'A Great Man'

BILITY to rise above personal feelings, above grief or bitter ss, because he saw that the promise a happier future for both races lay reconciliation, marked the late masese as a great man.

The Rev. Alan McKay, now of St. de’s College, Christchurch, NZ, ote this in the Christchurch Star April 10, following Tamasese’s ath. Father McKay was an intimate d personal friend of Tamasese and his family during 13 years in moa.

Father McKay said, “Tamasese’s rly years were not easy. Those had en the days of unashamed white premacy—that calm assumption of jvitable and permanent superiority. 3ung Tamasese was impervious to

flattery. Insult he could ignore be cause his position before his country men was secure and besides, his mind was intent on things of greater mo ment. When the time for action came he was ready.”

Father McKay said there were many who thought Tamasese should have declined the office of Head of State to step into the political arena as first Prime Minister. But he had been wiser not to.

“Undoubtedly it was as a sort of constitutional monarch above the hurly burly of politics that he made his greatest contribution to the wel fare of the new state,” said Father

McKay. “His immense prestige, to gether with his wisdom and ex perience gained through years of struggle, made him the perfect arbi trator. I know how many a Cabinet crisis was solved, how many sound resolutions were prepared or unsound ones rejected during those evening sessions at home over which he pre sided. It has been to few men to ac complish so much for their country.”

Father McKay said Tamasese was a religious man who believed that God had given him a special task to perform and it could be accom plished only by answering loyally to His will.