Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, JUNE 21st, 1918. HEROES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, JUNE 21st, 1918. HEROES

Ihk heroic life always appeals to a nation. 31 r de Berry speaking at the School yesterday on the occasion of the visit of Lieut. Frieklcton V.C., said from earliost youth, children were ’proved to have their regard for heroes, and it is perfectly true that the affection is carried on through life into eld age. The man or woman who does things scents to have an arresting per. sonnlity. Jt is deedß which count, the 'achievements which hold the imagination and win through. In a comparatively young country like New Zealand our traditional history is only in tho making The deeds which help to make this Dominion famous have not yet got their proper perspective in history. °lt often takes time to mellow things ns it were to give them their due weight and importance in tho public eye. For this reason the heroes we have in mind are mostly drawn from history and there in the raw’d of their great achievements wo regard them with a roveronee for the transcendent, eharacted of what, they have clone to achieve fame. Tho great war is changing many things. One of tho transformations is in. regard to v our ow 11 traditions—.tliejg- are being 'created under pur eye; so -to’- ape'ak, and we' are able to view thom with a very intimate relationship.- The war, of course is creating its own band of heroes, and creating them at such a rate that it is possible to meet, these men and women in life, shake them by the hand, and bo | under the personal influence of that magnetism which by virtue of their very deeds they are able to exercise, j The visit of Lieut. Frieklcton has afforded the community such an opportunity, and we are sure the people are aU the better for meeting such a hero in person, and realising the stuff those brave folk are made of. The modesty of the man struck everybody. His presence was no less impressive-—afinc type of uell-built British capable of taking his place and part anywhere. Ho is indeed a fine type ofeitizen, the class of person who are tho haven of om democracy and secure by reason of their example to the race, those advantages wo enjoy in a national way. Limit. T* ricklcton impresses in another way his fearlessness of speech. 110 has firm convictions about loyalty and obedience, and speaks Ins sentiments as one who says what lie means, in incisive terms. JIo appears to us to bo a particularly fine type of hero—one who can forget his own person, and think first of his comrades and in their absence defend them against cruel aspersions. Tlis advice to the school children was given with quite, a paternal turn realising ns he lias evidently done, his own personal instruction in obedience and loyalty. It is-good to meet such men ns IJeut Frickleton, and the children of this town were fortunate to have seen this hero and heard from his lips the lesson by which national greatness may be reached. When the school was dismissed yesterday someono remarked that no school work hod been done for the day. But tho day was not a lost one hv any means. The force of tho example put before the children was a. power for good, and tho bulk of th'em will carry through life the memory of yesterday’s remarkable gathering. The heroic and what it stands for, is the ideal which young and old should always have before them, and the scholars will be all

the hitter fr.r herring on their mind, what a true hero is and how lie can comport himself.