THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1924, SIR WALTER BUCHANAN.

Wairarapa Age, 21 July 1924, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1924, SIR WALTER BUCHANAN.

The news which we publish this morn.' ing of the sudden death of Sir Walter Buchanan will come as a great shock throughout the Wairarapa. For more than 50 years Sir Walter has been closely associated with the Wairarapa, its triumphs and its SQrrows, taking a leading part always in movements for the welfare of the district. For nearly 30 years he represented the southern portion of the district in the House and since then he has closely watched the affairs of the district in the Legislative Council. No man could have advocated more assiduously tho advancement of every one of our industries and institutions. Nothing that he believed to be for the benefit of the district or for the good of the primary producers ever wanted the whole-hearted support of Sir Walter. There are many monuments in tho farmers' organisations of New Zealand to his devotion to the cause. The greatest and most recent of these is, of course, the chair of agriculture at Victoria College, which seems likely to have its location in the Wairarapa itself. No more worthy memorial of a remarkable life could be conceived than this, and the sudden death of the

donor at the very moment when the matter was under discussion will be another strong reason why his wishes in this respect, which seem thoroughly sound, should bo carried out. The Wairarapa loses by Sir Walter's death not only an esteemed citizen and a respected leader in all its activities, but one who, by hisflong life, bridges the gap, now becoming wider than the allotted span, between the pioneers of 1854 and the prosperous community that inherits to-day the fruits of their labours. To every institution in the district be has rendered service of some kind and for some good period. Everybody could not see eye to eye with him. His opinions were too strong for that. But everyone will join to-day in a tribute of respect to the memory of one who has towered head-and shoulders above his fellows, who has been a really remarkable figure in the affairs of our time and has wielded a great influence upon the destinies of the country. Like Mr Seddon, Sir Walter died full of work but with a full programme ahead. He could nut have wished a better death.