WELCOMED HOME.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1922, Page 4

WELCOMED HOME.

PRINCE’S REPLY. TO PRIME MINISTER’S WELCOME. LONDON, July 15. In the famous oak-panelled banqueting hall at 10, Downing-Strect, the Prince of Wales last evening made bis first public speech, since lie returned last month from bis eight months’ tour; in the Far East. He was entertained to dinner by tile' Prime Minister, the 70 guests invited to meet him including Cabinet -Ministers, representatives of the overseas Dominions, and departmental Under-* Secretaries. All the guests sal at a single horseshoe shaped table.

THE PREMIER. “THE PRINCE HAS PLAYED HIS PART.” The Prime Minister, in bis speech of welcome to the Prince, said: “It is not generally realised that the British Empire is at least four-fifths Asiatic, that more than four-fifths of bis .Majesty’s subjects arc Asiatic by descent. No Prince of Vales can, therefore, lie held to have entered fully into the inheritance awaiting [him till lie lias visited and seen with liis own eyes that enthralling region of the King-Emperor’s vast realm.

“His Majesty and the Queen fulfilled this duty of their high office before the King came to the throne, and they visited India again after their Coronation. The memory of those visits is still treasured in Indian hearts. The •Prince of Wales lias played Jiis .part and followed the .path so well marked out for him.

“Tlie Prince of M ales took the thiuiks of the KingM'hnperor and of all bis European subjects to the • Indian soldiers who fought so well, and lie lias shown them that the sense of comradeship which welded men of so imply races and religions throughout the Empire into the most formidable fighting combination in the world remains as powerful as ever, and will enable us to face with confidence all the troubles and hazards of the future. DEVOTION TO THRONE.

“There we-rc many men of deep devotion to the Throne who felt and expressed doubts as to the wisdom of a visit to India under the conditions which then existed. The tidal waves of unrest which have swept over the world since the great upheaval also agitated the crowded millions of India, but the Prince of Wales felt, and rightly felt, that it is the duty of the heir of so glorious a Throne not to wait until the glass is high and roses are in bloom before lie visits the people over whom be will one day be called upon to reign. If bo is t-> understand them—. and without understanding them lie cannot, govern them—be should see them in all weathers and in all moods.

“Tlic King and Queen set a noble example in this respect during the war. Many a time against much timid but honest counsel from outside they visited areas where the overstrain of the war provoked momentary unreason and disturbance. Their .Majesties have always identified themselves at all times with the troubles as well as the joys ot their people, and on these occasions never shirked the task, however unpleasant it appeared. Their presence invariably had a calming and steadying effect.

“Every report from India speaks in terms of thrilling gratitude of the beneficent effect of the Prince's tour upon even the most troubled provinces of that great continent. “We are now getting accustomed to great .missions greatly discharged by the Prince of Wales. In many ways this last lias been tho greatest of them all. We all now say to him, ‘Take a holiday, have a good rest and a good time.’ Xu one lias ever better deserved both.”

THE PRINCE. MOST INTERESTING OF MV OVERSEAS TOURS.” ' The Prince of Wales replied in the following terms to Air Lloyd George’s speech of.welcome:—“Air Prime .Minister: 1 sincerely appreciate the words that yon have addressed to me this tveiling, and thank you for the opportunity von have given me of meeting the members of bis Majesty’s Government on my return from the longest, and .perhaps the most interesting, of uiy overseas tours. As .you will remember, ! left England just over eight months ago, eight months crowded with the most wonderful experiences, during which I travelled 40,000 miles; and it would, 1 fear, take me a very long time, and incidentally try your

patience, were I to attempt to give you j a detailed account of all that I have seen and done during that period. ( “After the holiday that you have re- • commended to me—and which I may ; say I have every intention of taking— j I shall look forward to telling the City of London of some of my impressions .

and giving the narratives of a tour the i experiences of which I realise will be | of lasting value to me. i “As I am at the moment speaking i to his Majesty’s Government, ] would j like to record tlio debt of gratitude ! that I owe to the country for having; enabled me to make this long voyage ' in sin h a fine ship ns H.AI.Sf Renown. I During the last three years I have I oolite t i regard tho Renown as my second borne—and, I am glad to say, a ! very steady borne too, for.love of the j sea does not, T fear, necessarily make one a good sailor. ; “The Renown, as you know, took me : first to Gibraltar; to lAlnltn, where il j had the. privilege, in the King’s name. !

of inaugurating the new Constitution recently granted to these islands; to Aden, and then to Bombay, the gateway of India, where I landed on November 17 last. INDIA TO-DAY. “You have spoken, Air Prime ATinister, of India as she is to-day, and it would lie presumptuous here on impart to add much to what you have already said. “I will mcrelv sav that I went to

India in the hope that I might get to know something of India and that India might come to know me. T had no easy task, for I soon realised that. India is a continent and not a country, that her races, languages, and re-

ligions differ more from one another than anything we have in Europe. In the short time at my disposal, however, I had opportunities of meeting representatives of all classes, many of the native rulers, and a very great number of Indians who fought in the war—and I left India an optimist. “Some difficulties there mlist lie in the wav of the smooth ami peaceful realisation of our ideals, for in th.aftorrw'lh of the war and in the present economic stringency with the advance of civilisation mid education into unfamiliar fields, conflicts of ideas are inevitable. “But the wise hand of our distinguished Governor General is on tlm helm, and the new Legislatures are facing their tasks with energy, patience, and courage. Th'> new era in India calls as much as ever before for

the genius of our officers and officials v.’i'b their nreat tradition of distinguished public service, They are loyal-

ly assisting India to fulfil her destiny and deserve in tlTeir turn the loyal support of all nt heme. Of my abiding sympathy in India’s great future she may rest assured. ! JAPAN’S FRIENDSHIP. j “After leaving India I passed through Ceylon, Malaya, and Hong- 1 kong (of which I will speak in detail at a later dale), and to Japan, where I spent a most interesting month. I was delighted to return the visit of the Prince-Regent of Japan and to learn at first liaffid something of a country with which Great Britain is bound by tics of traditional and intimate friendsnip, and the welcome and hospitality extended to me by tho Imperial Family, the Government and people o! Japan I can never forget. “Of my return journey from Japan :t is. ! fear, impossible for mo to speak, thing!) I must make mention of niy al!-too-sliort stay at -Manila as the guest of the United States Government and the Governor-General. “I reached England three weeks ago, and the welcome tlmt I received from my fellow-countrymen is still fresh in my memory and left no doubt in my mind that i was really at home at last. “T regard it as a great privilege to have been able to undertake this tour, and, following the example of their { Majesties, to familiarise mvsolf with those wonderful countries that lie oast of Suez. “Though my travels have taken me far from England, I have never during the whole of my eight months’ absence been unmindful of the problems and difficulties which you at home have had to face; 1 have particularly at heart the great numbers in this country whom the universal depression in trade still keeps unemployed, and I trust most earnestly the world may he on the eve of a period of steady and peaceful recovery, f have watched the problems of England and of Europe with dee]) and svmpiliotic interest, an interest which I know is shared hv till the King’s subjects in the distant lands which I have recently visited who look to our courage and common sense for a lead.”