EMPIRE VETERANS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 988, 3 June 1930, Page 10

EMPIRE VETERANS

KING’S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S ADDRESS “Let us make it our motto to do what we can in the Nation s interests to keep in step with the ‘Boys of the Old Brigade,’ ” declared the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, at the Town Hail today at a complimentary luncheon tendered the King's Empire Veterans. The supper-room. in -which the j function was held, was decorated tyitn j flags and greenery and the ceremony •was largely attended by veterans and j representative citizens. Their Excellencies occupied places of honour on either side of the Mayor, j Mr. Geo. Baildon. Associated w ith j them were Mrs. Campbell, Sir Harold | Hanham, A.D.C., Brigadier H. P. ) Potter. Major-General Sir Geo. Richardson, Eieut.-Col. Duigan. Rieut.-Col. Datvsou, Capt. Stichbury, Lieut. Geo. PowTey. Messrs. A. .f. Entricau, E. W. lnder, W. Wallace, J. S. Brigham. The toast of their Excellencies was proposed by the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, who said Lord and Lady Bledisioe had attained a large measure of popularity by getting about among the people and visiting institutions. Expressing appreciation of the kind welcome extended to Lady Bledisloe and himself, his Excellency said the veterans had faithfully served their country in different branches of the service. Her Excellency and he had been deeply touched by tht encouraging and friendly reception accorded them by all classes and sections of the city and district. He was as pleased to represent the King as they were to be his subjects. On this, the King’s Birthday, from no part of the British Empire did ‘'God Save the King” rise with more whole-hearted sincerity than in New Zealand. “We love and respect the King as an institution and as a man—as an institution which above others binds the Empire, and as a man who set an example of selfless devotion to duty, to high ideals and service.” “I serve,” the Royal motto, was as high a qualification as anyone in high authority could possess. The loyalty of New Zealand, which was so obvious, was that of grateful subjects to a high principled public servant, and of a freedom-loving and self-governing people to the fast silken bonds of Empire. “All we desire to do. and there is nothing better, in a less humble sphere, is to imitate their Majesties. If we can even faintly represent their Majesties’ example in this great, progressive, far-flung Dominion we will feel we shall have had our reward, and a feeling that we have done our best. It is my duty as well as my burning interest to learn all I can about the Dominion and all its activities, particularly its industrial undertakI :ngs. with a view to fostering as much | as lies in our power, continued prosj ferity, contentment and happiness ot ! all those over whom we have the j honour to preside. I Proposing the toast of “the boys of j the Old Brigade,” Lord Bledisloe said ■ all were delighted that so many vetj era ns, who had taken part in various campaigns, were present on that • occasion. He referred to cx-service-men who had participated in the i Maori, Egyptian, South African and Great Wars, and particularly 10 ! Lieut. Crichton, who had earned the i greatest award in the Empire, the V.C. These men had been distinguished by discipline and comradeship, which, more than any other, made up the ! Empire’s greatness. Both these fac- | tors were equally important in times of peace as in times of war. No undisciplined person or nation could attain greatness, and his Excellency expressed the hope that the public would deprecate any attempt to drive discipline from the school, or from any other section of the community. There was no true discipline without comradeship. he said. The discipline that destroyed initiative was not wanted. Other toasts honoured were: “The founder of the Veterans’ Home,” proposed by Lieut. Geo. Powlev, and responded to by Mr. A. J. Entricau. “Navy and Army," proposed by Mr. W. Wallace and responded to by Commodore Geoffrey Blake and Brigadier H. R. Potter.