OUR STRONG CHIEF

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6599, 14 May 1925, Page 5

OUR STRONG CHIEF

THE COUNTRY’S LOSS

We bow our head, with all the heads of the Dominion, in sorrow for the strong chief gone from among us. One moment of deeply sympathetic silence; we pass from mourning to the review of the strenuous public life that is over and to a reminder of the virile qualities which featured that life for 31 years.

On April 13th, 1894, Mr Massey left the peaceful work of his northern farm to enter the House of Representatives. There he worked without a break for nearly 31 years. After 18 years of private membership he attained to the Prime Ministership, and that office he held for nearly 13 years. He was Prime Minister of New Zealand from July 10th, 1912, to the last day of his life, April 10th, 1925. It proved a period of great service. Beginning in the uncertainties of a badly-balanced situation, it became the most memorable, most important, moat strenuous Prime Ministership in | the history of New Zealand. On the i opening of its third year, Mr Massey found himself carrying the responsibility of the leadership in war of a great people, to whom war was, as to j himself a cause of terror rather than

1 an experience. He faced his responsibility bravely, as we know who remember the historic scene of his announcement to the Representatives of the declaration of war. Soon his clear vision and sound patriotic sense suggested the combination of parties in the Cabinet to unite the nation against the common enemy. With the handclasp of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward the nation came together solid, facing the enemy as one man. During the war Mr Massey’s duty took him to the centre of Empire. There he, with other oversea Prime Ministers, took such part in the counsels of the Empire as had never been dreamed possible. In that War Council he made his mark so well that, at the great Conference of Versailles held to arrange the terms of peace, the Prime Minister of New Zealand was appointed chairman of one of the most important committees, the Committee of Disarmament of the Enemy. In that chair he earned the respectful adiration of all the statesmen of Europe, who had first-hand experience of his rulings. Imperial Conferences added to the oversea successes of our Prime Minister. Of the position achieved by him the recording symbol is the pen—preserved carefully in the Parliamentary Library—with which he signed as the representative of the oversea Dominion of New Zealand the Treaty of Versailles. From 1894 to 1925: it is a great, varied and noble record. The predominating feature of the same is strength. A strong man—look at the 18 years of Opposition. A small band overwhelmingly defeated at the election polls every time of trying, Mr Massey, one of them, never lost heart. When his courage got for him the leadership of that band, fate diminished his following. His courage rose higher. Even his opponents acknowledged and admired that great quality, so rare on earth and so useful in great enterprises. It was not the physical bravery so common in our martial race. It was moral courage the highest of all—the same courage carried him through the war, from the alliance of parties here to the signing of the Treaty at Versailles.

The work of the last years carried on the tradition of courage. <JIe was in the grip of the illness that kills statesmen. History, ancient, mediaeval, modern, bears testimony to the fell effects. Our statesmen have suffered it here. And the last victim went out last night. How bravely did he stand up to the fight, facing the last of his sessions, enduring the fierce grip of the internal enemy, and the assault of the enemy outside his household! And between the two standing all the vast voluminous work of the Prime Ministry. Accessible he was through it all, patient, genial, generous, cheerful. In the mourning of him all over the land he served so unsparingly, so bravely and so well, is a commingling note of high admiration, and deep gratitude. Opinions will differ about his political career. But the courage of his service, the thoroughness of his patriotism, and the extent of his self-sacrifice will be held in warm remembrance unanimous. ( And to this the voice of appreciation of his generous geniality will add a permanent note. —N.Z. Times.