FROM PLOUGHBOY TO

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 11 May 1925, Page 11

FROM PLOUGHBOY TO

Mr. MASSEY’S REMARKABLE CAREER

The news of Mr Massey’s death will be received with genuine regret by all sections of the community, and notable tributes will be paid to his distinguished and lengthy service.

APPRECIATIONS: Sir Francis Bell, Acting Prime Minister; ..... .“ Though for. many days I have known that the death of my friend and leader was near, the actual end has brought sorrow which is too great to leave me 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 affection of those who have been privileged to serve under him. “ The value of his strong, patient sense of publio duty will be more keenly felt now that his wise and prudent control of public affairs has ended.

“ The whole Empire will morn his loss with us, for among Empire statesmen he had long * since advanced to the foremost rank. , A real and lasting tribute to his memofy is the unanimity of all classes and sections of our political and social life in expressions of personal affection and anxiety since; the serious nature of his illness’became known. The country-had come to know his worth as its leader in Parliament, hut even more to understand howjust and .upright he ivas in all his dealings, and his happy, unaffected consideration for all alike had disarmed many opponents and attached to him more firmly his hosts pf friends.” Sir Joseph Ward, Former Prime Minister ;

“The passing away of the head'of a Government, in any country in the world, particularly, in those countries that we recognise to be of Anglo-Saxon race, is a sad event, irrespective of political leanings, and in the case of the Prime Minister of New Zealand his death, occurring in a comparatively small community, even more accentuates the loss than would be the case, in a country with a larger population.

“ Throughout my own life in Parliament, Mr Massey and I have been on opposite political sides. That fact, however, has never diminished in the least degree my recognition of his general capacity long before he held the position of Prime Minister. During the greater portion of his tenure of that office, the world has been more or less unsettled, and in the evolution of political life in 1916 the need for co-operation and unity of all classes within Great Britain and her overseas Dominions brought about not a fusion, but co-operation, between Mr Massey’s Party and the Liberal Party, of which I was head.

“ Throughout the strenuous and fluctuating course of the Great War we had necessarily to be in close personal contact, and I had opportunity ofjpdging of the man, and now that he has passed away. I .cap say he exercised all the influence in his power, to help the Motherland and the whole of the British Empire to emerge successfully from that great contest. There never has been any misunderstanding as to my personal opinions on great political questions in New Zealand, these, opinions very often differing, and strongly at that, from Mr Massey’s views, and from his policy, but I have never attempted to disguise either from myself or from other people the fact that he was a strong force, and that his whole efforts were in the direction of what he. believed to be for the betterment of the country of which he was the political head. , ( f

“ The fact cannot be disguised that we are a very small community, less than 1,300,000 people, but the smaller our numbers the more pronounced is the glare which concentrates upon our . public men, and .particularly on the Prime Minister of the day, and it is an obvious fact that the loss of any man of the experienco that Mr Massey has had during the troublous times through which the world has passed, is a very great ono to a young dependency such as ours. “ I join quite sincerely with his friends in deploring his death, and especially in the sad circumstances connected with it. No country can afford to lose its leading public men, and such-a loss as the death of Mr Massey leaves a serious gap which it is difficult to fill. To Mrs Massey and her family especially, I sincerely pay my tribute of sympathy, and my sorrow at the removal of husband -and father from their daily life, for to them, naturally, the loss is infinitely greater and more poignant than it can be to the general public.”

The Mayor of Timaru (Mr G. J. Wallace):

“1 am sure that I am expressing the feeling of every citizen of Timaru when I say that I deeply deplore the death of our esteemed Prime Minister.

“ His long and able public service has been of incalculable value to this Dominion and to the whole of the British Empire.

“ During the trying years of the Great War his outstanding personality, and his optimistic cheerful nature, did much to inspire our soldiers, and to carry a ray of hope and sunshine into the stricken homes. “Since that dreadful struggle his brilliant statesmanship has been of great service in assisting to bring health to the war-weary world. “ Yesterday closed a life which will stand out in bold relief in the history of New Zealand —a life of which every citizen of the Dominion is pr.ond.” .

Eloquent Tribute to Life of National Service

Mr F. J. Rolleston, M.P. for Timaru: , “The sad news of Mr, Massey’s death, though not unexpected, has come with something of a shock to the community, and reminds us once more of the toll that Democrary takes of its leaders. He is not the first Prime Minister who has laid down his life in the service of his country. Sir Harry Atkinson died in his Speaker's robes, John Ballance died in harness, go did Richard Seddon, and now Mr. Massey, who in a few months' time would have held the Premiership for a longer period than any of his predecessors, has gone to his long rest. , Perhaps he was fortunate in what the' old. Latin writer called “the opportunity of his death,” as he has left us in the full strength of his powers* and with an imperishable record ol honourable service to his country. “The judgment of contemporaries is not always a true guide to a statesman’s, real place in history; but it may be truly said that William Ferguson Massey has been a notable figure on the world’s stage. Without many advantages except a strong constitution-and a fine open character, he literally forced his Way to .the forefront of. New Zealand politics. 'His greatest asset was the loyalty and admiration that he inspired in: his friends. To one .who watched him at close quarters it was easy to see the reason of, this, .He was intensely, human, and of undoubted sincerity and honesty. Moreover he was a great judge of men. Thoughfinclined at times, especially in his later days,'; to be intolerant, yet in his heart he always.respected other men’s opinions, “In the last two sessions when he was working under-considerable strain and lighting against ill-health, Mr. Massey never said a bitter word to any of his opponents., He might be, and often was, irritable and.angry, and he said many hard things, but they never left aqy sting, because the moment afte£ he would.make some'good-hunioured remark completely removed any sense of soreness, i well remember the last-occasion on which;l saw him —the., last day of last session. He-had’been in theHouse the whole afternoon and - was. evidently very tired and suffering great pain. I, went with others! to say good-bye and wish him a speedy restoration to health; and in doing so some good-humoured remark was made : about my own political views. “Yes,” he replied in. a flash, turning to me, “If I were a Salvation Army Captain I would go out into the streets every night and pray for your soul.” This was typical of the man. He bore no malice or hatred in his heart, and 'those who most strongly opposed his politics had the greatest personal regard for him. “Mr. Massey was a big man,, kindly and sympathetic to every request put before him, no matter from whom it came. Others will speak of his high sense of honour, his obvious sincerity, his love for and devotion to his country, his strong imperialism, his unceasing work in all the many duties of his high office. I merely wish to pay my humble tribute of respect to a truly! great man.”

Mr. J. Bitchener, M.P. for Waitaki: “Words fail me adequately to express my regret at the great loss sustained, not only by the people of this Dominion, hut by the whole Empire, by the death of Mr, Massey. It has been my privilege during the past six years, frequently to come into close association with our Leador, and- to me it was always a great pleasure and an inspiration to meet Mr, Massey and benefit by advice and counsel 60 freely given. No one, having a good cause, appealed in vain to the Prime Minister. He was a great lover of the land of his adoption, and an enthusiastic and courageous citizen of the Empire, which he served with such marked distinction. He gave his services ungrudgingly in the service of New Zealand. His life was spent in the country’s cause. -

“I think the outstanding quality of Mr. Massey’s statesmanship was. his humanity. Whether friend or opponent, mattered not to the Prime Minister. He was ever ready to help all who were in distress, and the name of William Ferguson Massey will bo long cherished by the people of this Dominion as a great man. Ho has joined the Great Majority, and I feel certain that the historian of the future will write his name large on the roll of honour of New Zealand’s public leadership.

“I think I am right in saying that Mr. Massey was probably the most widely-known of New Zealand’s distinguished legislators. He was one of the most remarkable of the men who have moved upon the stage of Empire affairs. He did his full share of service in the work of building up New Zealand, and making this country known throughout the world.

“As a man, Mr. Massey was respected by his opponents, and loved and honoured by his friends and colleagues. I knew him to have been one of Nature’s gentlemen and a faithful friend, a fair fighter, and above all, an honest, man —the noblest work of God.”

Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P. for Temuka:

“I did not meet Mr. Massey until November, 1919, on the eve of the General Election campaign of that year. He struck me as being a man who was slow in making confidences and perhaps it was inevitable that being but newly arrived back from the new world-making Peace Conference of Versailles, —having mixed for months with the great men of the earth—that he should be just a little bit over our heads, But for all that, he was intensely human; never the least sign of swank or overbearingness, and never so busy but what he could find time to listen to the troubles of the humblest, The next thing that captured my imagination was his enormous capacity for work, yes, his greed for work, lam sure he had the constitution of a lion for standing up to exhausting work and the enervating strain of listening to tedious deputation speakers. I had flattered myself hitherto on my capacity for standing up to hard work, to night and day rides in all weathers, and the strenuous times of saving sheep in bad winters, but inwardly I felt like a little child when I realised that the Prime Minister was only getting into his stride, when ordinary mortals were knocking off for the night; when after a heavy two hours’ speech the Prime Minister could attend for another two hours receiving deputations and then probably spend another hour attending to late correspondence. In after years, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Massey was not one who suffered fools gladly; if he did it was only through rigid self schooling for his was the nature to get to the heart of things at once, treat a subject with common sense and be done with it. Many’s the time I have watched him during the hearing of prosy speaking deputationists while the Prime Minister’s exterior was calm and debonair, the man himself,! could imagine, was writhing inwardly. Watching the man on many ceremonial occasions, such, as the opening of Parliament and Governor-General’s levees, I could see that Mr. Massey was bored by the whole affair, that it was not in the nature of the man to-like such functions, and that mind and heart were harking back to their work and to get things done. . ■ And yet with all there was no trace of gaucherie or awkwardness—he could play his part-Tn such affairs with the best of them, and he had also the instinct and the wish of putting others less favourably circumstanced at their ease. “William ’Ferguson Massey was at his best in a big fighting speech; the man loved it, revelled in it and put every ounce of his immense fighting strength . into the battle. . I don’t believe he favoured holding big reserves in the rear; his generalship rather was after the Nelson touch-find your enemy and sink him—all in or nothing. That’s why his most doughty opponentsalways had complete admiration for him, unless they had a mean streak in their ,bers always conceded the innate honesty the man. In his speeches only occasionally rising to brilliancy, and with no pretensions to finished oratory, yet packed full, of tho meat of common ■sense and a mass of infprmation and facts that I have never seen successfully assailed; and speeches that ' could be understood by. all, whether they were politically in sympathy or not. In' repartee unsurpassed and yet with all no cruelty in the sting* so much so that it was rare indeed that an interrupter— unless he was small—could not but join, in the laugh against himself. Some of those who knew the Prime Minister from his earliest political days, even those that fought him the most strenuously, have, told me the great change that had come over Mr. Massey through the long years as the result of travel and mixing with the big men of the Empire." The early brusqueness and hardness of manner, inseparable from the bitter fighting days in the wilderness, when he and a handful of ten or fifteen Diehards fought a triumphant Government for years, was gradually smoothed, and the man became gradually mellower in manner and possessing undeniable personality and charm. Very few people realise that he was one of the best read men in the House—and if I was asked what was Mr. Massey’s favourite subject, I would say at once Race History and Race Movements. I thought I knew something about my own Celtic stock, but at Tekapo in a few minutes I was convinced that the Prime Minister’s knowledge of that very subject was profound. “If I were asked what was the secret of the Prime Minister’s hold on,the affections and admiration of the people of this Dominion, more particularly the Members of his Party in the House, I would say that it was in no sense hero worship, but rather an intense regard and admiration for the. man’s great qualities and humanness, even his very weaknesses were so very very human, and to see Mr. Massey intimately ‘fly off the handle,’ and shake up. the table in the Whips’ room was worth fighting an election for.

“I believe that William Ferguson Massey, in spite of criticism to the contrary, was one of the truest democrats that ever led New Zealand; he lived for the country, he worked for the country, he probably died before his appointed time for the country. He lived to see the day when many former Liberals who ‘fought him tooth and nail’ have come round to the opinion that Democracy in New Zealand was absolutely safe in his hands, and if not actively associated with him were none the less certainly with him. Being a true Democrat, none saw clearer than he inherent dangers to Democracy, and the rocks ahead.

“Many a time in his steering of the barque of State, he deserved better than the criticism coming from quarters which should have known better, but lacked vision and imagination. Through all his speeches ran the vein of sympathy for the people and the milk of human kindness; nothing maudlin but practical and level headed. Probably the greatest danger he foresaw was that of bringing Democracy down to the dead level of the mediocrity of the least naturally endowed of its members.

“Farewell! William Ferguson Massey. We who have been privileged to know you intimately, salute your memory. Surely your life and work will be an inspiration to those who follow after to build up a great nation in these Southern Lanjis.”

The Hon. James Craigie, M.L.C., formerly M.P. for Timaru: " He who hath bent him o’er the dead, Ere the first day of life is fled, The first dark day of nothingless, The last of danger and distress,” —Byron. Death has claimed one of our best public men in the history of the Dominion. Take Mr. Massey for all in all, in his administration and achievement, it will be hard for his successors to follow his footsteps and fill his place as leader of this country. The genuine anxiety felt and sympathy displayed by all classes throughout his long illness, from one end of the Dominion to the other, is a great tribute to the man for his personal worth and career as a public man. When I entered Parliament in 1908, Mr. Massey was the leader of a small Party. lam safe in saying that there never was a more united band of men of any Party in Parliament. I might call them a band of brothers, and loyal to a man to their leader. Mr. Massey was preeminent as a Leader of Opposition. To be a leader with such a small following, and achieve what they did, needs a strong man, mentally and physically. Mr. Massey possessed both these qualities. Mr. Massey was at his post in Parliament at the opening and closing of every sitting. His duties as leader were most arduous, and a understand he had no private, secretary to help him in his correspondence, producing data and matter for his speeches, and criticism on the measures and general business brought before the House. True, he was ably supported by the then Messrs. James Allen, William Herries, William Fraser, A. L. Herdman, and others of his Party. It was a fine example of what unity, loyalty and thoroughness can accomplish. It appeared in those days, between 1908 and 1911, that their position, with their insignificant number, compared with the then Government’s large majority was hopeless. At the election of 1911 Sir Joseph Ward’s Government majority vanished. The Reform and Liberal Parties were just about equal. In 1912 the short-lived Mackenzie Government went out, which made Mr. Massey Prime Minister, a position he held till his death. He was the oply Prime Minister in the Empire, or perhaps the world, who held that position before, through the war, and after. Mr. Massey’s tenure of office has been anything but a bed of.roses. Starting with the big strike in 1913, all through the War, and the aftermath of the War, Mr. Massey went through times that only a strong courageous man could survive and carry the burden.

. Mr, Massey has been called a Conservative, but was he? I had the privilege of being a member of the Public Accounts Committee during the last few years of my Parliamentary career as a Member of the Elective House. I was, along with other members, closely associated with Mr. Massey. At our meetings in the Cabinet room, we dealt with land, incometax, and death-duty Bills, and the country’s finances, in general. In these deliberations I was impressed with Mr. Massey’s earnest desire to do the right thing for all classes of the people. He often showed that he was far more liberal in his advocacy of his measures than some of his Party who were on the Committee. Mr. Massey, personally, if left to himself, was a Liberal in the true sense of the word. His Government has put on the Statute Book of this Dominion as liberal—l might say radical —measures as have been passed in any country.

Though Mr. Massey had not a University training, yet he was a well-informed man, well versed in literature. He liked good poetry, and he must have been a reader and student of the Bible, by his ready quotations from that source. No public man worthy of the name can please everybody. Mr. Massey had his political enemies as well as many friends; but is it not an eloquent tribute to his personal worth that he has held the high office of Prime Minister for so long, through the most trying time in the history of this country.

When lately in the Old Land, I heard from.the King downwards, many expressions of esteem for Mr. Massey. Whether in London, Edinburgh, or Glasgow, where he was known by his brief visits and speeches at these centres, it was often repeated to me: “We like your Mr. Massey, he is a patriot, and a strong upholder of the British Empire. He has done the State great service.” And this is universally recognised.

Mr. Massey’s death is not only a great loss to this Dominion, but to the Empire.

Miss J. R. Barr, M.A., Lady Principal, Timaru Girls’ High School: “ So our much loved and respected Prime Minister has gone to his rest, and we are to miss the familiar, stalwart figure and the virile jjersonality of a great and good man. “It is difficult to realise just what Mr Massey’s loss will mean to us. There is no doubt but that he has been New Zealand to many of our kinsfolk abroad, and we have much to thank him for in their kindly opinion of us. His keen yet broad imperialism is too well known and realised to need much comment. His courage and honour, Jiis loyalty and love for most things British, while a stimulus to us, have won for him a high place in the opinion of all classes in Britain, and for New Zealand a high place in the world’s credit.

“ Of only a few of us could it be said with etjual truth: ‘ Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ ”

Mr W. Thomas, M.A. Rector of Boys' High School:

“ ‘ With an Empire’s lamentation,’ are the words which naturally enter our minds. Not so much as a fighting oppositionist or as a masterful Prime Minister will Mr Massey be remembered by the historian, but as one who in stressful times saw most clearly that the disintegration of the British Empire would be a calamity to the whole of civilization. New Zealand has lost a great leader; our Empire a fervent apostle. “No matter what our political opinions, we must admire his sturdy, honesty of purpose and his genius of commonsense. The plough boy who became Prime Minister has given services to this country which only the future can gauge; we of his day, in mourning his loss, remember with pride, the foremost place he took at the Empire’s Council table and the intense love lie bore for his adopted country. “ We must not regret that some years of honourable retirement did not intervene before his death. He was privileged above most —he lived the life he loved, and lie died, as strong men like him wish to die, with his hand at the helm.” THE NEWS IN TIMARU. The news of the death of the Prime Minister was received in Timaru at twenty minutes past six when the bells, were tolling for the evening service in; the churches, and it was immediately communicated to the minister in charge of each church. Though the people had in a measure been prepared for the sad. intelligence, by the messages from Wellington last week, which stated that there was grave cause for anxiety, news of the actual passing of the loved Prime Minister came as' a shock to all, political differences being all forgotten at suijli a time. For some days past there had been many anxious inquiries concerning Mr Massey’s health, and though it had been generally understood for the past week that he could not recover,, there was a unanimous hope that in this case the unexpected might happen and that Mr Massey would be restored to health at' least sufficient to enable him to spend some years of restful retirement which it was generally conceded he had well earned by his long, loyal, and useful service to the ; country which he loved and served so well. Being Sun- j day night when the news was received there was a Sab- ! bath calm in keeping with the calamitous happening, and though there were no outward manifestations of grief, heart-felt sorrow was felt by everyone at the passing of a great and good man. ' . ;

REFERENCES IN THE CHURCHES: Sympathetic reference to the death of the'Prime Minister was made in the churches last night. ST. MARY’S : At St. Mary’s, the death was announced, and after a special prayer had been offered up, the Rev. G. Y. Gerard informed the congregation that a' meniofial service on account of the Prime Minister’s death, would be held at St. Mary’s on Sunday next., ' TRINITY : At Trinity Presbyterian Church the news of the Prime Minister’s death was received just before the service was about to close. The Rev. T. Stinson informed the congregation of the sad event, and after offering up a prayer on behalf of Mrs Massey and the late Prime , Minister’s family, announced that reference to Mr Massey’s life and work would be made in Trinity Church on Sunday next. CHALMERS : " At Chalmers Church, the Rev. P. Gladstone •Hughes, in making sympathetic reference to the death ' of the latq Prime Minister, said that with Death, the ; great leveller and reconciler, the voice of controversy died; the whole country was united in its sorrow and in its sympathy with the family of a distinguished statesman who had passed away. Mr Massey embodied and ' expressed the spirit of New Zealand by his loyalty, to < King and Country, and had lived up to the best tradi- • tions of the race. The Rev. Mr Hughes did not preach ; his sermon, and tho service closed with the playing .of “The Dead March,” the congregation standing. A memorial service will be held next Sunday. SACRED HEART : Reference to the death of the Prime Minister was made by the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., at the Sacred Heart Church last evening. Although, he said, it was neither the time nor the place to pass any review on the ; political life of the dead statesman, yet as Christians in the House of God they believed that he had acted according to his lights and his knowledge. For the respon- > sibility and value of his work on earth they would leave him to the judgment of his Creator, and pray that the ■ judgment would be a favourable one. Mr Massey had worked hard and strenuously for the advancement of the country, and now that, tire end had come their prayer would be tbit he might rest in peace. At the conclusion of the Benediction the congregation remained standing while the “Dead March in Saul” was played by Mrs N. ; D. Mangos. • ! CONGREGATIONAL : i At the Congregational Church the Rev. T. Wilson Potts made sympathetic reference to, the death; enlarged upon Mr Massey’s great work for New Zealand and the Empire; and stated with what fortitude the burden had been borne. A resolution of sympathy with i Mrs Massey and her family was passed by silent vote, the congregation standing, and it was decided to for- f ward a copy of this to the widow. f. BAPTIST : At the Baptist Church the Rev. H. G. Goring, { whose subject for the evening service was “Service,” ' gave point to his remarks when the telegram announc- -i ing the death was received, by stating that they had a <; striking instance of unselfish and- loyal service in the life of Mr Massey. He referred especially to the late ; Prime Minister’s devotion to humanity and to the great work which he had done as an Empire-builder. The service closed by the congregation standing with bowed heads while the preacher commended the late Prime Minister’s loved ones to the mercy of God.

SALVATION ARMY : At the Salvation Army Citadel Commandant Simpson made feeling reference to the matter, and said that in the death of Mr Massey the Army had lost a very good friend. Reference was also made to the great loss the nation had suffered through Mr Massey’s death, and a prayer was offered up that the nation might be guided aright. An expression of sincere sympathy with Mrs Massey and her family was also passed in silence, the congregation standing.