PRESS COMMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 10

PRESS COMMENT.

WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON. May 10. The Dominion will say to-morrow: “The career thus terminated was in a inumber of respect® remarkable, and embodied a range of achievement such as no ordinary man could have compassed. The late Prime Minister was no brilliant specialist. He was rather one in whom homely qualities of loyalty, common sense, and judgment were developed to an exceptional degree. It goes far to account (for the hold he retained to the day of his (death on the respect and confidence of his (countrymen that at every stage of his | career he set a plain course and followed Sit with strength and resolution. Mr j Massey’s public record is written large. | No Imperial statesman gave a firmer or i more assured lead in the supreme emergency of the Great War, and none sounded mere effectively the note of Imperial unity and co-operation. It is a familiar fact that ho not only proved equal to all demands made upon him m these circumstances, but -earned name and reputation as one of the pillars of Empire. Few, if I any of his contemporaries, have done more j to' give living force and reality to the unifying sentiment of Imperial kinship or to the "ideal of a true Imperial partnership. To the distinction he era-nod in representing the dominion in London ami abroad, Mr Massey added the remarkable

record of being the only war-time Prime Minister who grappled with the perplexing problems of post-war readjustment and forced economy without incurring political defeat. This is an achievement the more creditable since weak concession had no place in the policy of the late Prime Minister, and he never hesitated, when he considered it necessary, to make demands on tho country which were felt severely in times of depression and difficulty. ... It is an admirable feature of his life and career that he was in a remarkable degree free from any taint of self-seeking. No public man ever had a cleaner record, or was less open to the charge of having used his position for his own glorification or aggrandisement He will be held in grateful memory as one who, in years of unexampled stress and difficulty, served his country and the Empire with ability, loyalty, and singlehearted devotion.”

CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH, May 10. The Lyttelton Times will say in the morning: “The news of the death of Mr Massev will be received universally with unfeigned regret, and no thought of strife past or politics current need mar the tribute to be paid to tire man. Big, human, quick to smile and slow to wrath, ho grew imperceptibly into the hearts of his countrymen and found there a warm and permanent nest for his memory. He was a friendly man, with a firm faith in his fellowmen, unsuspicious, thinking osr speaking ill of none. Like many another farmer come to town, ho loved to be among people. The country habit of passing the time of the day with every wayfarer persisted even in the days when he was never alone. A cheerful greeting was , ever on his lips. To meet him once was to remember his happy smile thereafter. He was essentially of the company of plain men, simple, earnest, honest, industrious and peace-loving. The qualities that carried him through his long public career were precisely those that appeal to the common men in everyday life, virtues that one takes for granted in one’s fellows, to be remarked only when they are absent. One thinks of him as \ typical Englishman—for all his Scots forbears and North of Ireland birth—strong, dependable, undemonstrative, loyal to old beliefs and to old ideas and to ' the old religion, home-loving and home-keeping, a firm friend and a forgiving enemy. Not otherwise can one explain the extraordinary hold that he won on the affections of ordinary people, apart altogether from politics. Recall him as he was during the critical moments of the Great War, deeply moved, in spite of his abhorrence of emotional display, by the loss of so many fine young lives and by the suffering of those who remained at home, simple, courageous, earnest, fervently sympathetic, the very figure of the father of the people consoling the children and encouraging them to endure. There, surely, was the man himself, justifying abundantly and naturally the expectation, indeed the faith, of the people in general.”

SOUTHLAND. INVERCARGILL, May 10. The Southland Times will say to-morrow morning: “Mr Massey’s title to the thanks of hjs countrymen is securely based. His long political career, with its patent selflessness, would have been enough to earn that valued reward; but he multiplied the debt owed him many times by the sagacity, the honesty of purpose, and the firmness with which he guided the destinies of the dominion through one of the most dangerous periods of its existence. Mr Massey was destined for high office from the outset. His mental stature was such that no caprice of politics would have kept him from the exercise of his powers, and to-day he has joined that select company which will be forever associated with the brilliant political and social record of this fortunate country. . . . When Mr Massey took ■ office after the close of the long period of the Liberal Party’s control, the country wondered what would happen. His record as the Leader of the Opposition had shown that he was a strong, shrewd man, and these qualities probably have time to examine the results of the experimental legislation of the Liberal regime, to consolidate what had been attracted people who were anxious to gained and to cut the losses. . . When Mr Massey was elevated to the leadership, the last shreds of Toryism passed from the dominion—the term persists to-day in political propaganda, hut the country knows that it has no justification in fact. New Zealanders hod confidence in this squarely-built, blunt man, who manfully shouldered a big task, and they will go on giving their trust to men of this type. Mr Massey was too shrewd, too keenly alive to tho needs of the moment to allow himself to be swayed by party bitterness or conceit, and from the outset his policy was one of development, rather than of reversal. He harboured no reactionary ideas, but he realised that progress in the country would be hopelessly blocked if the supremacy of the freehold were not restored to the land. Otherwise, he accepted what his predecessors had done, and set about deepening, developing and improving where they had experimented. And today the dominion remembers him as a leader who brought vigour back to that most important of our interests—agriculture—by his courageous handling of the situation left by the Liberals. Before death took him, Mr Massey knew that he had succeeded in his greatest tasks. He was ready to lay down the burdens of office; but a kindly Fate did not ask of him at the end that ‘hardest penal toil, reluctant rest,’ and those who knew the man most intimately, aware of the great stores of energy on which he drew so lavishly, felt that he preferred to meet death while he was yet in harness. Mr Massey’s death is going to leave the political atmosphere more disturbed than it was when Mr Seddon died, and in the strenuous days to come the people generally will recall how they always looked to him as the personification of stability and steady progress.”

MR MASSEY’S WAR SERVICES.

LONDON JOURNAL’S TRIBUTE.

The following comments on the most important phase of Mr Massey’s service for State and Empire during the war period are taken from the London Daily Telegraph’s editorial columns of June 28, 191 S. They practically reiterate with emphasis similar opinions expressed on several occasions in other leading iiritish journals, including The Times and the Daily Mail, which noted particularly his practical comroon sense, energy, and devotion to duty: “■Hie Prime Minister of the Dominion of New Zealand is a robust imperialist of a practical type. Out of the last three years Mr Massey has practically spent two in our midst, and the British public has learned to know him well. He has done splendid service at the Peace Conference. He has jdayed there the role which everyone expected from so staunch a patriot. Thanks in a large measure to the persuasive and robust advocacy' of Mr Massey it is especially provided in the Treaty of Peace that the South Placific Islands" are to he administered under the laws of the mandatory as an integral part of her territory. This is merely one instance of ins splendid service at the Peace Conference. He has been strong on the question of indemnities and reparation : no on© has been more insistent on securing the trial and punishment of those guilty of crimes against the laws and customs of war. Ho has also been an ardent supporter of the League of Nations, though, at times he may have thought that the settlement of the actual terms of peace was even more pressing than the drafting of the Covenant of the League.” Mr Massey’s best service for the Empire has undoubtedly been the unmeasured manner in which he urged the people of New Zealand to throw the ful weight of their patriotism and resources icto the Allies’ fight for world freedom. “We do not remember a single occasion,”

declared tho Daily Telegraph, ‘‘on which lie head of the National Government '£ New Zealand has failed to speak worthily on behalf of the splendid dominion which sent to 'Europe nearly 100,000 gallant soldiers whose war record is surpassed by

There was not a moment’s hesitation on his part about guaranteeing a practical exercise of the patriotism of New Zealand on behalf of the Empire. Before war was declared in August, 1914, but when it appeared to be inevitable, Mr Massey cabled to the Imperial Government slating that all that New Zealanders had and were would be at the disposal of the Empire’s Government, Tho dominion’s vc cord in the war proves that the Prime Minister’s pledge was no empty promise. The Main Body left the dominion in October, 1914, aiid later took part in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign, then in many important and • imperishable battles m France, where the reputation of tho New Zealand Division as men and soldiers is enshrined in the hearts and memories of (ho gallant and grateful citizens of fair France. “I heartily congratulate you on the completion of rhe main portion of your great wort,” said Mr Massey to M. Clemencoau at the historic ceremony of tho signing of the Treaty of Peace at Versailles, where and when so many farewells had to be so hurriedly made. ’And iet mo congratulate you too,” responded M. Glon'enconn in his charming manner, "on your work, and please also congratulate your brave men and thank them for Fraiioc, '

PRIME MINISTERS OF NEW ZEALAND.

SUCCESSIVE MINISTRIES. The following is a list of the Prime Ministers of New Zealand in the order of their succession from the establishment of responsible government: Mr Henry Sewell—May 7, 1856, to May 20 1856. Mr (afterwards Sir) Williaim Fox —May 20, 1866, to June 2, 1856. Mr (afterwards Sir) E, W. Stafford—Juno 2, 1856, to July 12. 1861. Mr (afterwards Sir) William Fox —July 12, 1861, to August 6, 1862. Mr Alfred Domett—August 5, 1862, to October 30, 1863. Mr (afterwards Sir) Frederick Whitaker— October 30, 1865, to November 24, 1864. Mr (afterwards Sir) F. A. Weld —November 24, 1854, to October 16, 1865. Mr (afterwards Sir) E. W. Stafford— October 16, 1865, to June 28, 1869. Mr (afterwards Sir) William Fox—Juno 28, 1869, to September 10. 1872. Mr (afterwards Sir) E. W. Stafford —September 10, 1872, to October 11, 1872. Mr G. M. Waterhouse—October 11, 1872, to March 3, 1873. Mr (afterwards Sir) W. Fox—March 3, 1873, ■to April 8, 1873. Mr (afterwards Sir) Julius Vogel—April 8, 1873, to July 6, 1875. Dr Daniel Pollen—July 6, 1875, to February IS, 1876. Sir Julius Vogel—February 15, 1876, to September 1, 1876. Major (afterwards Sir) H. A. Atkinson— September 1, 1876. to October 13, 1877. Sir George Grey—October 15, 1877, to October 8, 1879. Mr (afterwards Sir) John Hall—October 8. 1879, to April 21, 1882. Mr (afterwards Sir). H. F. Whitaker— April 21, 1882, to September 25, 1883. Major (afterwards Sir) H. A Atkinson— September 25, 1883, to August 16, 1884. Mir (afterwards) sir Robert Stout—August 15, 1884, to August 28, 1884. Major (afterwards Sir) H. A. AtkinsonAugust 28, 1884, to September 3, 1884. Mr (afterwards Sir) Robert Stout—September 3, 1884, to October 8, 1887. Sir H. A. Atkinson—October 8, 1837 to January 24, 1891. Mr John Ballanoo—January 24 1801 to April 27, 1893. ’ MrR. J. Sodden—May 1, 1893, to Juno XU, iyuo. Sir) W - Hall-Jones-Juno 21, 1906, to August 6, 1906, 28 5i 1912 G ' Ward ~ Auglist 6 > ISO6 > to March ,A Ir l . (a i‘ e ™ ard3 Sir ) Thomas MackenzieMarch 28, 1912, to July 10, 1912. 10% W- E- Massey—July 10, 1912, to May