MR BONAR LAW.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19046, 17 December 1923, Page 10

MR BONAR LAW.

PASSING OF A GREAT STATESMAN. TRIBUTE FROM MR MASSEY. nrnoM Ocb Own Cosmspondent.) LONDON, November 1. It is only now that Mr Boimr Law has passed from among ns that we learn of the extent of the tragedy of hislator life. It was not until after the general election, when ho had to meet Parliament as Prime Minister, that the real breakdown in his health occurred. His voice went, and, even then, as he sat silent on the green benches, with Mr Baldwin loyally fillin'? hia duties by liis side, ho did not betray to the House of Commons what he probaby suspected of the incurable state of his throat weakness. A visit to Brighton and high frequency electrical treatment were tried; then a sea voyage and a trip to Aix-les-Bains were undertaken last May, but in vain. The symptoms grew more definite, and he met Sir Thomas Horder in Paris. A careful examination left no doubt in the great surgeon’s mind. Cancer was diagnosed. Air Bonar Law took a dramatic decision at once. He returned to London on May 19, saw the King, and, declaring that the national interest required him to make way for another. placed his resignation in his Majesty's hands. He was as firm in his determina'ion to resign as he had been in retaining office when the public interest, in his opinion needed it. The reason for this decisive step was concealed, rather than expressed. in the bulletin of the doctors; “The state of the Prime Minister’s health is not good.” PAINFUL ILLNESS. What is the fact is that even at that stage Mr Bonar Law was suffering terrible pain—such pain as led him to send for Sir Thomas Horder on his own volition. Tho wrench was grievous, bat he never felt for a moment in doubt what his duty was to the country. From that time onwards Mr Bonar Law had passed his time quietly with his family, bravely preparing himself for the inevitable. When his temperature, during his last illness, rose so persistently that he could not read the newspapers ,himself, he had a summary read to him. Though the pain increased towards the end he never complained, never talked about his illness—oven to the doctors. Even when septic pneumonia took last Monday evening he maintained his cheerfulness. He seemed to doze off about 8 p.m., and was only semi-con-scious during the night. The end came about 2.45 a.m.. when the septic irritation led him to reach out his hand for an alleviating measure. The effort was bis last. As he moved his hand he sank back, and with a sigh he passed peacefully away. MR MASSEY’S TRIBUTE. The Now Zealand Prime Minister was among those who paid tribute to the British statesman at tho invitation of the London press: “Mr Bonar Law,” he said, "was p. patriotic British citizen, a man of sterIP character,' upright, reliable, and straightgoing; a, man.who could always be depended upon in an. emergency and who possessed the confidence of everyone: a statesman in the proper sense of the word.. By his death the Empire loses one who will go down ta history as having taken an illustrious park in the events which saved the Empire in tho lime of its peril during the Great War. Always a staunch patriot, he was the soul of honour and integrity, and his untimely death has deprived the Empire of a statesman whoso place at this critical juncture in its history will be difficult to fill. ’ FAMILY BEREAVEMENTS. In addition to the many burdens of war responsibility' there came to Mr Bonar Law the crushing blow of the death of two of his sons. . Of-these,'the elder, James Harrington Law, had, been, since the death of his mother, the chief, companion of his father. Ultimately he fell fighting in the air hi a great aeroplane .battle in the salient of Ypres. The blow was a terrible one, and for a time Mr Law seemed a broken man, for then his nerves and judgment wore essential to. the salvation of the country. The story is tojd that nothing would satisfy him' but that.,he should witness the scene of his son's glorious, death. - He was niefc in ' France byan officer of,conspicuous braveiy and marked Get,'-who showed Mr Law the last machine used by his son before the fatal encounter. It was riddled with bullets, and had been condemned as useless. The fcreaved father climbed into the seat and sat there for some minutes in complete silence. When he got out it seemed as if some inspiration from the dead had come to him, for he was a new man. His old, indomitable courage had returned, and be seemed imbued with a spirit which carried him on through his herculean labours right up to the final hour of victory. A REMARKABLE MEMORY. It is but 'natural that , the late statesman’s extraordinary memory should be recalled' at this time, for it was this which made him eo formidable as a political opponent. When delivering his address, as Lord Rector of the Glasgow University, he spoke without a single note, .and yet adhered strictly to a typed copy of his long speech that had previously been circulated. In 1915, his first speech as Colonial Secretary was concerned with a review of tho work of the dominions, in the war. He had to quote many strange names of littleknown places in the German colonies, and give distances and a host of other facts. Yet, so astonishing was bis memory that he did not require to use notes of any kind. At times, however, there were people who had the temerity to challenge Mr Bonar Law as to the accuracy of some statement. Immediately that happened the ’ ex-Prims Minister would plunge his hand into one of his pockets, produce a little notebook or a newspaper cutting, and prove the truth o.t his assertion to the confusion of hi* ad versary. VARIED FRIENDSHIPS. Mr Bonar Law’s friendships did not always lie where one might have anticipated, and were singularly unaffected by the creed of politics of his friends. Right to tho end Air M’Kenna was one of the first in his heart, and in his last illness Mr M’Kenna was a constant visitor, always ready to play chess with the patient—a game in which he greatly delighted. Another close friend dating from early days was Lord Glenavy, the ex-Lord Chancellor of Ireland, perhaps better known as Sir James Campbell. Lord Glenavy, who was a typical example of a formidable fighting Irisih barrister, and by way of being Lord Carson’s right-hand man in all Unionist campaigns in England, used to go about everywhere with Mr Bonar Law, when the latter was a constant frequenter of the golf links. This did not prevent an intimacy’ with Tim Healy, an ardent Oatholio and convinced Home Ruler. Another intimate companion was Sir W. Watson Rutherford, prominent among the Liverpool members of Parliament. Between these two men, so disparate in many ways, chess w>as a bond. Sir Watson Rutherford, from the earliest days of his political career, absolutely worshipped Mr Bonar Law, and was always willing to give up his seat for him or make any sacrifice in. his interest. The friendship with Sir J. Remnant, the Conservative M.P. for Holbom, was one which seemed (pate inevitable. Sir James is most typical covenanter sitting on the Conservative benches. In character and outlook he is almost the replica of Mr Bonar Law’.