THE BURNS STATUE. INTERESTING CEREMONY AT DUNEDIN.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 3

THE BURNS STATUE. INTERESTING CEREMONY AT DUNEDIN.

Address by Sir Geo. Grey.

Dunedin, May 20. ' {1 The ceremony of unveiling the statue of Scotia's immortal bard, which took place this afternoon, was witnessed by a larger gathering of citizens than has assembled to-o-other in this city on any previous occasion. There must have been fully 15,000 persons present at the hour appointed for the un veiling. At one o'clock a procession was formed in the triangle near the railway station. The Freemasons, Oddfellows, Rcchabites, Druids, and other bodies took part in tho demonstration, and several bands and pipers marched at tho head of the various societies. When the procession had marched along the principal streets it halted at the Octagon, the different fraternities arranging themseh es in close proximity to theVtatue. At a quai ter past two o'clock an open carriage, drawn by a pair of greys, drove through tho immense concourse of people who blocked Princess - street. The occupants of the carriage were Sir George they, Mr T. Bracken, M. 11. R., Mr T. Fergus M.H.R., and Mr Bruce, M.H.R. When the venerable knight of Kawau was recognised, the crowd set up ringing cheers, which continued until the carriage leached tiie platform erected around the statue. Seats were arranged in front of the pedestal, and when Sir George Grey took a position in the centre, another ringing cheer came from the crowd. The members who occupied seals beside him weie Messrs Bruce, Bracken, Stewart, Reese, Fergus and Hatch. Mr Fergus introduced Sir George in a few pertinent remarks, and the old man eloquent came forwaul, and in a few neatly turned sentences, introduced Miss Burns, a great-grand-niece of the poet, who at a given signal pulled a coid, and the iiguie of the illustrious Ayrshire ploughman was exposed to view. The band then struck up "A Man's a Man for a' that." This was the signal for an outbui st of enthusiasm on the part of the crowd. Over the sea of faces that spiead foi hundreds of yards* around the statue thousand of hats were waved, and thousands of voices were raised in honour of the bard of Ayr. When the enthusiasm had subsided, Sir George" Grey stepped forward, and in a clear, ringing voice addressed the immense multitude. He said : How can I find fitting -words to addiess so vast an assemblage ? How can I tell in what terms to speak to men and women who have come to found a new empiie at this part of the world, encountering many perils and many dangers ? In what language can I address those who are about to introduce a new and greater and happier epoch, we hope, than any which have preceded the present one ? (Hear, hear.) And how also can I, without tiembing, try in adequate terms to set forth tho meats of that great man v hose >tatue has just been unveiled for us : Fancy— fancy what intellect and genius ! Standing in the presence of the statue only of so gifted a being, who, with but little education, raised himself to so high an eminence. I stand here absolutely tiembling lest I should not do justice to his merits. And why and whence has arisen this adoration for that great poet? It is for this reason, that he was one of the people ; that he came forth from the mass of his fellow-citizens with no prospect in life, no hope of advancement or of influencing his fellows, and he thus showed you what the intellect of the people at large is capable of, for he gave to you a proof that any man, however humble his birth, however poor his state, may attain to the very highest degree of eminence. (Applause.) Since Burns exhibited this great example to the world, no mother lives, however poor, however wretched, but she may hope that she may be the mother of as great a one, and one who may prove as great a benefactor to" his race. (Applause.) The consciousness of this must ennoble us all, must strike every breast with joy, and may till every bosom with hope. But then you will tell me of what sorrow, of what sufferings he underwent. Was this an enviable lot ? And I answer yes. Let me just read one short extract to you from a letter from Jeffrey' the great and learned author. What does he say? "What troubles me most is the pitiable poverty in which that gifted being (and his noble-minded father) passed his early days ; the painful frugality to whbh their innocence was doomed, and the thought how small a share of the useless luxuries in which we, such comparatively poor creatures, indulge would have sufficed to shed joy and cheerfulness in their dwelling, and perhaps to have saved that glorious spirit from the trials and temptations under which he fell so prematurely ;"' and then Jeffrey goes on to say that he could grovel in the dark for years, weeping for shame to think of the troubles and trials to which Burns was exposed. Now, I will tell you I don't agree with Jeffrey. Don't think me cruel, but I flory in his toils and troubles. (Applause.) t is from such circumstances that heroes are brought forth, and in no other way can they be brought forth. But what did this noble-minded man say himself about these terrible afflictions ? Listen to and cherish these words. Did he complain ? Did ho groan ? No. He says : But if I must afflicted be, To Buit some wise design ; Then man my soul with firm resolves To bear and not repine. (Applause. ) Therefore it is with gratitude I think that the great Creator deals so wisely as to give us that bright example which He did give. Let me try to explain more fully, perhaps, what I mean. Some people are but little acquainted with his religious character. Some people little know how great and good a man he truly was. I believe it was the misfortunes through which he was led which caused chiefly that feeling to arise in his mind which gave rise to the beautiful maxims which he gave forth to the world. And now let me tell you why I think that his sufferings were of the greatest consequence to us ; for if his maxims were as good as I will presently show them to be, we, here in a new world, have the opportunity of carrying them out and giving effect to them. Let me tell you what a few of those maxims are, and let me put them forward as rules of guidance for ourselves. He says, and let the words lodge in your hearts : " May prudence, fortitude and truth Erect your brow undaunting." Prudence, fortitude, and truth, in his belief, constitute a man greater than any nobleman or prince on the whole carth — (applause), — and, as he says : " Princes and lords arc but tho broath of kings : An honest man's tho noblest wori£ of God." Applause). Now will you, the inhabitants f a new country, lay these words to your ?earts,and adopt that maxim ? Should it I c our rule, we will seek no coronets from Pings except such as a nation best owes er deeds performed, but we will deem an <

— r7 <■'. y r honest, true, and good citizen ' as ttie' most superiors of beings that, walk the ..earth. (Applause.) In the same way, throughout) his life, he inculcated the great lesson* that the first and most bounden duty of man was that each should help his fellow man, helping them in every way, and ho points out that one of the most dreadful curses on earth is— Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn. Let us strive by our laws, by our customs, to save men from the countless ills which they have suffered in the oldest countries, and from which we can relieve them. (Applause.) I should delay you if I should go through the maxims of this kind which he lays down. The main thing is the lovo of human being for human being ; and not only that, but the goodness of man to every dumb creature, as he himself calls them, "our fellow mortals," and says that they have but a brief life given them for enjoyment upon earth, and that tho Creator lias afforded means by which tho lives of a great mass of them may be rendered lives of happiness, and we should think of them as well as of ourselves. What can be more noble than a sentiment of that kind, as he says, "Poverty may overwhelm a man, but leave him fully" honest and noblehearted;" and again, "a man may have neither money nor influence to aid a falling friend, yet by sympathy renders him priceless service." I will not trouble you by quoting as 1 was going to do— for fewcan hoar me— the beautiful expressions given of love and gratitude to his Maker, of submission to His will, of the true piety which actuated his heart. But I ask you, knowing that such was the case, and assembling here this clay to offer the highest honour to Burns by placing this statue in Dunedin (applause)— l ask you, the founders of a new empire, the makers of a new people, will you give up, in.accordance wjth the modern notions of some people, will you give up all gratitude to that Creator who has placed us here amidst so many blessings? (Great applause.) Will you relinquish all love to His creatures, all sympathy for your fellowmen, hope for the future, all that guided your forefathers upon earth, and walk blindfolded, without knowledge, amidst the difficulties and trials which you will have to meet in a new world? Let me now just revert to the influence of Burns. When he wrote his poems he spoke but to a few millions of people. He never expected that the AngloSaxon raco and the English language would prevail over so great a portion of the Continent of America, over Australia and New Zealand, bringing into birth a nation which will havo to be reckoned by millions ; and not by millions alone, but all united by common blood, common sympathies, common faith, common literature, and common laws, from the Atlantic on one side to the Indian Ocean on the other side. The Anglo-Saxon race must march dominant over the world. (Applause.) What are the quarrels of petty princes of Europe to us ? (Renewed applause.) What are their wars, their contests for a few feet of territory, to us, the inheritorn of &o vast a territory, the fathers, as I tell you, of billions of people speaking one common tongue? ( Applau&e. ) We can pursue all great objects, thinkinglittle or nothing of them ; we can attend to our own duties, render men happy and contented, see that our lands, all our common property, are equally distributed under fair and just laws— (applause) ; see that no favouritism is shown to wealth— (renewed applause) ; see that all have equal opportunities of advancing, equal rights and opportunities of advancing 1 themselves in life. These are the maxims that we should hold in view, these are the duties we should strive to fulfil, these are the objects we should value. When I bay that, you have much to do. I tell you that you have to make Burns's " Cotter's Saturday Night " not the imagination of the poet, but a true picture on earth. New Zealand was made to realise that. He must almost have had a forecast in his mind that a country was to be occupied by men of his race when he wrote, as he did, — O Scotia ! my dear, my native soil ! For whom my warmest wish to heaven is sent ! Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content. (Applause. ) Yes. rustic toil ! Let all men have land open to them ; let all have a chance of sharing the bounties which God has offered His children upon earth ; and let there be no distinction and differences made amongst men in that respect. It is all very well to say that those who have ready money in their pocket, and can go and pay money down for so much land, shall have a freehold, and walk lords of the earth, residing where they please, doing what they like with their land ; and that .if a man, honest, a son of rustic toil, to cultivate the ground, desires land, because he cannot command a considerable sum of ready money shall only hold the land upon leasehold, subject to his rent being raised from time to time, compelled to reside on it as long as he lives —not to live where he likes— and that he shall pay the interest for ever upon the money that the other man pays down in cash, that being the only difference between them. And then what does he say further : — And oh , may Heaven their simple lives prevent From luxury's contagion, weak and vile. Then how'er crowns and coronets be rent, A virtuous populace may rest tho while, And stand, a wall of fire around their muchloved Isle. There is a lesson for you — to be content with small things. I have seen in this country, and I know the people, many farms occupied by families and worked by them, in which the dream of the " Cotter's Satur- i day Night " is really and truly fulfilled, in which there is peace, contentment, and happiness. The produce of the farm j yields all they desire, and a surplus j by which they may purchase the ! necessaries ; and they aim at no great thing, the possession of which would injure their fellow men.' Such an example of peace, contentment, and happiness it is our duty to try and follow ; therefore I coneider the lessons taught by Burns to us are these, and it is from teaching these that he is our great benefactor— contentment with what we have ; a natural desire to lay by what is necessary for our children and for old ago, but to abandon luxurious habits, as far as we can get rid _of the vast expenditure which is being seen in this country, and to reduce our expenses in every possible way, because such expenses and such wealth as I speak of are really wrung from the people, from such a vast population as I see around me. Now, what could I realise at this moment if I could tax every individual I look upon, and put the money in my pocket ? What a vision is before me of what I might do in the way of personal enjoyment. But would that satisfy me for the misery I would bring upon families, or for the poverty in which I must plunge them 1 Ana we cannot come to the ideal that Burns has drawn until we determine that each one will live with economy, and that each one will resist any undue taking of money out of the public pocket, and the impoverishment of the peoplo. We can do well without injuring anybody. We can do it with jus-, tice to ourselves, and to all connected with us. We can render our own lives happier and healthier, and atlastsinkinto that grave to which he (the great Burne) has led, as it were, the way for us who wish to follow

these precepts ; and we may enter that grave satisfied with our own lot in ■ life, with the enjoyments wo have bestowed upon us, and grateful to Providence which 1 lias placed us here. Now, if you really love Burns, if you idolise his memory in the way I do myself, you will all feel tliat we can take no greater or worthier guide than he is ; that by following in his" footsteps we shall benefit ourselves, and shall raise this young nation to that pitch of prosperity which we want to see it obtain. (Applause. ) Let this bo no mere ceremony ; let it be one of the greatest days that have dawned on this part of the world (applause) ; and let it be that ix\ erecting a monument of this kind you have aided the principles of truth and great conceptions, and not in mere adoration of a fleshly man, but in reverence for a truly great and noble soul, which animated one of the first and greatest men whom the last two centuries have seen. (Applause.) With a fervent hope- that some will this clay enter upon such a struggle, and determine to make this nation such a ono as Burns would have hoped it to be, I return to you my thanks for the reception you have given me, and in any way I may help you you will find an ardent friend in me. (Loud applause. ) At the call of Sir George Grey, three chee** were then given for the Queen, and the proceedings terminated. Mr Fergus apologised for the absence of Sir R. Stout and for the absence of Sir Maurice O'Rorke, who had made all arrangunents to come down, but had been prevented from doing so. lie read a telegram that had been received by Sir George Grey from the Earl of Aberdeen. It was as follows : — Will you kindly convey an expression of ray regret at having been prevented from visiting Dunedin, owing to the necessity of leaving Now Zealand by to uuy's mail, and to offer my best wishes in connection with the unveiling of the Burns statue.— A herdjeun." A banquet is being held to-night in the Lyceum to celebrate the occasion.