The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23rd. 1924. THE EMPIRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23rd. 1924. THE EMPIRE.

With the British Empire Exhibition in lull play it was not .surprising that Empire Day celebrations at Home this year should hare a special significance. At the central demonstration a speech by Mr J. 11. Thomas, the Colonial Secretary in the J.abor Ministry, was not without, its special interest both at Homo ami abroad, and it will not be out of place to reprint here a general outline of what was a very line Imlerial utterance. “United Empire” was the title of the toast entrusted to the Colonial Secretary; it could rightly lie called the toast of the evening. He desired to take the opportunity of expressing on behalf of iriends in all parts of the Empire congratulations on the fiftieth anniversary ol the Dukedom confenvd upon their chairman, the Duke of Connaught. (Cheers.) lie congratulated their chairman upon the magnificent way in which he had proved that the only tiling that niatteicd in this country was not. rank or wealth, but service given disinterestedly to the best in-tcre-ls of the Empire. (Cheers). No greater mistake could In* made than to associate greatness with either name or wealth, and his Royal Highness had exreused in the light of public servo ice wluit they all appreciated, for regardless of rank or position, his motto had been not ‘‘What can I get!'” but

‘•Hmv I'liu I serve? I run nt your disposal-." (Cheers.) Ami it was that public sorvice on »thc part of all the members of tlio Koval l'nniily the. enabled the humblest citizen in the hind to ) ay tribute ami to say : “Wo are proud of the constitution that produces gentlemen not- only in name, hut in action, and whose record of service is an example to the. country.” (Cheers.) The toast was indeed important. Tlie Uritish Empire, which constituted one-fourth of the glol>e and ono-fifth of mankind. 100 odd million human beings, representing all classes and creeds. Was there not a great moral lesson to lie drawn from the fact that thi'se people were so satisfied with the sense of equality and justice that they were content to allow the small minority to rule ami govern ? That clearly demonstrated that this country ruled not by force of numbers but by example. Referring to the fact that he was the first Labour Minister to ore ipy the hospomjiblo position of Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr Thomas said lie made no apology for that. However ill-inform-ed people might have heon a few months ago. and however much it was forecasted that all ills would follow putting a Labour Ooveinimiet in oflice the jsisitiou of the country to-day not only demonstrated the unity of the Empire, hut showed that this was the only country in the world where every .section of the people could undertake the responsibilities of Government, and where the Constitution was broad enough to accept it. The Government—including men like himself, Isirn in the humblest circumstances, denied all opportunities and advantages of university education, graduated only in a school of experience of hard work and toil and suffering when they were called on to undertake the responsible duties of Ministers of State, said to their countrymen. ns they said to the world: “If you gambled on our disloyalty you arc deceived; if you gambled that we were less patriotic than other people. it only shows how foolish you wore. Our answer is that just as in every crisis of our Empire’s history it- has been fortified and protected, not by class or creed or section, but by all sections uniting, so in this great trial of government, which is an experiment to the world, we are all working with a single-minded desire to champion our cause, light for our principles, and do what we believe to tie right, but. above all. determined that wo will hand oil the seals of office to our successors, proud of being able to say that the Empire is no less great than it was prior to working men accepting the seals of office. Aren and women in the humblest circumstances are endued with brain power. In the hour of trial ami difficulty all classes rose to the defence of tlie Empire. Lot us got rid of this miserable class warfare and class talk and say that all classes and crfieds will combine in making nn Erp-

jure worthy of tho sacrifices which all classes made in the war.” (Cheers).