"WITH THE NATION'S REGARDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 54, 22 February 1908, Page 3

"WITH THE NATION'S REGARDS.

| miITAIVS CKKATEST (ill-TS. | The presentation to l,,rd llawkeof the more, or lese " national'' testimonial re-cully subscribed as a tribute to his spi-.'niliil-wot-K on the crickel-liehl—not: only for Yorkshire, but for tin- whole of English cricket—naliirally i.tl's lo iniiitl similar testimonials mule to individuals by the entire nation as proofs of how their niaguiliceiit work was regarded by the people of I hi* kingdom.

The litsl really "national" testimonial of modern days made in this way was that presented to Hi-ace Darling for her mugniliccul bravery and d"volion on that terrble night when she went out from the lonely lighthouse oil' Holy Island and rescued the survivors of the wrecked Forfarshire. 'Pi • story we need not recount here, but Knglnnd rung with tier prairie f-.r months after,'and she has been one . f the world's heroines ever since. The country showed it. appreciation of h-r

noble w.-rk and c!i natter by rais : ii« a '■.ubseriplion for her, which a'mounteil '■■> ninny thousand." of pounds, whild. in :i----vidtial presentrt and gifts were sini]i y showered upon lier. The second great ••national" lcs :: -

lnoninl of a similar kind was also mud ■ to a woman, for it was that dedicated lo Miss Florence Nightingale on her -.-- turn from the Crimea. All the Kngli-h----speaking world had glowed with delight and admiration at the magnificent work this woman luid done in the tren-hes ronnil Scbastopol, in the hospitals -it Scutari, and on inauv battlefields of the Crimea. It was felt that England ow-'d her a debt it could never repay. Tint tli" enthusiasm of people found vent in

llicir sending individual subscriptions to the fund opened as a present to -Miss Nightingale. The total reached over

C.0,0110, which this noble woman declined lo accept for herself, however, but spent i n founding the Nightingale Home for Trained Nurses, and on similar good and beneficial institutions.

Tin- lhii-,1 - 11 :li<Miiil " testimonial was again made lo n woman, and again, as in the oilier two instances, to oiic most worthy of it in unite another way. This was when the late Queen Vielol'ia celebrated her -luhilee. ami Hie nation letermined to sul serilie bodily, so to speak, in order lo send her a largo sum of money tor any useful or lieneiieciit purposes that she desired, for it; was Known that the late Queen would never accept such a gift for her sole benefit. So lists were opened all over the land, and finch was the universal enthusiasm Unit, though small coins galore figured amongst the gifts, vet the total reached well over CIOO.OOO. This great Mini was nciopted he the Queen with much pleasure siii.l (h-iiglil--not only for it-elf and what it could do. hut as a trilmi;of the nation's intimate affection for its Sovereign-a l:«vc that -lie .levp'v ■ ■<■!- I

prorated. She spent it. in -.cver.il cxcellenl way,,, such as in instituting the Victoria Nursing Fund, the Victoria Clergy Fund, etc.. all of which have proved highly successful since that time. Then most people will still remember the "national" testimonial »ot tip for Dr. V,'. (i. (Irace in celebration of his jubilee, some nine year., or so ago. anl as some slight acknowlcdgmen! of what he had done for the king of F.mrlish game.;. The popularity of that hind was proved hv the fact that close upon .Ufi.ooo was colledcd.

Although the (.'10(1.0(10 or so whieh was subscribed nationally and presented to Ccnoral Dooth for ids scheme for emancipating "Darkest Hug-land" was not termed a ''testimonial 'of the kind we have indicated, yet there is no doubt that it was really •oicli in everything but mine. For the nation desired lo show the "(iraml (I'd Man" of the religious world how n appreciated his efforts. his sell'-saerlieo. and his devoted labours for the poor and downtrodden, and it took this way of doing it.