§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT HALIFAX)My Lords, since the last occasion on which your Lordships' House met, we have sustained heavy losses to which, perhaps, it is right I should make a word of reference. Lord Craigavon has, for nearly twenty years, borne the burden attaching to the office of Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Many of us were his colleagues in another place in the very stormy days before the last war, and when in 1921 the Government of Northern Ireland was inaugurated, and 32 its first Parliament was opened by King George V. accompanied as he was by Her Majesty Queen Mary, it was naturally upon the shoulders of James Craig, as many of us will always think of him, that devolved the duty of being its first Prime Minister. He has died after working to the last for Northern Ireland and for the Empire. His health, many of us knew, had not been good for some time past, but in spite of that he gave himself constantly and without stint to the public service. He had, perhaps, in pre-eminent degree all the qualities of his own folk and, as is common with all statesmen who have to do with Ireland and with Irish affairs, Lord Craigavon was seldom outside the field of political controversy; but sharp as those controversies often were, no one I think has ever doubted either his ability or his rigid determination to pursue what he thought right. Nor could anyone ever challenge his sincerity and his personal integrity. I think he is a great loss to public life.
Then, my Lords, Lord Tryon, although so lately coming to your Lordships' House, was perhaps better known personally to some of those who sit here, as he had spent a long time in politics as a member of another place. He held important offices from time to time, and was unremitting in his attention to their faithful discharge. At the time of his death he had, as you know, returned to the office of Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions, an office which he had first held so long ago as April, 1920. He was a person of great natural abilities, but few people, I think, that I have ever known were less disposed to press those abilities upon the public gaze or attention. His willingness to take a subordinate post, where his great experience would be of undoubted service to the Government in dealing with problems of pensions in a time of war, was very characteristic of George Tryon, who truly cared very little what he did so long as what he did could be of service to the State. He will, I am quite certain, very long be missed and nowhere more sincerely than by his friends, and they are many, in your Lordships' House.
Only late yesterday we received news of the death of Lord Rothermere, another distinguished member of your Lordships' House. He was not indeed frequent either in attendance or in intervention 33 in your Lordships' debates here, but he was a great figure in the world, and in particular in the circles of the Press. Many people may at times have disagreed with the manner in which he employed that great influence through the Press, but no one doubted that he was constantly moved by a love of country and by a desire to see his country strong and able to take the place to which, in his judgment, it was entitled in public affairs. He also died, as the other two Lords to whom I have referred had done, directly in the public service. I am sure your Lordships, by such reference as you may think it proper to make here to-day, would wish to convey to those on whom the loss of these noble Lords to whom I have referred falls most nearly, some expression of your sympathy at this time.
§ LORD ADDISONMy Lords, I am glad to associate myself with what the noble Viscount has said, particularly with regard to Lord Craigavon. He was known to many of us on opposite sides to him in politics for a great many years in the oilier House, but I do not think there was any one of us who did not appreciate his personal kindliness and intense sincerity when it was necessary for us, as it was many times, to have interviews and dealings with him. There was no more characteristic or outstanding and passionately sincere Ulsterman than he was. I well remember many a time Lord Carson paying very high tributes to his qualities and to his capacity for friendship in stormy times.
I was particularly glad the noble Viscount said what he did about Lord Tryon. I am quite sure there is no section of this House or of the other House that did not look upon him as a friend, and there must be many thousands of humble people, and people who suffered from sickness or distress, at one with us in paying tribute to his kindliness and help. I should think that, in common with every member of this House, it has been my duty from time to time to take cases to him for review or reconsideration, and I can say truly, as I am sure all my colleagues can, that he never failed to look into them with care, and very often he was able to bring great additional help to those whose cases were brought before him. I would like also to 34 join with the noble Viscount in paying tribute to his largeness of mind, shown, for instance, in his willingness to take up a subordinate post of which he had had long experience in times past. I have nothing to add to what the noble Viscount said about Lord Rothermere except this, that in the sphere of public policy he has always been an outstanding advocate of a strong Air Force, and recent developments of that Force must have been a great satisfaction to him during his lifetime.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, I am sure noble Lords who sit on these Benches desire to associate themselves with what has been so feelingly said with respect to the three eminent men who have passed away. Lord Craigavon, who rendered faithful service to the State, was well known to very many of us for many years, and whatever our divergences in politics may have been—and they were acute—we all had respect and liking for his kindly personality. Lord Tryon, who was the most recent addition to your Lordships' House, was at the same time most closely associated with its work and in most direct touch with very many of your Lordships. We all of us feel his death as a personal loss.
VISCOUNT MERSEYMy Lords, as one of Lord Tryon's oldest friends in this House perhaps I might be allowed to say one word about the loss we have suffered by his death. I do not suppose there is anyone at present in your Lordships' House who has known him so long as I have, He was in my division at Eton and in my battalion in the Grenadiers, and for over fifty years he has been my personal friend. He was a hardworking, honest and kind-hearted man. His abilities were great, but he never pushed himself forward. Not only your Lordships' House but the country has suffered a considerable loss by his death.