BRITAIN'S DESTINY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 125, 27 May 1916, Page 6

BRITAIN'S DESTINY.

MR. <W, M. HUGHES' ELOQUENT

& SPEECH. NEED FOR SELF-SACRIFICE. Speaking at the Guildhall, when the freedom of the City of London was conferred on -him, Mr. |W. M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, said that the great honour of admission as a freeman 'of the City of London was only incidentally personal to himself.

Granted to him as a representative of Australia, it filled his cup of emotion, and almost robbed him of speech. The occasion filled his mind with the glorious images of the greatness of our destiny. The ancient citadel of liberty—the greatest city in the world, whose traditions stretched back into the grey dawn of time; which existed befcr e Caesar's legions, and watched the sturdy British broods win the furthermost corners of the world — now bade Australia stand by her side as her equal, and dowered her with nil the right s of her ancient citizenship. Serenely confident of victory, London stood and gathered Australia into her ample bosom, in fitting token of the part Australia had played in the war.

LAND OF GLORIOUS PROMISE

Mr. Hughes proceeded eloquently to picture the Empire as it is to-day.

"In the hour of her greatest trial." *e said, "what a thrill goes through all who boast British blood at the sight of a united people fighting with indomitable courage for all they hold dear. B'ut though now we pass through the valley of the shadow, yet we approach the land of glorious promise, into which, if cur self-sacrifice prove us worthy, we shall enter." Declaring that the British race had found its soul. Mr. Hughes paid an emotional tribute to the valorous dead -nd tjhe gallant fighters in the field to--lay. | "I am proud indeed to be of their | generation," he said.

MUST DEFEND THE EMPIRE. | . Visionaries, he proceeded, might babbie about peace, but if the Empire was to be held we must be prepared + o defend it. The British race must not shrink from the task which would lessor men. Australia and Caniria were both larger than the United and South African than Prance a «ri Germany. Tlip Crown colonies v,-ere thrice, the size of the United States, yet the whole was people by only 15.000,000! No wonder the palms of nations inflamed with the lust of conquest itched to grasp these rich. vast, fertile lands.

Was it not a s clear as noonday that the strength and safety of the Empire lay in unity? How could the scanty populations cf the Dominions, if cast upon their own resources, hcpe to hold their great heritage? That day had net yet come.

NOT WEALTH, BUT PEOPLE.

"If we are to keep the Empire as a heritage for the British race, as we are resolutely determined to do," he said, "we must create -conditions of environment whereby the population cf Britain and her Dominions will rabidly increase and multiply, breeding r. rare, of virile people. Wealth would net fare us if the crop of men failed." The Empire's defence ultimately rested upon a National Empire policy, which would organise and develop our tremendous resources, and promote the agricultural and manufacturing industries, thus ensuring to the great masses of the people those opportunities for employment, with conditions, remuneration, and a standard of comfort which were the just heritage of civilised people, and lacking which the British race would dwindle and degenerate, and our mighty Empire would crumble and decay. "I have profound faith in the destiny of the British race," Mr. Hughes

Gontimied. "We are yet full of the ancient valour of our race, despite conditions which would have plunged lesser men into the abyss o£ degeneracy. T believe in rejoicing that it is so. The peoples' temper is such that realising fully the gravity of the situation, they are prepared to endure all tilings and undergo all sacrifices in order to attain decisive victory. Because of this spirit, I believe we shall not only emerge triumphant from the great struggle, but that we will be purged of dross, purified by the spirit of self-sacrifice, and prove ourselves worthy of the great opportunity which now beckons us on." (Loud cheers).