keen worker, he was a progressive i man and even those opposed to him in politics admired the robust manner in which he expressed himself. There was a time in the history of Auckland when the name of Sir James Parr symbolised the progress of that city. He had earned a reputation for educational reforms when he was Minister of Education. and he would be remembered as a New Zealander of the highest type and as one who had stood in the forefront of civic and national progress. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), the Attorney-General (the Hon. H. G R. Mason), the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui), and Messrs W. P. Endean (National. Remuera), F. W. Doidge (National, Tauranga), and C. W. Boswell (Government, Bay of Islands) added their tributes. Tributes were also paid by the House to the late Sir Charles Luke, a former member of the Legislative Council, and to Mr P. McSkimming, a former member of Parliament for Clutha.