REAL VISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23616, 28 March 1940, Page 14

REAL VISION

MAN OF HIGH IDEALS PRIMATE'S TRIBUTE COURAGE IN ILLNESS I _ . "I have known Mr. Savage for many years," said Archbishop Averill, Primate- of New Zealand, yesterday, "and have always known him as an upright and honourable man of very high ideals, a man of real vision, a man who has given his life and his talents and his energy to the realisation, ot those visions. He lias to a very large extent succeeded; and at a time like this one thinks chiefly of the man's intentions rather than the methods by which he carried out those intentions. "There may be room for difference of opinion in regard to method," the archbishop continued, "but there cannot be much difference of opinion as to the fact that he was a man of high ideals, and that his great desire was to help and to strengthen the position of the under-privileged. L think we have all admired his splendid courage during the time of his illness, and his real desire that that illness should not interfere with the general work of Parliament in war, and also the fact that ho lias kept in close touch with all the work that has been going oil and taken a very deep interest in it all the time. ".Mr. Savage's dentil will cause universal regret, and tin- sympathy felt will be very genuine because, in spito of all differences bred by party politics, at a time like this one looks far deeper than that and looks to the man himself; and all must have a very great respect for -Mr. .Savage.''

HUMAN , QUALITIES CHURCHMEN'S PRAISES HERO OF THOUSANDS NEW PAGE IN SOCIAL LAWS [BY TELEfiRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHUHCH. Wednesday "The death of Mr. Savage after his long illness so courageously borno deprives the country, as well as his party, of a leader who can ill he spared iu these difficult and dangerous days," said Bishop West-Watson. Archbishopelect. "On such an occasion as this, political differences wiff be forgotten and all good citizens will be thinking of the human qualities of the late Prime Minister. " 'That fierce light which heats upon' a Cabinet Minister does not spare weakness or failings, and it will surely he the general opinion that Mr. Savage emerged from that searching test with honour. On the morrow of his great political triumph he spoke rather as a father to his family than as a party politician. As the years have gone by he has abundantly proved that simplicity of heart and real human sympathy are not inconsistent with tenacity of purpose and political sagacity. How tragic that in his last days he should have had to face a task which must have been abhorrent to such a man of leading his country to war, but by a wonderful victory of spirit over matter he was enabled to face that tragedy without flinching." "The passing of the Prime Minister removes froyi the political field a figure which has grown to almost heroic dimensions in the thoughts ef thousands of his fellow citizens." said the Rev. Lawson Robinson, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Whatever might be the opinions of men regarding the legislation for which lie and his Government had been responsible, there would be few, Mr. Robinson said, who would be unready to admit Mr. Savage's sincerity of purpose and his deep and abiding interest in the welfare of the people, particularly those upon whom the circumstances. *)f life had pressed heavily. "Perhaps the outstanding feature about the late Prime Minister." said Mr. Robinson, "was his broad and sympathetic humanity. The laws his Government enacted aimed at the improvement of the material conditions for those especially whose incomes were on the lower levels, and there could be no doubt that the historian of the future would write of him as a statesman who had written a new page in social legislation." SINCERITY OF SOUL MODERATOR'S APPRECIATION "The highest tribute which can be paid to the memory of Mr. Savage," said the Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery, the Rev. P. Gladstone Hughes, yesterday, "is to state that, although for many years lie figured prominently in party politics, Ir.s humanity always shone clearly through the refracting medium of the party man. This accounts not only for the passionate devotion of his supporters, but also for the universal appeal of his personality. _ "Mr. Savage's love for children,' continued Mr. Hughes, "his unnumbered acts of' loving-kindness to the aged and poor, and his real sympathy with the hewers of wood and drawers of water, were expressions of his overflowing heart. He may indeed bo described as New Zealand s 'Mr. Greatheart.' His political faith sprang from his broad humanity and deep human sympathy, "Mr. Savage was concerned more with the immediate improvement of material conditions of life than with the ideologies implicit in the methods of social reconstruction. His sincerity of soul was revealed in the simplicity, clarity and directness of his spoken utterances. The courage with which he carried his heavy burden and with declining strength faced the critical situation created by the war commanded the admiration of the whole Dominion. His faith in democracy and freedom never failed. The closing message of bis life to the democrats or New Zealand may be summed up !B the words, 'Stand fast in the faith; quit you like men; be strong.' "

BAPTIST APPRECIATION MAKING THE WOULD BKTTKR "Our national lil'c is considerably poorer because of the passing ol tins most earnest and gentlemanly Parinmentarv leader," said the I'ev. ( . >»• Duncumb. president of the Baptist Union ol New Zealand, in pacing a tribute to Mr. Savage. "An idealism in which personal aggrandisement, had no place, but m which himinnitarianisni was central, seems to sum up the lifo of our lato prime Minister." be continued. "Hosts who are young to r da.v will remember him as one who promised them » chance to work and who kept his worth Others with gratitude will ever associate his name with easier old age ana a larger draught of the milk of human kindness. The gallant spirit in wine" he fought his last losing light against, ill-health epitomises a life's endeavours to make the world better ior t' lo average aian."