HIS EXCELLENCY'S ADDRESS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 932, 27 September 1910, Page 6

HIS EXCELLENCY'S ADDRESS.

NATION AND EMPIRE. : . His Excellenoy the Governor, wlio was very. weU received, .and whose remarks were frequently and heartily applauded, .said:—"Ladies/and Gentlemen,—l should like/ in my first remarks;, to 6ay how en-, firely .L associate ihyself with all that has just been said by the Mayor, and to repeat''what I said on the parade ground at Newtown Park .this aftcriioon.-wnoii l congratulated tho bity'of Wellington and the Dominion of New Zealand on the splendid imilitiiry display on the, part: of the rising generation which we had the pleasure of; 'witnessing.. ' In. regard to, the manner , in which those boys/of Wellington carried ciit- their, military movements,/in their' precision, their smartness, their physical excellence, there • 'was' nothing left to be: desired. I feel sure .that theiy have entered;' thusyearly, upon :a .determination, at a .riper.! period of life,' to' equip and prepare ..themselves for . any military service that may be demanded -of them in' the interest of. the Dominion, or - the. Empire at large. We are here assembled to .commemorate' Tor the third timoin its history' Now Zealand's Dominion' Day:":' It .is fit 'and proper that such a day .should be 'embellished and adorned with full , state arid : ceremony, 'throughout New' Zealand, and . be, obseryed by all , branches of the' community. as one/for rejoicing and.'celebration. You rank: now ■ among. the .other great Dominions of. the'Empire,'that. Empire, to which we/ all / belong, : and \ which holds our hearts': together .in a bond of family union. ./ .' : !/ '■ ':."This-country is old Wother; counarid: .the ' people who , -'govern'; ,her' now. have come, or, their forefathers came, from the.heart of ;the -Empire.;/ What' is new,is. the; cultivation ,of. the/land, the/ expansion, of :the towns, the industry and intelligenco .in modern, development. .; I of,fen ; lbok/frorii the, hills, of .Government House on the : wide-spreading town 1 and marvel what . it 'owes- its existence - a, spirit-'of adventure of .past ages; to. those men of small means and great .cour-age'-and powers/of organisation,; who -have, gradually developed. the,; country - /, until now to^day,/from ; ;b'ein||.;.some, sixty-jears ago ; more: or 'less •'/.uricivilised islands' in tho Southern Ocean,'' she ranks:'with tM" great Dominions which, give :us the- right to/-call ourselves; the British /Empire.-/ "Nor' is / it '/in . any spirit of boasting I say that as long as this, spirit,>'of ad-, "venture,/'of courage,,;of; industry,/and of; grit' remains, 1 so/lcng-shall :w,e. be able to call ourselves the greatest nation , in the world ."The .promotion, of'.New .Zealand to a Dominion' may., be: regarded /as,., the/local and;.titular;: complement;^to- that organic' movement/which has ;be'en/,in process, in; other"- parts of'the. Empire. ..'First; came, Canada .federated into '-a;- Dominion ! from a gronp. 'of .isolated. States.'Then came Australia, -now/ a Commonwealth,of States;.; iThis' wsis a 'crucial : moment' ii^/New. Zealand's' history.,';; You,;;mighlvhaye been abf sorbed/and l .' become / a subordinate Stato within that Commonwealth.: ;You; elected, to retain'your own mdividuahty, aud I. am ; sur^ { 'ypu were'''wiso; in your decision, whether.'.regarded; from'a'..local or.; an. Imperial 6taiidpoiiit. ;. -It /was - on/that; occasion you toot the .opportunity ; to empha-' iise : 'ypur'.individuaf./spirit/arid/national'. aspiration/: :by' ..translating;'; yourself ./from; ;being - a colony ito/ a /Dominion. , ;It may be said ' by"-.' cyhical . arid . superficial thinker" that this,mere'.bhaiige. in nomenclature,'hasi no /real; value./'/To those who look below ' the/ surface; arid beyond the. present,; it' has; a valiio pf no ' mean; Big-. inificance, because it insensibly, but nia- ' terially. brings tlie status ' of New - Zea-.. /land ."into more - approximate relation .with, the Stales of tho. other Belf-governing 'Dominions.:. - Fbr./ now, - by the- recent /esj, tabHshriientiof fuiuoii'., in,, South/ Africa,: where the first XJiiibn./Parliament is to; be'-opened : by H.K.H. the 'Duke of Connaught,'-. the . 'organic -'and internal; con-' solidation; of .each-' State within' the -Enipire is completed.// May/ it/not confidently. .be. ariti'cipatbd' lhat^:the - more, complicated, , though no'less.pressing,problem,""may, be 'seriously,'approached' : by.: those States : themselves as /to how far and.: to:/what 'extend: ! in : ' external / matters; of common/interest - some organic,'unity , ■between /them /'can' /.be l ■ established The ■ ;next /few years in this respect .are/going 'to'/ be:'"''crucial''.years / in- the history of. - the "Empire;. aria. I; airi .confident the Do-; minion: of:. New Zealand ;.will play: • her /patriotic distinguishedpart. ..May •I', add " thisP-rlocal - paitriotisins'is an ..ill-' ,dispensable; and,.: inseparable ■: element,, in the cause of. Imperial'; unity., . .. . ■: "You are right to place. Dominion Day in/a:>,sacred :niche'::in':'ybur ; ,calendar; /to look:: upon:; it ; :iivith;.;,reverence'; as .-among the:' : b'est '.of \your Vnatjprial,;traditioris. .:It; symbolises' deyotidn ,tp/ybuf, country and progressj and every New Ze'alari'der.' :should - regard- that •' as.'. among his-most.,cherished ideals: .' It /means to; .maintain "at' .its •; highest;ieyel/ the/ spirit: ; of industryand /perseverance; / to defend the. children of theii'poor j/ito punish the , wrong-doef; and ' to fear" God 'from / one 'iyear.;:toi.anpthei': ; -Their ion stretch /from. sea-te ' sea. /As ■ Wplsey counselled-/Cromwell ■ To let/all. the ■ lends; we aim at be our cpuntrv's.' : // T ";"I:am; i be: the: Governorpf.,this ,Dominion, proud/to feel that-1/can assist in this:' work;and hopeful that you may., wish " me: to do so.-; Jn.r King .George, at 'Home -you : have a Monarch/. who.; feels; in his/ colonies' a special interest. His 'Majesty v-still bears .iri:.:-his; mind a - vivid recollection.of this-Dominion,-; p'e'rsenally: visited, '.accompanied /by : his Consort —our gracious Queen Mary., . .. '■:": / T .rlt.ivill be: my dufy/:and /pleasure; while. here!.: and representing:/his ;Majisty,';to identify; myself-with '.every effort' that' is. made':to' further;- the/welfare and,'well T ': being of this country.. I may say with truth and interitibn/tnat'whilst' here your interests'..will ' be my interests; your joys' my, joys your sorrows,- should/they come, ; my.,\Sorrows-;;andil shall,lopkVforward',,to/ . Dominion , Day /each: 'year as . a 'national 'day.' in New- Zealand, to be increasingly with' : joy /arid 'eoleriiriity—when; : all patriotic New Zealanders'will assemble: to; offer their tribute of,devotion tp their, with single-minded; deteiminAtion to add: their share • towards ' its/' continued - prosperity and prestige." •: ■; THE PRIME MINISTER. THE VALUE OF DOMINION DAY.. i ..: Sir Joseph: WaTd was, also- received; with and said'that after .the 'admirable, speeclies; delivered; by his /Excellency: the Governor and the: Mayor it was; not necessary that,'lie 'should /say, 'much/.' but lie would:.not, like that memorable occasion to: pass.: without dra wing attention; to. how ■important it was that the' people of to-' day should stimulate the/younger, generation with a view to/their recognising tho' indirect effect of celebrating :;Doininion Day for all time, in this country. One had. only to look at the marvellous effect that Independence. Day in America had upon, every : seotion of that gi-eat community to realise the - importance : arid' far-reaching effect of such a celebration. Thoso'who had paked. the meridian of Xifo looked biick upon caclv of the eventful days they'"had /witnessed' as events that had helped to mould tho character of pride in and devotedness. to the Stars' ana Stripes, and they looked forward as the., years, shortened to. them with vivid' interest to have those .events., thoroughly iiripressed' upon tho generation that was springing: into' active ,life .and taking the place of this 'older'-hands! "And so" in; this distant portion of the British .Empire," continued Sir /Joseph, "those of us who can help to inspire : a , feeling of deep, and keen interest in; the, younger portions of tho community in the present and future welfare of New Zealand realise that, before many. , yeaTs, , that younger generation will be carrying on not only the public affairs of tho Dominion, but that tho kings of. industry in every walk oi life, will'have given, way to a new set of men. , . : "Wo have to rccognise that we are just ■about 7Q years old:as a cquntry. and that Hve cannot expect to have the :great,.naitional marks which are to be seen in to older , lands, and which remind thp : ris-" -ing generations of the deeds-of their,-an-cestors who have helped to - make the name" arid : fame of the British .race wherever it is. And as we have'not any 'of. ■these visible .evidances to stir , the impulses of our younger people hero in' New Zealand, it is well that we should at least make Dominion prominent mark in tho development of the national life of this ■ country,' arid uso. the occasion to impress upon our, boys and girls the power and the greatness of the Empire as a whole aria the important part .that this distant outpost plays in i connection therewith./ ■•/'''■ "To-day commemorates, a national honour.' To-dnyj:.tlireo years ago, tho Empire 'gave-lis'a higher place among the free nations'that compose it, and declared that we had advanced beyond the nominal tutelage of .colony.'to. thp loftier Statehood of Dominion'. Let, then, the memorI ies of vividly, remind us thiit

jwe are not merely a million _ isolated units of the British race, occupying these islands, but a freo aud united young nation with a high and independent destiny of its own. (Applause.) "To-day recalls a stago.in our national development. It stirs bur sense of national life, and fills our hearts with pride in the land wo livo in. Whatever stimulates our patriotism . arid ' raises high hopes and noble aspirations for this country's' future; whatever lifts us above provincial interests and parochial selfishness ' and 'floods our united hearts , with devotion -to our national welfaro; ■ whatever rouses us to foresee and. prompts us to . courageously pursue , the glorious destiny. of our beloved " New- Zealand; whatever does this is to be welcomed and cherished, and this Dominion Day dees for us all. , ■"Our native-born, British born, and foreign born to-day must feel their national brotherhood. To-day they are gladly reminded that whatever-be their origin they are ono in .this, land—one people, owning . one' Sovereign, and one iiag, but with a futuro and a destiny, of their, own. .But Dominion -Day _ not • only speaks, tt us of .years and'"achievements yet to come: it also speaks;.of years and. achievements .that are passed.' . The honp'u'r it commemorates was not won by this generation alone. Many; a valiant man and' free among' our pioneers who lived .for his country's welf are .rather than His own nobly helped- to lift New. Zealand to-this higher status... To-day these' men.: are in eternal rest, but they are liot. forgotten. Their.memory lives with .usr ana., amid to-day's rejoicings, hopes, and expectations) we recall' their splendid services with, heartfelt thankfulness. (Applause.) , -■ \ - A,! ■ J "1,-too, wish to add my tribute, to the cadetswho to-day, before- His Excellency the Governor, paraded at Newtown . Parle. I want to - say, ladies and gentlemen, that the parents' of- those boys ought to feel proud of - them . and proud of: the . fact, that they are receiving, in the schools of this, country, the elements of physical and defence training. I think' that the boys did magnificently.- In them we have .the'.'.'nucleus, not . of ,1100;. but' .of f ■ 35,000 boys 'trained:in every possible .way to enable them, to defend their , country should the need arise. (Applause-). _/'-A;-. ''Success iii this; world ;is •chiefly vritn those who - believe' they ' can achieve , it. We. can • attain to - what-w,e would if we - but. trust ourselves. Let us make Dominion Day! a;day. to.; remember the past—to. ; rise, above .the- clamour,' of . party . conflict, party advantages,!and ! unite as- one, people' in patriotic . pride;', in: .New. Zealand, /ond' in a sincere and generous to set' our national unity, interests, and .aims high above, all: local or personal, gains." (Applause.) ''-A'h A/; A f -.V•' ; . In conclnsion; Sir:'Josepli .expressed his thanks and appreciation ;for all others who had done/sp. muclAto- make. the displays in connection- with! Dominion'' Day' so ; '-111 -particular, he wished, 'to. thank? Lieutenants' 'Brown -and.Ellis, and .their squad'.of, twenty men (of No. 3 . Bleclrio; Light CMrpsjj who ; tad'spent. the 'past .three: of'.foiir': nights';fixing up; the searchligkt'Aa't-. the .Alexander .Barracks) which 'had cast its effulgepce.over.-; the final scene of .the day's.happenings. . THE MUSICAL PROGRAMME.' The. - musical programme by. the Wellington Musical. Union, under the direction .of. Mr,; F. . y.,:'.;Waters, ! ; .; was interspersed . among : the '.speecheei'-. , Following were this -itemsJ—"Crown"; vWitti't -Efcstal. Pomp," from Handel's ; "How Excellent Tliy Name," from . Handel's "Saul";. "Gloria in Exoelsis," from "Twelfth Mass". (Mozart);. and, "The Soldiers'; Chorus,". from- Gounod's;;; 'Taust." : Mi\ Eric Waters '/was', the pianist.; " /,