DEATH OF MR MASSEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 9

DEATH OF MR MASSEY

GREAT STATESMAN PASSES.

NOTABLE RECORD OF SERVICE.

A DOMINANT PERSONALITY.

LEADER AND TRUE PATRIOT.

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 10. The Prime Minister passed peacefully away at 5.40 p.m. to-day.

THE LAST HOURS,

leader was near, tho actual end has brought a sorrow which is too great to leave mo capable of writing of him as he deserves from me. Year by year during his long leadership of the Opposition and then throughout the thirteen years of his tenure of office as Prime Minister Mr Massey has grown greater in the estimation of the people of New Zealand, and has won more and more the affection of those who have been privileged to servo under him. The value of his strong, patient sense of public duty will bo more keenly felt now that his wise and prudent control of public affairs has ended. The whole Empire will mourn his loss with us, for among Empire statesmen he long since advanced to a foremost rank. A real and lasting tribute to his memory is the unanimity of all classes and sections of our political and social life in the expressions of personal affection and anxiety since the serious nature of his nlness became known. ’The country hod come to know his worth as its leader in Parliament, but oven more to understand how just and upright, he was in all his dealings and his happy, unaffected consideration to all alike had disarmed many opponents and attached to him more firmly his hosts of friends.”

A PEACEFUL END. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 10. Expressions of sympathy were heard on all sides as the people learned tho news of tho death of Mr Massey. Up till Friday last Mr Massey was able to recognise people, but for tho last 48 hours of his life ho was unconscious. His end came quite peacefully. All the members of the Prime Minister’s family were present at the death bed. Besides Mrs Massey there were his three sons (Air Walter W. Alassey, Air J. Norman Masaoy, and Mr George Alassoy) and his two daughters (Airs G. Lawrence Taylor and Mrs C. W. Salmon). Ilis brother. Air John Massey, was also present, Mrs Aloasey is bearing up well in the very trying circumstances. Air Alassoy is to be buried at Point HnLswoll, a commanding eminence overlooking Wellington Harbour. Tho funeral will probably bo on Thursday.

TRIBUTES FROM POLITICAL OPPONENTS. , (Feom Our Own Correspondent.) ■WELLINGTON, May 30. Sir Francis Bell received the following telegram from the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward this evening;—“With deep regret I have just been informed of Mr Massey’s sad death. The dominion has suffered a great loss, ami I tender you and your collongues my si nearest sympathy in the personal loss you have all sustained.” Mr 11. E. Holliftid, tho leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, telegraphed from Westport ns follows;—“I wish to convey to yourself and the' members of the Government by own- sincere sympathy and that of the Labour Party in'the almost irreparable loss they have sustained in the death of tho Prime Minister. I shall always remember him as a statesman of wide capabilities and strong determination and a great opponent who, haying given his word, never once broke it. After life’s fitful fever may he sleep well.”

THE BURIAL GROUND AND FUNERAL

INTERMENT FIXED FOR THURSDAY

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 10. The private burial ground for the late Prime Minister will bo constituted by ids Excellency's warrant. A small part of the Defence Reserve at Point Hulswcli overlooking Wellington Harbour has been especially set apart for that purpose. The body will be Interred there on Thursday, tho funeral service being conducted by the Rev. George Miller, Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly, who will come from Dunedin for this duty.

THE BURIAL PLACE

A PROMONTORY IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 10. Point Hakwell leaps to the imagination aa- the burial place of the New Zealand statesman. It is a bold point jutting into Port Nicholson, and thus it looks on open sea as well as upon the city. Any monument erected there will bo always before the eyes of the people in the Capital and will be the first to catch the eyes of those on ships arriving in Wellington. The dedication of hilltops as resting places of great men has several precedents. Sir John Logan Campbell is buried at the summit of One Tree Hill, Mr Cecil Rhodes in the Matoppo Hills of Rhodesia, and Mr ■Robert Louis Stevenson on Vaea Mount, Samoa. Mr Richard John Soddon lies in a grave on a prominence overlooking Parliament House and Lambton quay, Wellington.

THE NATURE OF THE ILLNESS. (Per United P.kess Association.) WELLINGTON, May 10. A Now Zealand Times representative approached a number of the late Prime, Minister's family to-night suggesting that it was n matter of dominion-wide interest (hat something of the actual nature of Mr Massey’s last illness should Ire made known, hut it was explained that the subject was naturally a very painful one to Mrs Massey, and that out of consideration for her feelings it was desired that no reference should be made to it for the present at least.

HEALTH INDIFFERENT FOR MONTHS. AIR. MASSEY’S LATEST PUBLIC APPEARANCES. (Pee United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 10. Ever since the close ■of tho • 1924 session the Prime Minister had been in somewhat indifferent health, suffering from a painful illness stated to bo sciatica. lor some time he was under treatment at Rotorua, and after his return to Wellington it seemed as if he was making steady, if slow, progress, towards recovery. It was shortly after the welcome to tho Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. on December 13, that Mr Massey was precluded from taking any further active part in politics for the time being. His heartening message to the people of the dominion on New Year’s Day will long be remembered for its strong tone of optimism. For the next two months Mr Massey was under the care of his medical attendant and satisfactory progress towards recovery was marked by his first appearance in public since December 13, when he visited the steamer Aorangi while she was laying at the Queen’s Wharf. Ho did not leave his car, however, as tho ascent of tho gangway would have been too severe a tax upon his strength. He expressed unqualified approved of the new motor ship and of the enterprise of the Union Fleam Ship Company. On his way homo Mr Massey called upon Lord and Lady Maolay at (he Midland Hotel. On March 2 tho Prime Minister was reported to have benefited by his short outing and to be well on tho way to complete recovery. On Wednesday, March 18, he attended the Government luncheon to the “All Blacks,” at which ho gave a •rousing speech, but on March 31 nows of the operation on him on tho previous day came like a bombshell upon the public. A turn for the worse had taken place; Dr Car rick Robertson, of Auckland, had liven called in, and an operation performed. It was followed by the issue of tho following bulletin: “The Prime Minister’s illness has lately developed more serious symptoms. After consultation between his medical advisers and Dr Carriclc Robertson, of Auckland, it was decided that an investigation by operation was essential. The operation took place in tho Bowen Street Hospital early this morning. The-patient bore the operation well. Further bulletins will btissued from time to time.” Bulletins wer® issued for a few days and were then witnhold until there was a definite change. The renewal of tho bulletins created further suspense, and then a week ago a slight improvement waa recorded, the Prime Minister showing an unexpected reserve of vitality, Tho improvement was not maintained, however, and the acute anxiety of tlio last two or three days terminated this evening, when tho toiler of 70 long years jjassed to his rest.

THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER’S TRIBUTE AN INTIMATE APPRECIATION. (Pee United Peesb AssociiTios.) WELLINGTON. May 10, Sir Francis 8011, Acting-Prime Minister, said: —‘Though for many days I have known that the death of my friend and