NEW ZEALAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 34, 26 September 1914, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

EXPEDITIONARY FORGE.

THE GOVERNOR’S FAREWELL TO THE TROOPS.

At the official farewell to the New Zealand troops at Wellington on Thursday, His Excellency the Governor said:

“Major-General Sir Alexander Godley, officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of this contingent,—This great assemblage which you see around you to-day has come to wish you all God-speed. Time was not so very long ago when the sight of troopships in a New Zealand harbour denoted the a;:ival of troops from the Old Country. To-day the story is reversed, England hafe injod of jill her sons to-day, and this young Dominion is sending homo to the Mother Country her best. It has been a great pleasure, 1 will say a great honor, to me to inspect the men here to-day. I don’t think anybody will fear as to the future. You are indeed the very pick of the manhood of this Dominion, and I know that you will give a good account of yourselves whatever you are called upon to do. “There is a tinge of sadness in my heart to-day. It is because I alone of all the reserve of officers in this Dominion am unable t ) allow tnv nai.no to be called in the roll of my own regiment, but I assure you all, whether you may be spectators or on parade, that I will do my ,best to serve your interests to the best of my power so long as I am in this Dominion. No Government, as Pitt has said, ever made war with a

light heart, but if ever a Government had a righteous cause for which to go

to war it is the country t.o wliich wo have tlio honor to belong to-day. I know—as has been oft repeated to you since the war began—that we will not sign peace, that peace will not ho declared, until we have made a righteous end of this war. \Ve have b<tn forced into it by an unrighteous foe, anxious to advance and to have power to put everything political in the world out of gear, and we are determined that as we have put our hands to the plough wo will not look backwards.

“I want to tell you one thing more. I know that all of you here, whether spectators or on parade, will want to hear of those at sea or left behind. Now, for the sake of the safety of the force, we cannot have indiscriminate messages passing hot 1 have arranged with the general officer that he will let mo know how everything is going on whenever possible, and when you don’t hear you wilj. know that all is well. I have very few words, to Titter. I need not say to you all that when you go forward with your battle-cry. ‘For God, King, and Empire.’ our hearts also, will go with you. We wish you success in this undertaking for the Empire, this colossal undertaking in which you are engaged, and we shall be here to welcome you, God willing, when you return again to New Zealand,” (Applause and cheering).