EMPIRE DAY IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2780, 26 May 1916, Page 6

EMPIRE DAY IN BRITAIN

GREAT WAVE OF PATRIOTIC FEELING

THE IMPERIAL SPIRIT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, May 21. Never has such prominence been given Empire Day in Britain. This is due to the growing Imperial feeling which, has sprung out of the war, and the Government's appreciation of the public sentiment is evidenced by it ordering the Union Jack to be flown from public buildings. Many private .firms and households followed the example. There is much relief in Dominion circles at the absence of organised flag selling in the streets. These selling days latterly have been eo numerous as to become a nuisance. Empire Day was marked throughout the provinces by the parish churches, schools, country houses, golf clubs, factories, and camps flying the TJnion Jack. At many places, throughout the Kingdom Empire Day lectures were given illustrating the meaning of Empire and the objects of the war. The speeches were followed by a salute to the flag. The principal schools received messages from Dominion statesmen. A specjal service will be held on Saturday in St. Paul's Cathedral. Sixty-font flags of the Empire will be carried in a procession. Imperial Conferences. The Tall Mall Gazette" publishes the views of distinguished men in favour of an Imperial conference on post-war problems, especially Imperial co-ordination. Lord Lamington recommends periodical conferences, gradually acquiring responsible statutory powers. This process would be safer and more in accordance ' with our constitutional development than the adoption of the national system, which might rigidly shackle our freeworking Empire. Lord Sydenham hopes that the Empire will emerge from the war more firmly united, and ready for organised co-opera-tion in securing the welfare of all classes. THE KING TO HIS TROOPS. (Rec. May 25, 9.20 p.m.) London, May 24. Sir Douglas Haig, the British Commander on the Western front, has telegraphed to the King an Empire Day message of "loyal devotion from the troops of all the Dominions." The King replied "Tell my soldiers of the Empire of the pride and interest with which I follow their fortunes, trusting in the success that will crown their efforts. May their comradeship on the battlefield unite still closer tho people of tho Dominions and the Mother Country in the age of peace which, please God, will be the frnit of thi's long and arduous war." , FRANCE'S MESSAGE TO BRITAIN. (Rec. May 25, 6 p.m.) Paris, May 24. M. Poincare (the French President) has sent an Empire Day messnje to King George, conveying his good wishes to tho peoples of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and India, "whose sons had come to fight on the side of tho soldiers of France." The King, in his reply, acclaimed the Empire's solidarity and the noble nation of France. EMPIRE DAT MESSAGES. Melbourne, May 25. Empire Day messages have been received bv the Governor-General from General Joffre *nd General Sir Donglas Haig, paying tributes to soldiers from the Dominions.

NEXT WEEK'S CELEBRATIONS IN WELLINGTON A PATRIOTIC WEEK-END. In • Wellington the AU-for-33mpire League''intends to make Empire Day tliis year one to be lomembered. The celebrations will actually extend over two days, as, under an arrangement with the Headmasters' Association, the whole of the school hours of Friday next are to be devoted to impressing on the plastic minds of the school children tho extent and power of the British Empire, its economic and commercial greatness and what its beneficent civilising influence has meant to the world. Yesterday the following circular-letter was sent to all chairmen of school committees:— "Dear Sir,—ln connection with the inaugural meetings of 'the All-for-Empire League, which are to be held at the Wellington .Town Hall 011 Empire Day (King's Birthday, Saturday, June 3), the Headmasters' Association have decided, in .conference with our committee, to6et apart Friday, Juno 2, for patriotic lessons in the schools of the Wellington district, and wo have agreed to arrange for speakers from amongst the commercial men of the City, and from members of Parliament, to visit the schools in tho afternoon, and to address the children 011 patriotic lines, and, incidentally also, in regard to the duty of conserving and developing trade within the Umpire by giving preference to British-made goods (tha term is used in its generic sense to cover the productions and manufactures of the Empire generally), and to the elimination, as far as possible,«of present enemy productions."

SATURDAY'S FUNCTION. Having drilled into tho children the lc&ons of Empire on tho Friday, the school children are arranging to retaliate in a much more entertaining form. Tho children of tha upper standards of each of the schools are to provide an Empire Day entertainment, to be held in tho Town Hall during Saturday afternoon. The children are to' sing a number of national and patriotic songs, which will be interspersed with tableaux, calculated to sound the high Imperial note required. Theso are being arranged by Mrs. James Hannah, who has a reputation for artistic grouping and colour-blending. In the evening there will be'a patriotic meeting at the Town Hall with speeches, the Primo Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and others. Full particulars of the programme will appear later.