TOMB OF A STATESMAN,

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1925, Page 8

TOMB OF A STATESMAN,

LAST RESTING PLACK. POINT HALSWELL SITE, MAGNIFICENT PANORAMA. Southward of the city of Wellington juts the bold promontory of Point Halswell, on the pine -clad slopes of which the Prim© Minister will be laid for his final slumber. The waters run suddenly shallow at the end of Point Hals well, the deep blues of the harbour fairway changing to murky greens. Round the promontory’s base th© coast road runs separated from th© sea by a strip of rocky beach, and close by sweep ships which have trod many waters, seeking harbour or th© open sea. From th© decks of these vessels Point Halswell appears plainly, and when a fitting monument is erected future citizens of th© Dominion, arriving from overseas, will see th© cairn that marks the grave of a man, himself an adopted citizen of this southern land, who rose to be the first of his generation. *

The harbour, seen from the hilltop, is very beautiful on a clear day. Across five miles of sea are spread the vivid greens of the many-furrowed hills. Due east is the wide stretch of the Hutt Valley, the gateway to th© capital. On three sides spread the wide waters, closed to the westward by the housedotted bluff of Point Jerningham, and to the south by the purple splendour of the Orongorongo ranges, a gorgeous riot of colour, and barred by the shape of Somes Island, long and wkale-like, and Ward Island, a clay smudge upon the blue beauty of th© harbour. There is rugged magnificence, colour, strength and day-long winds to speak to the observer of the seas of all the world. It is a fitting resting place for the country’s great. Fort Halswell is no more. From the gun-pits the great have been lifted, and it is m the concrete basin where swung one of the guns of the inner fortress that the dead Prim© Minister was laid. It stands now, a big cavity many yards in diameter, holding the august dead. Many men have been busy about the spot making the place ready for its age-long duty. A scaffolding was erected to make th© gun pit to receive all that is mortal of the late Mr. Massey, and about the tomb the ©pot was made easier of access. Just behind the tomb the ground diof»s suddenly, and in the hollow are buildings used by the old permanent staff, while a brick wall cuts off th© road up which the official party came. A flight of concrete steps leads down to an underground passage to the gunpit, a passage furnished with a light railway, curved to protect it from shell fire, and connected with the magazine from which the gun would have been fed in time of attack. The whole place is rugged and difficult of access. But its fine position is undisputed? EVENTS TN LONG CAREER. Following is a summary of important events in Mr. Massey’s career: Born at Limavady, County Derry, March 26, 1856. Arrived at Auckland, December 11, 1870. In the service of Mr. John Grigg, Longbeaeh. Canterbury, 1873-6. Returned to Auckland and commenced farming and threshing-mill business on his own Recount, 1876-7. Married Miss Christina Paul, April 5, 1882. First President of the Mangere Farmers* Club, 1890. Hon. John Ballance formed his Ministry, January 24, 1891. President of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, 1890-3. Mr, R. J. Seddon formed his first Ministry (oh the death of Mr. Ballance), May I, 1893. Contested the Franklin seat, general election, November 28, 1893, and was defeated by Major Harris, Elected member for Waitemata (byelection) , April 9, 1894, and entered Parliament (the twelfth) on its opening, June 21, 1894. Elected member for Franklin for the first time, December 4, 1896. Whip for Opposition (under Captain Russell’s leadership), 1896-1903. Leader of the Opposition from September 11, 1903. Death of Mr. Seddon, June 10, 1906; Sir Joseph Ward’s Ministry formed, August 6, 190'6. Opposition adopts the title, “Reform Party,” 1904, Presentation to Air. Massey as Leader of the Opposition of a national testimonial in the form of a grandfather clock and a purse of 1000 guineas, made at Auckland, August 20, 1909. Resignation of the Ward. Ministry, March 28, 1912. Reform Party entered office, and Mr. Massev became Prime Minister, July 10, 1912. Appointed a Privy Councillor, January 1, 1914. Formation of the National (War) Ministry, with Mr. Massey as Prime Minister, August 6, 1915. Left New Zealand on first official visit to Britain, to attend Imperial Conference, August 24, 1916; returned June 25, 1917. Departure to attend Imperial War Cabinet and Conference, May 2, 1918; returned October 12, 1918. Departure io attend the Peace Conference, December l9lB. Signed the Versailles Treaty on behalf of New Zealand, June 28, 1919. Offer of a Peerage declined, 1919. Returned from Peace 'Conference, arriving at Auckland.'August 5, 1919. Formed third Ministry (after termination of Coalition), August 25, 1919. Departure from Auckland to attend Imperial Conference, April 16, 1921; returned September 30, 1921. Auckland citizens’ presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Massey, May 24, 1923. Departure from Wellington to attend Imperial Conference, August 28, 1923; returned January 24, 1924. Installed as Grand Master of New Zealand Freemasons, November 26, 1924.