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Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1932, Page 4

To-day is England’s Day. Doubly so, for not only is it St. GeorgeV Day, but also Shakespeare Day. St. George as the patron saint of England has always been an inspiration to Englishmen. The Zeehiugge raid in the Great War was timed for St. George’s Day, and the gallant navnls went to their fate on that great occasion with the cry of “St. George' and Morrio England” on,..their lipis. This year Shakespeare Day is* having a special commemoration. At Stratford onAvon. the birth-place of the incomparable Bard, is being celebrated by the opening of the now Shakespeare Theatre, by the Prince of Wales. Appropriate to the occasion there will bo a scries of Shakespeare’s undying histori.nl' plays produced, and generally hie memory will be revered and remembered by the wonder of his work 1 .?. The regard for marking the passing of the days set apart from the patron saints of nations, may he less zealously obtained than in earlier times when the world wans less biisv with passing events, and history wUs not so crowded with memorable occasions to stir the blood and excite the imagination with the rare doings of the present, But England can afford to pay some attention to the Day for the occasion marks a memorable. milestone in history. ’lt is a time when the nation Iras responded to the call of duty. The dragon of depression beset the country, politics were in the melting pot, for the finances had drifted to the point of collapse. There it was that statesmanship and leadership united in a common effort to fight the enemy, and like St. George’s, feat of old. the modern dragon was slain. This manifestation of the British spirit is guou to contemplate, for the Dominion,s overseas all need encouragement to meet their own depression difficulties, relatively as besetting as were those of England. We need to display the same courage, and the same realisation of our obligations, and we may win through as England is winning through. St. George’s Day lias its menage for us, and applying z-e practice of England to our difficulties and besotting troubles, we must boldly face the odds with the determination to win through.