PRIDE OF RACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1921, Page 4

PRIDE OF RACE.

VALUE OK CITIZENSHIP. WELLINGTON, Vov. IS In the Town Hall last night MajorGeneral Sir Andrew Russell delivered a lecture to territorials aud cadets on the subject of nationality and pride of race. This was the opening lecture in the ('oinmunily Club scheme. The Governor-General presided, and there were about ttoOO territorials and cadets present.

A GOOD WORK. hi the course of his introductory remarks, His Excellency said that it was with great pleasure he took* the chair, and that a good deal oi the pleasure was derived from the fact that he met there so many officers aud men of the territorial forces, aud so many ol the cadets who would in the future form part of the territorial forces. "The National Defence League oi New Zealand," said His Excellency, "has set

out to do a great work, and it is a great privilege to me that 1 am taking the chair on the occasion when Sir Andrew Russell opens the good work which that Defence League has set out to accomplish. The league is out to tij to teach the youth and give them some knowledge of the subject of citizenship. 1 don’t think there can he any higher object before anybody than that of trying to give people who, in the future, arc going to form the manhood of this Dominion some idea ot their duties as citizens. Citizenship, to my mind, can bo brought under two headings. The first is the duty of the citizen to his fellow-men, and under that heading there is a great deal that can he taught, and it is not always taught in the schools. The citizen has to take his share in the government of the town or the district to which he belongs, and in the government of the countr.Y'. The country is worthy of the Government which its citizens elect for it, and one oi the first duties ol a citizen is that of being aide to take his share in government by wisely exercising the voting power which, in a democratic, country, is put into his hands. One -who exercises that voting power wisely wishes to know something about what he is voting for. He does not. if he is wise, take without a grain of salt all that the candidate who is soliciting his vote says. R KSPOVSI HI LIT Y OK THE KRAV-

CIIISE. “There is a certain responsibility attached to the power of voting, and you cannot exercise that responsibility without a knowledge ot the subjects that form part of the eveiy-dav lib' of the Parliament. Therefore, education in subjects which come Indore the public when 1 1 icy an* askisl to record their votes for a town council or for a member of Parliament is of very real value. There is one other duty which a citizen mar he i.ailed upon at a",' period Ol his life to cany out. and that is the duly of the defence of his country. Therefore, 1 say there are two headings of the duties ul a citizen. One is his duty in a civil capacity, aud int hat capacity he has to exercise comradeship and unselfishness. Tlio second duty which he may he called on to carry out is that of defence, and there are many influences at work to make that duty unlikely. The National Defence League of New Zealand is endeavouring to put before the youth ol the country the ideals which go to make up the duty of the citizen, and the very names of the clubs in which part id the National Defence League’s programme is being delivered—the community clubs—indicate the nature of the work the league has before it. that of making the youth of the country of value to tlie community.” 11 is Excellency wished all possible success to the league in its work, lie hoped the organisation would make a great start in this, the capital city, for what was done in Wellington would he pretty sure to he copied in the rest of the Dominion. The subject ol the lecture, he was sure, would appeal n> all New Zealanders, as, from his experience of New Zealanders, he knew quite well that there was no nation or community ill the world w hich was more proud of the purity of its rare.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RACI'

General Russell said he was speaking mostly, if not entirely, to the cadets and territorials. How, he asked, did nationality arise f Centuries ago the world was divided among four races the white, the black, the yellow, ami the icd. Tribes grew into nations, with national characteristics, ideals, instincts, and traditions of their own. There was one peculiar characteristic «f the white race as opposed to the Asiatic race. The white race was more tinder the. domination of the will. In Asia there was a natural tendency to fatalism—accepting things as they were. That led to stagnation, whoieas the tendency of the whites to lie always in movement tended to schisms, anarchy, etc. What was nationality and what was its place!- It could he likened to the family, the association, tin* school, the football club. As had been said, one was a member of the human race first, then a member o| a nation, and then a private individual, with responsibilities towards bis family. However, the building could not h<* done from that- und ; it. had to he started from the bottom. Nationality did not depend on territorial boundaries or on language. It was not a matter of material things, it was spiritual entity. There was a common sentiment anil a common outlook, THE HIGHER ROWER.

lie had said that one of the eliiel characteristics of the white lace was l hu domination of the will, and earned to excess that meant breaking away from the parent body, and trying to lie a law to oneself. That was a kind of thing likely to lead to a had fall. We were finite beings—very small pebbles on the beach —and we must he responsible to someone over and above us, and when one reached the State, it also must look to a higher power---it must look to the Divine power \v Inch guided the destinies of (he world. One often felt he was treading a road (lie end ol which he could not sec, hut which would ultimately lead to the fulfilment of Cod’s aim. Another characteristic of the British race was that it was a very hiw-ahiding race. Another was a deeprooted dislike of anything in the form of tyranny, wdiether it was exercised by autocrats, oligarchs, or by any class or section of the community. Tn other words, the Briton would not he bullied. The Englishman was. above

other things, "* man of action, and lie was a fighting animal—not qiiarrelsoiim, lx l l ready to light troll when h' 1 had to. Another ohm ncterisl ie id i.itr rare, ol whio.h wo had every reason to he proud, was that ol trulhluiness, and still another was a readiness to help those who were in trouble or i" dillieiiltv. Amongst the heroes oi the race, lie mentioned Kino Allred the (treat (probably the Greatest Kino \\e| had had), men ol' action like Drake, I Raleigh, Cromwell. Wilberforec, (tordon, and exphners like (on It and Livingstone. IK 1 wanted the yuul.li to show that they were proud ol their oountiy, and in recomile tbeii individual interns! in these ol humanity, lie wanted them lo si inly Die question ol' selfishness. They bad lo yet out of themselves helotv they could do any jr„od for themsehes m then' country. As ii did not become an individual to throw mud, it did not become a nation to throw mud. In thinking of the nation they should sav In themselves: “Are we on the side ol (led'