BRITISH EMPIRE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19157, 14 November 1927, Page 8

BRITISH EMPIRE.

GREATEST LEAGUE OF

NATIONS

ADDRESS BY RT. HON. E. SHORTT. [THE PKESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 13. ••You ~Se\\ Zealanders may have lived here only a little over 100 years, but you have brought with you the traditions of the British nation and of your ancestors. They are yours as much as ours, and so long as we all recollect that so long will the British Empire be the dominant force in the world. 1 ' The above words, uttered amidst loud applause, formed the opening remarks of a short address delivered by the Rt. Hon. Edward Shortt, K.C. (England) at the second annual reunion of the Wellington Battalion, held in the R.S.A. Club Room on Saturday. "I should like to express my de%p gratitude at being invited to this gathering," added Mr Shortt. "In point of miles I feel a long way from home, but so far as the atmosphere of the meeting is concerned I am at home, for it is meetings like this that I am used to attending. This is more than merely a pleasant evening for all who are here; it is a memorial to those who have gqne and a bond for those who are here. It is essential to the peace of the world that we should keep up meetings such as this, for they help to make us remember what we went through in the Great War." The speaker then made mention of Sir William Robertson, who, he said, was speaking up like a man as to what war really meant and to what it meant to the future and to future genera- ! tions.

"Every one of you who has a son should bring him here to know what war really means," continued Mr Shortt. "Too many people are forgetting already. War has shown that the British Empire is, an absolute League of Nations. I myself,am a great believer in the Geneva League of Nations. We members of the British Empire are the first League of Nations, and as such we should always hold together; if we do then we are the greatest League of Nations the world has ever known. Unfortunately the United States of America can no longer be called a purely British community, but I am. sure that the true British descended American is as friendly towards the British as you could wish. They unfortunately have enemies among them, so-one can't expect them, to speak of the English in tho same way in which you New Zealanders do. Canada, the neighbour of the United States, is as sure a member of the British Empire to-day as is New -Zealand. There is absolutely no chance of Canada over joining the United States. When wc realise that we have Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand all members of the Empire, then do we realise that we are the greatest League of Nations in the world, and the men who will keep the League going are men like yourselves with whom I am proud to be. So long as wo keep on as we are at present we shall be the dominant factor in the world again. Let me repeat that 1 firmly believe'in the Geneva league of Nations, but still more do I believe in the League of Nations of the British Empire. So long as we are determined to remain one big family, and so long as we continue to remain so, then the world is safe for democracy." In regard to New Zealand's attitude towards naval affairs, Mr Shortt said that, speaking as one from England, he deeply appreciated the Dominion's strenuous desire to help in the Navy and, above all, he appreciated ' what ■New Zealand was doing for Singapore. He was pleased to see that New Zealand was prepared to put her hand in her pocket to take part in the protection of the Empire.