Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1900. Heroism.

Manawatu Herald, 7 April 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1900. Heroism.

Day by day, for months, has news of the relief of that gallant band surrounded by the enemy at Mafeking been looked for — always in vain. The anxiety which pervades the whole English speaking population of the world as to the 'safety and success of the inhabitants in the beleagured town is a ' happy illustration of the bond of common feeling which unite the individuals" of the Queen's vast empire. When the story of the siege of Mafeking comes to be written what a wonderful history it will be of deeds of heroism on the part of all enclosed in the circle of enemies. To the soldiers who stave N off the assaults of the enemy, to the deeds of unselfishness on the part of the women, the story will be an entrancing one and full of stimulus to those who may become like situated. The origin of the Queen's Empire is written in the quiet deeds of valour and endurance on the part of a moiety of the people, and the world wide feeling of kinship stirs the attacked, to conquer or ft) die as befits the proud annals of a world settling people. As much as the value of the heroic of defence of Mafeking will be to the British nation, it may be irikbimed that the surety of the approval of that nation at their act is a mighty, stimulous to the defenders of Mafeking to secure for the Crown unsullied by defeat that portion of South Africa committed to their charge. In that town brave men will have not only, to endure the fatigues and dangers of conflict with a wily foe, but they are compelled to witness the suffering and deprivation of wholesome food of their most cherished ones. The women on their part can but notice the feeling forced on their defenders and cheer them oh to their woavyiu; duty by love, cheerfulness, and^submission to their lot. Not one will care to claim as having acted heroically and will simply plead they but did their duty, that for the time the soil ,beneath their feet was British ground and on which no foeman should, if any effort on their part could be successful, plant their feet. This is the feeling which appears to be implanted in a Briton's heart. That portion of the world he makes his home, whether on the vast stretches of uninhabited land on the Australian continent, or in the heart of a land occupied by innumerable natives, his location becomes doubly valued to him by his having consecrated that spot to his Queen and country by having settled thereon. Nothing moves him, nothing frightens him. He has been bred in freedom and he practises it. He will not unfairly act with his neighbours though they may be of a different race or a different colour, but he will not allow them to act unfairly by him. He has all the principles of self-government and is ready to found a colony, set up a government, and borrow on the London market as soon as there are enough of his own countrymen to make the scheme a success. All who are enjoying the advantages of a residence in this colony to-day are indebted to the early pioneers who

inhabited settlements along the coa3ts, men, who but a handful compared with the warlike Maoris around them, remained on their locations and by a series of fights intermingled with friendly acts, bo amalgamated the races that now only fifty years having passed, the Maoris hold the same sentiments of loyalty to Her Majesty as was felfc by the first Britons who landed in Port Nicholson. Heroism has been shown by men and women here, equal to that displayed in any other part of the world, and it is this heroism, that of the early, colonists in all quarters of the world, like unto the heroism being shown at Mafeking, which has caused the Empire to attain to so vast a size and of such stupendous wealth. A fellow feeling urges all Britons whether in the North, South, East, or West to applaud the plucky defenders- of Mafeking and to wish them continued success.