TRAFALGAR DAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 23, 22 October 1920, Page 7

TRAFALGAR DAY

NELSON'S MEMORY HONOURED

CELEBRATIONS IN CITY

Although it was 115 years ago yester- . day since the' British fleet under Nelson beat into Trafalgar •Bay, and defeated the enemy of a hundred fights, the feat is not forgotten, nor is ,tha name of the illustrious seaman lost to view in the ■mists of time. Yestorday taw the city a-flutter with Union Jacks and other national flags, which had been hoisted in honour of the anniversary. In every State school the scholars were assembled, and addressed on "the day," the Navy, and the Empire. The speakers' were tho headmasters, who referred to - England's unsullied prestige on the sea —a prestige which had been .mightily increased when on August 4, 1(114, the German (loot was "bottled up" in its own ports, leaving but n few stragglers In the outer waters to be accounted for. The children were also told that it was the glory of Britain's traditional .supremacy at, sea which had given the Bailors the'courage, skill, and dauntless enterprise 'to achieve great ends by deeds , of matohless gallantry- In most, of the schools the Union Jack was saluted and tho King cheered with immense enthusiasm. at Wellington"college PRESENTING THE "PRINCE" SOUVENIRS. At Wellington Collego 520 pupils—all members of the Navy League—were paraded in hollow square to receive photoCraphio mementoes of the Prince's visit to Wellington. The boys, under the eye of the principal (lit. J. P. Firth), and commanded" by Captain Renner, made a • pretty spectacle on .the bright green sward of the cricket ground, and tho general comment that one would have to travel /far to witness such a fine assemblage'of New Zealand youth. Those present included:-Mrs. Hosking, president of the Wellington Ladies' Auxiliary of the Navy League, ; Mrs. J. P. Firth.. and Miss Laurenson, Mesdames C. Earle and Darling, Colonel A E. • Roberts (acting-chairman of the league), Captain Chudley, and Messrs. S. H; Underwood, lan Duncan, A. F. Wiren, C. E Finch, B. ICeesing, and R, Dnrroch, members of the executive of the Wellington branch.:' Addressing the boys, Colonel "Roberta ,'6aM that on behalf of the Navy League stho visitors had come to'the college to present a little token, As was done last year. He congratulated the college on i having such a splendid membership Thero ..were 520 members—a record of which the college should be very proud. "I hope," he said, "that when you gobut into the world 1 you will 1« 520 adult members of the league. We want-you to stick to it." This year the presentation was in the form of an autographed !, photograph ot the Prince of Wales, hini*» the last occasion the Navy Lehgue executive had visited the college, the Ptiiico had been iu Neiv Zealand 1 , and his visit had brought home to all what the Empire meant. He would ono day 1m the heart

of the Empire, and it. was a great'privikge to have' had him here. The photographs were being presented ns n compliment from the "Wellington Munch of the Navy League. The ladies present handed the pliotugraphs to the lads. Badges wore also distributed. Mr Firth thanked the Navy League representatives, for their attendance, and referred to!an interesting relic which had been brought along by a pupil, Eric Gore. It was a watch bearing the inscription.: '•TV. A. Ra.mm; Lieutenant of the Victory, who was killed on board that, ship on October 21, 1805, with Ixird Nelson, in the action at Trafalgar." _ The ceremony concluded with cheers for the King, Admiral Lord Nelson, the Prince of Wales, and the executive of the Navy League

VISCOUNT JELLICOE VISITS THE AMOKURA :i . Tn honour of the day, His Expolieiioi the Governor-General, accompanied by Captain R. G. Southey, A.D.C., and Mr. E. Duncan '(Secretary of Marine)" paid a visit of inspection to the Government training ship Amokura. _ He was given a most enthusiastic reception by the boyij, and 011 inspecting the little vessel showed a keen interest in the work that is King carried out on board. sailorFTocieties VISIT BY, GOVERNOR-GENERAL In connection with the Trafalgar Day celebrations, His Excellency the Govern-or-General (Viscount Jefticoe) visited yesterday morning the rooms of tho. Sailors' Friend Society. His Excellency was received by a smart guard of honour of Amokura boys, ni:d showed great interest in the' organisation. Among those, present at the inspection were Messrs. J. Moore (missioner to tho society), R C. Henner, and J. W. Jacb (members of tho R. Duncan (Secretary of Marine). B. L. Miller (Marine Department), C. W. Palmer (Navy League), aud Captain J. Dawson (harbourmaster) An exhaustive tour .of the institution was made, and the cleanliness and ship-shape arrangements appeared to find favour in the eyes of His Excellency. Lord Jellicoe later visited the premises of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, in the' Queen's Chambers, whero he was accorded a hearty welcome by the president (Mr. J. Rowlett). In addressing Lord Jellicoo, Mr. Rowlett made reference to the .. exceedingly cramped quarters of the society, which carried out a great philanthropic work, and em-phasised-the need for the prompt erection of a sailors' hostel, where seafarers could reside when ashore Mr. Nimiuo, secretary of the society, also spoke. His Excellency showed great interest, in this organisation also. CHILDREN'S DEMONSTRATIBN

SPEECH BY LORD JELLICOE. * ' As part of the Nelson' Day celebrations, a children's welcome to Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Jellicoe was given in the Town Hall last night, under th« auspices of the Navy League. The hall and galleries were packcd, the assemblage also including many adults; The Mayor (Mr. -J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.), president of' the Wellington branch of the Navy League, occifpied the chair. The gathering was full of dmthusiasm, Their Excellencies _ 'being greeted with ringing cheers. A children's ch'oir of 1100 voices, under the baton of Mr. Robert, Parker, eang several patriotic and other selections, the items being "You, Gentlemen of England," ."Heart of Oak," "The Golden Vanity," "Kule Britannia," and "We be Three Poor Mariners." ' ' • .. In tKe course of a brief address Mr. ' Luke said he gave the children the place of honour that night as it was on th<» boys and girls that the future of the Empire depended. *lt was lilting that on th o anniversary of the Battle of 'Ira-' fnlgar they should 'have with them as Governor-General His Excellency Lord Jellicoe,' who was the equal of Lord Nelson as an Admiral. (Applause.) Tf the British racy, like Ne son, placed its trust, in. the Almighty, then it.had nothing to fear. (Applause.) .

• Lord Jellicoe's Address. The next speaker was Lord Jellicoe, who was received with prolonged cheeis. He eaid.he was very deeply touched at the kindly welcome which the children had extended to Ikr Excellency and to him. On Trafalgar Day it seemed to him'that the Empire showed its gratitude to seamen generally, who had gone a long wav to make and maintain the Empire. (Applause.) A,no "Sst 'great seamen, one hrst of. '° „mind the name of Captain Cook (applause)—who, if anybody else had a claim to tho making of the E|upir<j, had at least an equal claim. There were other great Bailors to wWojn the Empire owed much-Drake, Hawking Blftkc, Howe, Duncan. Rodney, St. Vinrent Collingwood, and many others. All those great Bailors were; animated by the same sense of duty with w:hich Loi Nelson. himself was animated, and lo ho gave expression in hte t\Tt y Wore pCure. that duty came before every-

thing. (Applause.) If they followed out the prccepts of Lord Nelson in that respsict they would continue to keep the British Empire the greatest Empire which tho world had ever seen. (Applause.) During the last live years it was not only sailors of tho Royal Navy who had done their duty, but, equally, their brothers of the mercantile marine had given of their best for the sake of the Empire. (ApjJause.) After emphasising the need for maintaining a strong Navy, His Excellent'.y said ho wished to remind the children once again that it was upon them tuat the future of tho Empire depended. "Thero is a tondency-there always has been a tendency—for the people of Ins present day to think that tliey know more, and that they are doing ■bettr.r than those who went linfoiv," added Lord Jellieoe. 'Here in New Zealand you owe the prosperity or tho Dominion to the early settlers aud those who made New Zealand what it is now. (Applause.) I want to appeal to the children, and indeed to the grownups, to folioU T in the footsteps ?f their forefathers, and endeavour to lmpVore by all-means'in their power the prosperity of this splendid Dominion. I would just finish by quoting the, final verse of a poem which was written by Admiral Hopwood, the secretary of the Navy League in Great Britain at this moment, and on old shipmate of my own. the poem is entitled "Our Fathers, and goes to prove tlfat. our fathers hnvo Riven or their best for us, and wb should follow in their footsteps:—

''If still we dare to argue, We are just a 9 good as they;. We can seek the God of Battles On our bended kuoss, and numbly pray That the work we leave behind us, When our earthly race is run, May be half as well completed _ As our father's work was done.

A Sailors' Home for Wjellingtoti,

Mr. E. Newman, M.P., said that no ovent since the Armistice had given tnrDominion more pleasure than the appointment of Lord Jellicoe as GovenioiGeneral. (Applause.) Mr. Jfcwman went on to refer to the perils through which the Empire had passed owing to tho German submarine ami paid a tribute to the services rendered by the jnen of the mercantile marine. During the height of the war, when "sinkin? without leaving a trace" form- 1 ed the Huns' naval policy, there was not one case on record of a merchant ship being held up for want of a crew. (Applause.) If there was any one class of people who quietly and unostentatious displayed the highest typo of heroism during the war, it was those who hiul served in tho 'Merchant Service. (Applause.) -The speaker then briefly c.etailcd the efforts being made by the woolgrowers of New Zealand to help dependants, widows, and orphans of sailors lost at 6ea during the war. About 65(10 farmers in New Zealand had agreed to hand over their surplus profits in wool to the British Seamen's Fund, and it was expected that a surplus of about a quarter'of n million sterling would shortly become available for distribution. With this money it was proposed first to deal with the dependants,- of New Zealand sailors, then tho trustees would probably set aside a .gum to provido for something permanent in New Zealand for the benefit of sailors. The balance would bo expended at Home for tho dependants of sailors of both services resident in England. Recently, the Navy League, had approached him as chairman of tho trustees of the Woolgrowers' British Seamen's Fund, asking that the 'trustees should ereot a Sailors' Home in Wellington. The trustees, however, had been advised that without permission of the Supreme Court money could not bo expended except on the dependents of the sailors lost or men wounded during tho war. After provision had- been -made for -these, he hoped that it might be possible for the trustees to, assist in such a scheme as that suggested by the Navy League. Mr. Newman suggested that the business people of Wellington should undertake the work of erecting a Sailors' Home in Wellington. If Wellington led. doubtless Auckland lvoukl follow, and he would like to see a'friendly rivalry between Wellington'and Auckland an to which would erect and equip tho best. Sailors' Homo in the least possible time. He was confident that if the people ol Wellington ■ only realised the absolute need'for making provision for sailors visiting the port, it would not be long ( before the necessary funds to provide a real home in New Zealand for the sailors ashore was forthcoming. (Applause.)

Colonel A. FJ, Roberts, M.8.E., chairman of the Executive Committee of the Navy League (Wellington branch), thanked Their Excellencies for their attendance, and impressed on those present that the motto of the league was: "Keep watch I"

During the evening, Mr. E. Eislnvorth sang "The Death of Nelson." Mr.. C. W. Kerry presided at tho organ, nnd Miss Dorothy Mills was at the piano. 'The , gathering concluded ' with tho National Anthem.