“SMALL FARMER IN VIEWS AND ACTIONS.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18785, 14 June 1929, Page 3

“SMALL FARMER IN VIEWS AND ACTIONS.”

MR MASSEY’S LIFE SUBJECT OF ADDRESS BY MR L. C. WEBB

An interesting survey of the life of the late Right Hon W. F. Massey was given in an address to the Historical Association last evening by Mr L. C. Webb. The speaker traced the exPremier’s political career, interspersing his address with many comments on political happenings. Mr Webb said that he had nothing but good to say about Mr Massey, but it could not be declared that he was a great man. He never claimed to be a great man, and his prominence was obtained by other virtues than brilliance. The legislative body in New Zealand had acquired an importance which arose from the fact that the country was self-governing. This had projected some rather mediocre men into prominence—the term was not used in a derogatory sense. Mr Massey’s personal qualities made him a popular fig ure, but he was always the small farm er in his views and actions. A prophecy that Britain would fail owing to the decline in numbers of small farmers had been made. As a basis, the small farmer was admirable, but at the top of the structure he failed in many ways. Mr Massey had little education and no outstanding political ability He persevered with wonderful consistency and showed a lack of vanity, a quality so prevalent among many politicians. Mr Webb outlined the course of Dominion politics from the year 1890, the ri.se and adjustment of parties, and described the many important movements in which Mr Massey figured. His conclusion was that Mr Massey was not a brilliant statesman, but was a good administrator, and was possessed of a likeable personality. Mr Webb was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. There was a fairly large attendance of members of the association and Dr J. Hight presided.