THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 27, 26 October 1937, Page 7

THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Its Part in Restoring World Freedom HASTINGS ADDRESS "The Tremendous Importance of tho British Empire" was the subject of a talk given to the Hastings and District Scottisli Society laet night by Mr William Thomson, editor of The New Zealander. "We have only to study history for some centuries to learn the enormous and beneficent part which the British have always acted4" said Mr Thomson. "In the sixteenth century Philip II. of Spain determined eo humble England in the dust. To that end he built an armada such as the world had never seen before, and sent it, as he ihought, i'ully equipped, to do his deadly wors. In Dorset, Hampshire, and Devon, the people looked forward to its coming jn the greatest alarm, for it meant, if successful^ that England would bo kurled back to medievalism from "vvhich i,t might have taken centuries to recover. But it was defeated, and Europe wras saved. "Later, Louis XIV., an absolutist of the first order, was bent on crushing Europe, but British armies at Malplaquet, Oudenarde, Blenheim and elsewhere, overwhelmed the forces and again Europe was saved. "Napoleon I. (sometimes called the great), a leader of remarkablo ability later triecl to conquer Britain. He hac8 already laid the nations of Europe at his feet but, in the final test, tho Duke of Wellington overthrew his forces and he was sent to Helena where he died. "In the Great War (1914-18), had it not been for Britain, Europe would have been compelled to yield to an ambitions and tyrannical militarism, but Earl Haig and others preserved our liberties; and the Kaiser exiled himsclf to Holland to live an-d there to die. "What a splendid Einpire to belong to! We should all be proud of it. But the United Ivingdoni is now saviiig New Zealand. During the last 18 months she spent over £40,000.000 more with us than we spent with her — a magnijicent iecord which should lill every iudividual with gratitude and confidence. The fact is, we are secure in this beautiful country because the British fieefc is .so strong, and for that we should always be loyal and proud of oar connection. "I believe," concluded Mr Thomson, "that the British Empire is providentially preserved for great and mereiful purjiosds, to prescrve the freedom and to promote the welfare of humauity."