"AU REVOIR"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 203, 22 May 1920, Page 7

"AU REVOIR"

PRINCE'S FAREWELL MESSAGE

DELIGHTED WITH NEW ;...; ZEALAND

' :' DECORATIONS CONFERRED

By- TeleirraDh—Press ■ Association. Christchurcli, May 21. "The following farewell, message.was handed to the Prjnio Minister by the Prince of Wales to-night on board H.M.S.' Renown:- ".. "To;tho Government and the People of New Zealand:— "/' '"My delightful visit to' New Zealand has. come to an end, and I cannot sail 'to-morrow morning without/sending., a-message of- affectionate farewell to tho peoplo of • the Dominion. \ '■ • . ■ •'-, "When I spoke in Wellington, I tried-to express tlie great pleasure which my travels through the North'lsland, rapid" as they were, had given me, and I said that I .looked forward to having just as gtwda time in the South. The event has. exceeded my expectations/ high though they were. I can, say now that not a day has passed since I landed on April ,2f which has not added to the'pleasure and value of my tour. I have been most deeply touched by (lie 'wonderful welcomes ;which have met me everywhere, and I never think of..the people of New- Zealand without affection and gratitude.

"I should like,to.renew 1 the thanks which I have expressed before to the Government of the Dominion and to all the authorities throughout New Zealand, who havo been at such pains to make my, journey punctual and comfortable. The excellence of all' arrangements lias enhanced the pleasure of my tTavels,-.'both by road and by rail,'and I. am particularly glad to havo .seen" even a very little of. the magnificent scenery of mountain, river, and lake for which.this Dominion, is famous throughout tho world; "I have only one regret: that my visit has,been too short to enable me to K3 all' that I; should like, to have seen. I .have stayed nowhere without wishing that my stay could be prolonged, and I feel that I have missed a •great deal. I am particularly '.sorry that owing to the shortness of time at my disposal I'could not travel a little through the less settled districts and see for myself something of up-country life. "I have seen enough of town and'country, however, to realise that a splendid future awaits the Dominion. Your achievement. since- tho country was annexed to the British Crown-only eighty,years ago justifies the almost, visionary confidence of your pioneers and constitutes an amazing monument to the grit and enterprise of those who have so rapidly civilised.and developed tha land. - "Two things havo : particularly impressed me hero. In the first place, 'New Zealand is a land not merely of opportunity for some, but of equal opportunity for all.' Ihave'never seen welbbeing and happiness nioro uniformly evident throughout the population of country and town. In the second place, this Dominion is a living example cf the fact that a European race may take over a new country without injustice'.to its original inhabitants, and that both may advance in mutual confidence and -understanding on a common path. Both races of New Zealand,' pakeha' and 6 Maori, are an essential element in the life of the Dominion,, and I'have been deeply gratified,to see what progress the Mnori people are making, hand,in hand with iheir British fellow-subjects.' /'New Zealand is ,one of the greatest monuments of British civilisation in the world, andl:have felt from end to end of the Dominion that there is nowhere a British people more set in British traditions, or more true to British form, j have found the strength' of your loyalty to the Empire and its Sovereign as keen and bracing as mountain air,'and J know that you will never weaken in your ■devotion to British unity and British ideals. . "The spirit of. New Zealandwwass s shown most signally by the splendid troops which she sent to the front in the Great War, and also by the way in which the whole country threw itself without hesitation', or reserve into the Empire's cause. It.has been a special pleasure'to mo to meet again so many of your returned men, and I should like to thank them once more for turning out in such large numbers to meet me wherever I havo been. I regard them always as my old comrades-in-arms, and I am happy to see that they are maintaining the close ties of comradeship w-hich hound them together--in the field. New Zealand need fear, nothing in the future if her manhood preserves the spirit in which this generation fought and endured for freedom and right.

.: i "In:its- Permanent. Forces the. Dominion 'possesses'n, very valuable nucleus.', of•trained.officers-and men. I have .been struck by their smart and soldierly appearance.on. parade, and. have also "been impressed .by your Territorials, , mid Cadets, who have turned out in large numbers and always looked ■. very v well. You have reason to be proud of tho results which your system of training has achieved. ■ • '"Tour-confidence in tho-future has finothor. solid ground. No ono realises more keenly than I how heroic was the part which the women of tho Empire... played in'the prolonged and terrible ordeal of war. I should like to'take this opportunity of congratulating again the women of New Zealand on their great services and brave endurance during the last five years, and also of offering my heartfelt sympathy to' those whose gallant men will not return. New Zealand .women have.proved themselves, an'invaluable counterpart of their husbands, hrothers, and sons..- .'.'.' ■ .' '' -, "Both men and women, moreover, Jia've created a noble tradition for the new generation which is.growing up to-day. I have been greatly impressed by the. gatherings of school children which have been-organised for rao every-, where, and I Live never seen a more robust, good-mannered, and : promising face. I always felt when seeing them that they were very lucky children to havo beirt born in such surroundings end amid such promise, and they made mo confident that they would be a credit to their country and their King, "I must end this-message now, but I shall not say 'Good-bye.' I feel my- :■ self a true New Zenlander in heart. I look upon you, .the pcoplo of New Zealand, as my own kith and kin, and I trust that you, on your part, will always regard mo as one of yourselves, who belongs to you as niiich as to tho Old' ■ Country,- or any other of tho King's Dominions. ' ■ ' "There is a good part of the world for me to travorso still before I can Bay that I have seen tho British Empire as; a whole, and I do not know how long it may bo beforel- can pay you "another visit here, but this at least I • can say: that I shall be drawn to Now. Zealand by very happy and affection- , ate memories, and- that- when opportunity arises of returning here again I shall • take it with' delight and without delay. Kia Oro. - "..■.,■' /"'''. ' . .... "EDWARD P."