FREEDOM OF LONDON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1654, 23 December 1916, Page 4

FREEDOM OF LONDON.

STRIKING SCENE IN THE , GUILDHALL. NEW ZEALAND PREMIER HONOURED. (Post’s London Correspondent). London, November 7. Air W. E. Massey received yesterday the highest of the honours which it is in the power of the City of London to bestow —namely, its Freedom. The scene in the Guildhall on (he oeension was a very striking one. The dais, of course, was occupied by the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, and the Aldenueu — many of whom had passed the Chair —in their magnificent scarlet robes of office, the functionaries of the Corporation, and a number of distinguished visitors, including Sir Joseph Ward ( who xvas himself made a Freeman some years ago) and Lady Ward, Lady Hardxvicke. Earl Grey, Mr Bonar Law, the Right lion. Will Crooks, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, Miss Mackenzie, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Sir George Perley (High Commissioner of Canada) and Lady Perley, Mr Andrew Fisher (High Commissioner for Australia)'and Mrs Fisher, Sir T. Parkinson, Mr and Mrs Robert Mill, and manv more.

Just below the dais were seated the members of the Common Council of London, numbering more than a hundred, in their picturesque muzarin blue fur-trimmed robes. In the body of (he hall were a considerable number of guests, including many New Zealanders, and the gallery xvas filled with wounded New Zealand soldiers, who had come up from Hornchurch. The hand of the Royal Artillery, under Bandmaster E. C. Stretton, played for half an hour during the arrival of the guests, and at intervals during the ceremony. Among Ihe New Zealanders present one noticed Mr -I. H. B. Coates, Lady Findlay, Lady Mills, Air and Mrs Gilbert Anderson, Air and Airs Trven W. Raymond. Air and Airs G. H. Scholefield, Airs Empson, Airs E, A. Wilson, Ah* and Mrs S. T. 11. Boxes, Air and Airs Afoss Davis, All’s Alalcohn Ross. In the courtyard of the Guildhall xvas a, guard of honour of New Zealand troops, who had come up from Codford, in charge of Captain Mackay, of tin* Wellington Battalion. Most of the men had seen active service, and bore the badge for xvonnds. When Air Alassey. accompanied by Airs and Aliss Alassey, arrived, the guard of honour presented arms. The Premier was escorted by ushers of the Common Council through the corridor, xvhieli xvas decorated in pink and xvliite for the occasion, and thence into the Guildhall. When they appeared in the doorway the xvholo audience rose, and the hand struck up the seureoly-knoxvn Nexv Zealand anthem, “God Defend Nexv Zealand,” xvhich Mr SIMM ton had stumbled across quite accidentally a fexv days before and put into practice at once as an appropriate item. Punctually at the hour appointed the Lord Mayor announced the intention of the City to confer its “greatest gift” on the Premier of New Zealand. The resolution of the Council xvas read, and it xvas solemnly announced that Air Alassey had Leon found of “good name and fame," and that he xvas prepared to “pay his Scot and hear his lot" like an upright Freeman of the City.

THE CHAMBERLAIN’S ADDRESS. In presenting Air Massey, the Chamberlain (Mr Adrian \\. Pollock) recalled that the Prime Ministers of Canada and Australia had already been made Freemen of the city during the war, while General Botha, that great soldier and statesman, had been a Freeman tor many years. That day’s ceremony was doubly welcome in aifording the Corporation the opportunity and satisfaction of offering the same honour to (heir distinguished guest, Air W, F. .Massey, Alt hough now a devoted Xew Zealander. Mr Massey was by birth an Irishman, and Ireland was the. poorer to-day for the loss of those line qualities of mind and hear! which had been of such inestimable value to the land of his adoption and to the Empire. Leaving Ireland as a boy, JiP settled in Xew Zealand, and after much useful experience in local government administration, he entered Parliament in the year 1894. He held .successively the positions of Chief Opposition Whip and Leader of the Opposition, and in the year 1912 he attained the. great, position he now held- The first two years of Mr Massey’s record as Prime Minister were overshadowed by the magnificent services he had rendered since the declaration of war. Ope of the great tasks which he accomplished was the full application of (he Defence Act, which provided for cou> pulsory military training. Mr Massey was also responsible for the passing of a Military Menace Act, vn the lines of our own, which gave the Government power to introduce obligatory service if the rate of recruiting should justify the step. Xew Zealand had the disinction of being the first of the Dominions to pass such an Act, and more remarkable still was the fact that it had not yet been found necessary to exercise its power—-(cheers) —for the fine and splendid reason that Xew Zealanders were voluntarily joining in sufficient numbers. (Hear hear).

.Further, Mr Massey had played a groat part in this crisis, and instead o£ taking any credit for his whole-hearted and untiring efforts, he hud used words which the City Chamberlain thought were typical pf the spirit of New Zealand to-day,

Mr Alassey had said: “We have simply done onr duty —a duly we owe not only lo the Motherland and to ihe Empire, Iml to ourselves, for we realise that 1 his war affects us by threatening our liberty, well-be-ing' and progress almost as gravely as it threatens far older communities ranch nearer the actual scene ot eonllict. Germany aimed deliberately at the overthrow and disintegration of an Empire of which New Zealand is proud to be a part, and until this menace is finally and forever removed, Nexv Zealand will voice no desire to sheathe the sword. (Cheers.) Whatever further sacfilices may be demanded, New Zealand, in unison with all the oversea Dominions, is prepared to make them to attain this vital end.” Mv Lord Mayor, in this spirit and in the simple, unostentatious manner that is characteristic of its people, Xew Zealand has made heavy sacrifices in the great cause. The Empire will remember with everlasting gratitude the glorious record of bravery and determination shown by Xew Zealanders not only on land but at sea —(cheers) —for we know and appreciate the distinguished part played in the battle of ■Jutland by IT.M.S. Xew Zealand, the battle-cruiser presented by the Dominion to the British Navy before the war. (Cheers.) The Corporation offers a warm welcome to the brave soldiers from Xew Zealand who are attending to-day's ceremony —(cheers) —men who have been wounded lighting for the Empire in as just and noble a cause as a people could wish. They are typical of the splendid fighting force which has upheld the honour of Xew Zealand on the rocky shore of Gallipoli, in Egypt, and on the bloody battlefields of the Somme. Their conduct in the held has won for them glowing tributes from the two men of all others best ipialitied to judge. The goal tor xvliiwli we are striving has been set forth in most eloquent words, a goal for which we have poured out, and are still pouring out, millions in money —for which we have sacrificed, and are still sacrificing, the blood of some of our bravest and best; but in the great task still unaccomplished, and which may be prolonged beyond the expectation of many of us, we ;we glad and proud lo know that, under the able guidance of their Prime Minister, we have, and shall continue to have tin? brilliant coopcral’lbn—the more precious for being so freely given—ot the brave and patriotic people of the great little Island Dominion of Xew Zealand.” The Chamberlain offered Mr Massey sincere and grateful welcome in the City of London, and extended him the right hand of fellowship, and greeted him as a citizen. He also begged his acceptance from the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and the Common Council, of a casket in gold containing a certilicate of Ihe Freedom, in token of their lasting gratitude and “admiration for the splendid work you have done and are doing for Xew Zealand, the .Mother Country, and the Empire;,” (Loud applause). Mr Massey then proceeded to take the accustomed oath that he would not exercise his new honour in derogation of the King's authority, and that he would carry out faithfully the duties of a Freeman. He then formally signed Ihe roll.

THE PREMIER’S SPEECH. In his reply, Mr Massey thanked the Lord Mayor and the Corporation most warmly for the honour conferred on him, and, as he took it, upon the citizens of Xew Zealand. British history recalled nothing liner than the response of (he Dominions lo the Empire's call when the war broke out. (Applause). As a resident of the Dominion it was not for him to boast of what had been done, hut he gloried in what had been accomplished, and the brotherhood which had been established between the difl'erenl parts of the Empire. (Loud applause). There had been no exception so far as (he Dominions were l concerned. (Hear, hear). All had done well, and he included India —(ejheers)— Straits Settlements, Federated Malay Stales, the Islands of the West Indies, and the Islands of the Pacitu —each and every one having sent its representatives to the front. Xew Zealand's own aboriginal Xatives, the Maoris, wore lighting side by side with the soldiers of (he Empire. But he thought that perhaps the most striking instance of loyalty had been shown by the Xiuo Islanders. and it was not their fault (hat they had been unable to stand Die climatic rigours of ibis side of the

world. So long Us the citizens of the Empix-e did their duly, so long would the Empire stand. WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL AND STRENGTH. Mr Massey mentioned that he had the opportunity during the last tew days of visiting France and of seeing the raagnilicent work that has been done by New Zealand soldiers there; he saw the dangers they had to face and the hardships they had lo put up with, but he was particularly struck with their cheerfulness despite hardships. The Allies were now arriving at the most and the xnost dangerous part of the war. The troops of the enemy, particularly on the. Western front, have become demoralised. \\ e are winning the war and we were going to win it, though exactly when no one could say. “But we have got to prosecute, the war with all vigour, with all our heart, with all onr soul, and with all our strength. We ha ve got to keep up onr .reinforcements and our supplies uf ammunition, and if we fail in these respects 1 am convinced that the blunder will be worst* than a crime. In till probability the Will 1 will go on indefinitely, and in all probability for years, most, likely ending in an unsal isfaelory and incomplete peace unless we keep up onr reinfoxvements, our munition supplies, and our other military requirements. We have got lo see that the saerilices whit-li have been math* shall not have been made in vain. The little white crosses on the bleak hillsides of Gallipoli, the graves on the Western front when* lie the remains of many a gallant lad, the murders which have been committed by Germans, such as the shooting of Gaptain Fryatt and Nurse Gavell, the killing of non-combatants, the drowning of men, women, and helpless children —all these are arguments against a premature and inrtunplele peace. Even the memory of Lord Kitchener must appeal to Ids fellow citizens lt> carry mi till the power of Germany has been permanently broken. We are all anxious that this cruel war should come to an end, bill we must hang on witli steadfast determination till it has been made impossible for a repetition of tin* horrors of the last two years to take place. A great British InMorian once predicted that a Xew Zealander would stand on London Bridge and look down upon the ruins of this great city. So far (lie prediction has not been Julfilled, nor do 1 think it is likely to he. On (he contrary, there are many thousands of Xew Zealanders in London at the present time, most of whom have passed over London Bridge as well as its numerous other bridges. They have seen tin* great city spreading out on every side.

“Before 11 k* outbreak of \v:ir between Oreyt Britain and the American colonies, London (t ln'«»usj'li its Lord Mayor) point<>«l out tin* danger which would follow, utid hud his representations received the consideration to which they were entitled the United States of America would to-day have heen probably part of the British Umpire. (Applause). Loudon to-day acknowledges the importance of the Dominions and dependencies, and admits that they should have representation in its counjdls. It is to be hoped that on this occasion the opinions and advice of Loudon will receive tin* consideration to which they are entitled, and in* given effect to, and that the opinion of London will be more respected than was the case a century ago." Mr Massey’s statement about London's recognition of the importance of the Dominions and dependencies produced a resounding hurrah throughout the (iuildhall.