EMPIRE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 24 May 1907, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY.

AT WANUANUI. l'er l'ress Association. Wauganui, May 23. Over a thousand public school children and cadets took part in the Empire Day celebrations this afternoon. Speeches were delivered by the Mayor, chairman of the school committee, and the Key. .Mr. I'cake. Patriotic songs wore sung by the children, and the llag saluted.

Tin' granting of a school holiday for to-day, Empire Day curried with it the necessity for some function with a view of implanting or arousing ardent patriotism in young New Zealand. But as is was thought unnecessary to assemble the schoolchildren this morning for the purpose of saluting the New Zealand ensign and drinking in weighty words of patriotic fervour, most of the schools' carried out the Empire Day celebrations a day in advance, the function eveutu-j a ting just before, the hour of dismissal on Thursday afternoon. Thia-wns the case at the Central School. Here the chairman of the committee, Mr F. V. Corldll, undertook the management of allairs, and arranged for the ceremony, which consisted of the marshalling of the pupils to hear addresses by Mr Corkill and the Rev. T. G. Brooke, the singing of a patriotic song by Mr W. Terry, the "royal salute" by the cadets, and "God Save t he King'' to wind up with. Messrs Catran and "Avery, members of the committee, and Mr C. T. Mills, secretary, were present. The Central and Courtenay street schoolchildren having been ranged in rows on either side of the main entrance to the school, and the cadets in two ranks along Lemon street front to complete the hollow square formation, Major Dempsey called on Mr Corkill to speak. He explained the meaning of "Empire Day," and referred to the memory of the late Queen Victoria, whose memory was thus being pcreptuated. Having referred to some of the privileges of citizenship in this great and glorious Empire, "on which the sun never sets," he explained the composition of the large Union .lack suspended at the back of the platfnr.ii, keeping the attention of at any rate the elder scholars by questioning them as lie went. Concluding, he told the children that this was a hastily arranged affair, but he hoped there would Ijc a far more imposing demonstration next year. He wished them a pleasant holiday. The cadets, tinder Major Dempsey. Adjutant Colcroft, and Captain Mcllroy came to the "royal salute."

Sir l'eny, accompanied by Hiss I'nda Perry, sang "Britannia, the Pride of tli ■ Ocean," the scholars taking up the refrain "Three cheers for the red, white and blue."

Rev. Brooke spoke briefly, opening by asking the boys who was their national hero, and passing 011 to the reason why boys and girls loved and should love their Empire,- mentioned the great growth of "the spirit of Empire" in the last quarter of a century. Men like the late General Gordon were responsible for that, men of character. It was character that had made the Umpire great, that made good soldiers ami good settlers, good soldiers' wives and good settlers' wives, grown from buys and girls of character. The boys of to-day were the soldiers and schoolma--ters. politicians anil lawyers of the future and these girls were to be the wives of these men (laughter). The future of the Empire depended on th.character of the boys ami girls of today. If the children before him were true and loyal and honesty putting the public weal b'fore p>iswal interest, then they would make Xew Zealand tile brightest part of the whole Empire.

Votes of tlianks were accorded, to the speakers and to Mr anil Miss Perry, clieei'S were (riven fov the King and Queen, and for tin- teicliers and committee, and tlie singing of the National Antliem concluded the function. The pupils were then dismissed. Rev. P. S. Osborne, deputy-chairman, who had a previously-made appointment at Tarntn, and Rev. llrocklehurst, confined fo his holism by n severe cold, sent apologies for absence.

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