The King's Speech

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 98, 12 May 1937, Page 5

The King's Speech

British Official Wirslesi.) * «

DOMINIONS' HELP Traditions of Liberty And Service N0TABLE HERITAGE

^neceiveu ±u, xt.ou p.m.j RUGBY, May 11. The King, replying to loyal addresses presented .by the .Prime Ministers of the Dominions and representatives .of .Iudia iand the colonial Empire, said, "It is with great pleasure that the Queen and myself welcome you all. I sincerely thank the Prime Ministers of the Dominions for the addresses. "Only two years ago, at a gathering like this, my dear father received his Prime Ministers and others representing the overseas Empire and India. That was his silver jubilee — a time when the peoples of our Empire united to acknowledge with boundless generosity the achievements of hds great reign. In moving words my father spoke of welcoming you home. He has since gone from us, and it has pleased God to call me to be the head of this great .family. "To-day I stand on tho threshold of a new life. Heavy are the responsibilitie3 that have so suddenly and unexpectedly come upbn me, but dt gives me courage to know that I can count on your unfailing help and affection. For my part I ehall do my utmost to carry on my father 's work for, the welfare of our great Empire. Tho Queen and I are not strangers to life overseas. We cherish the memory of the months we spent in visiting the Dominions on the other side Of the world. We shall indeed be happy if in years to come we may> have the good fovtune to extend this personal knowledge. ' ' To-day the world is harassed by perplfixity and fear. In this family of nations, lxnked by ties alike flexible and firm, we have inherited from our fathers a great tradition of liberty and service. I am confident that whateve^ life may bring us we shall continue to work together to pre'serve this noble heritage, so that we may hand it on unimpaired to those that come after.'7