The Te Aroha News Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Mornings. TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1925. THE LATE PRIME MINISTER.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6598, 12 May 1925, Page 4

The Te Aroha News Published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Mornings. TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1925. THE LATE PRIME MINISTER.

| THE brief message received on Sunil day evening’ announcing’ the death of I Mr W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, caused no surprise. The bulletins issued for some time past have held out no hope and latterly conveyed the impression that the end was near. While all will regret the passing of a great man no one would have wished for a continuation of a life which held out nothing but suffering. The late Mr Massey has been a member of Parliament for over 30 years, and for nearly 13 years he was Prime Minister. Had he remained a little longer in office he would have beaten the record put up by the late R. J. | Seddon, but it was not to be, and what is far more important, his life was | ful’l and all that he had he gave for I his country, seeking no reward and resting content with the knowledge that he ljad done his duty. He was a great patriot, and it was his love for his country, his confidence in its future, his indomitable will and singleness of purpose that carried him so far and enabled him to accomplish so much. There are some who see in the late Mr Massey’s public life much that resembles that of his predecessor, Mr Seddon, but while both were men of noble purpose * they belonged to different schools of thought. They were both strong characters, great leaders, and had the courage of their convictions, but there the comparison ends. The late Mr Massey’s best service to the country was given as an administrator rather than as a legislator. He came into office at a time when there were widespread complaints with regard to political interference with the public service, and his promise to remove the service

from influence of this kind ;has been fully redeemed. A square'deal for all was a favourite saying- of his, and he endeavoured to make the conditions in the public service such that every man would feel that his promotion depended upon his own exertions and that none were specially favoured. If there was one trait in Mr Massey’s character that stood out more prominently than another it was his honesty and sincerity. His own supporters, who knew him best, had for him a -strong affection, and his fiercest political opponents on the Liberal and Labour side of the House were as ready as any Reformer to defend the Prime Minister from any suggestion that he was not clean and straight in his administration, or honest in his convictions. Mr Massey enjoyed more than a Dominion reputation, and the tributes to his ability Which appeared in the British Press on the occasion of the Imperial Conference will still be fresh in the minds of the people. Because Mr Massey has lived New Zealand is a cleaner and happier country, and when the great difficulties he has had to contend with are remembered all will admit that he has put up a wonderful record. The gospel of economy which he preached on all occasions has had a wholesome effect and in conjunction with legislative enactments has assisted the country to more rapid recovery of its prosperity after the slump than might reasonably have been expected. All New Zealand will mourn the loss of one of the greatest leaders that has ever been given to the country.