SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 18, 16 October 1920, Page 10

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

PRESENTATION OP PRIZES ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL St. John's Schoolroom was filled with juveniles from tho Sunday schools of Wellington last evening, when tho prizes and certificates for the year were proson ted by His Excellency tho Gov-ernor-Goneral and Lady Jellicoo. Tho chair was occupied by Mr. F. Meadowcroft (president of tho Wellington Sunday School Union), who, with other officers of tho union, tendered Their Excellencies a warm welcome Tho proceedings icommenced with the. singing of the National Anthem. Tho president, in tho course of his remarks, said tbey wcro very glad to have the presence of Their Excellencies and their daughter. Wo welcomed His Excellency as tho representative of H.M. the King, because of his reputation as a gallant sailor "-(applause)—and because ho was a father, and as one wlio always took an in children. Addressing tho children ho indicated that life was just opening out for them. Who was to say that there were not boys there that night who would be admirals, and girls who might one day become great womon such as they read of in history, When he looked into their bright eyes and fresh faces ho felt that there were great' possibilities for them in the future As many of the children had come a long way, from as far as the Lower Hutt, and had trains to catch, he would not keep them any longer, but called for cheers for Their Excellencies, which were lustily giveli. Tho prizes were then presented by His Fixcellency and the certificates by Lady Jellicbo.

"Be Unselfish." . In addressing tho children His Ex cellency said that if ho had known that ho had to address them it would not have kept him- away. As it was he was given no notice, so he had no opportunity of funking it. (Laughter.) As it wag it afforded Lady Jellicoe, his daughter. Captain Mundy and himself very real pleasure to bo present; a'l the more so because of the lone distanco so many of tho children had to travel to be there,, and that on one of Wellington's best, * or was it worst, days.

"We have been told," said His Excellency, "that we have been especially favoured by the weather. Only this morning the gardener at Government House told me how very fortunate' wo had been to experienco so little wind. After having been blown out of my office, with the fire after me, I begau to wonder what it is like when you get a ,real gale. (Laughter.) Whatever the weather is there is no doubt about the warm-heartedness of the people, but however warm-hearted tho adults may be, the children beat them. (Applause.) They have bettor lungs, too. i have not heard such fine cheering for a long time. It is no wonder there is such an attendance, as there seems to be "all' prizes and no blanks"—those who do not eecuj<j prizes get certificates. I want to express the great pleasure it gave Her Excellency to be hero, though, of course, her task was lighter than mine. (Smiles.) "Wivsn speaking, to children it was customary to give advice. They' hate it— jtst albout as much as I hate giving it. The only advice I have to give is—'Be unselfish!' (Applause.) Unselfishness carries everything else with it. Whether it be in a fWbail team, a cricket team (I see the season opens to-morrow), fighting; the Germans, or playing.a part in a political, agitation—it is all the same thing. Don't think of yourself—think of thosft you are acting, or fighting, or playing with. That was the spirit which caused your fathers and brothers to go and" fight for civilisation. In the Army and Navy it was called discipline. It was that which carried men 'over the ton' to face all sorts of things on the other sido of the parapet—it was the spirit that carried a nation, an empire, through anything. (Applause.) If you cultivate it in your games, it will stand to you in the strain of later life, and you will come out on top, and you will find- the British, Empire—tho finest Empire on which the sun has ever 6et J -will also come out on top." (Applause.) Tho chairman warmly thanked Their Excellencies for their kindliness in coming out on such a night, and assured them it would bo a night to remember with all the children present.

His Excellency said the plwure was all theirs. They only wanted opportunities to meet the people. The more they nift the people of Now Zealand last year the better they had liked them. (Applause.) During the evening Miss Florence Churchill recited "The Song in this Market Place," Miss Vera Fountain sang "Abcrfoyle," and Miss Mary Cooley struck a dee>p note in "Young Fellow, Mv Lad," and was also excellent in "Quaker Vanity." The evening closvl with the singing of the Doxology and the pronouncement of the Benediction.