The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1924. EMPIRE UNITY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1924. EMPIRE UNITY

UvMili)\s in and about the Wembley Exhibition at Home are demonstrating in a remarkaii'.e way the unity ot tile Empire, to .say nothing <>l the unity ol tin- Knglish-si caking 1 eople. Of tlu* many luiietie.lis held, not the least important was an Empire l’ress gathering wheieat Mr I). I.loytl tieorge was the primipal speaker, its might In- expected this womhwl'iil statesman of our times, gave a notable address on the snlije 'l of "' Ihe Press ol the Empire;” lie was ill his best 1«1 1 111 . and dnl great justice to his toast. It was more than an nitcr-ilinmv speech. I hi" vsitor.-. lie said, were welcome, bill as comrades and kinsmen to the old hearthstone. They re] resented the Press of the greatest Empire in tho world it was sale to say the greatest Empire the world had ever seen— gicatest in the extent and expanse of its Dominions and dependencies; greatest in the population dwelling within its I‘a.sL hounds; greatest in the richness and variety ol its resources anil, lie might add. in the variety of its climate; greatest beyond everything in the ipiality of the service it had rendered mankind. (If no other Kmpiie that ever existed could it be claimed that for centuries it had used its might and strength to rescue human liberty irom peril, and to establish human right where it was assailed. Within four centuries the British Empire had four times risked its existence in order to protect menaied rights and freedom beyond its own frontiers. It was the greatest Umpire of fair play in world all'airs. The Press (continued Mr l.lovd George) constitute the tribunes of this great Empire, and, I may add, its lictors. They carry the hig sticks. Their steadiness and their steadfastness inspired and sustained the greatest elfo: t this Empire has yet put forth. In tho great World War, without their unwearying support, even the indomitable spirit if the brave 1 copies ivlto constitute this mighty Commonwealth might have flagged and failed. In no part of the Empire was their power ami devotion more helpful than in the great Dominions. No. wo have not forgotten what our partners in Empire meant, to us and did for us in the day of trial, when in the sacred eau-e of humanity and honour, we accepted a challenge, the most formidable ever hurled at. our heads in the whole history of tin’s fateful land. "We have not forgot ten. We are not a demonstrative people. We are commonly reputed to be phlegmatic. We are certainly not as effusive as the nations who forgot as soon cs danger was driven from their doors- no. from their very hearths—those without whose help they would have perished. We are mindful ; we are grateful. I remember the*anxious time when the armies of three of the Allies were completely broken ami dispersed, the fourth overwhelmed with a great disaster: I-'ranee thoroughly exhausted, and her army forced to rest ; Britain almost at the end of her man-power. and America without a regiment in tho trenches. What could we have done if the hundreds of thousands of brave men from Camilla, Australia. Boutb Africa. NewZealand, and Newfoundland had not ('Ceil with ns in France, or available to reinforce those who were already there; and the hundreds of thousands of gallant sons of India had not been there to holii us in the East?