The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1913. THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 2, 3 June 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1913. THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

"Hip, hip, hooray! The King's Birthday!" used to be one of the recognised annual cheers of the school children relieved from duty at their desks. Childhood guards its traditions wonderfully well, and many of tliem grow up with us, so' that some of the old fellows who have got mixed, with the boys still retain them. The recognition of the sovereign's birthday haa always been one of these, not necessarily from any immediate personal acquaintance with the ro'gning monarch, but as the vindication of a principle. This was amply illustrated' in our recollection many years ago, when a leading politician was enI teitained at a banquet by his mining constituents. The chairman of the gathering was a burly miner, who was president of the local union, but had as much knowledge of the etiquette of banquet ting* as- he had of the maximillary process. Naturally the formal toast of "The King" fell to him, and lie deemed it the occasion to make a speech. "Gentlemen," he said, "I have to propose the toast of 'The King!' I don't know much about ' him, but I suppose he's alright." There I was a whole epitome of wisdom in this j quaint speech, for to most of us the lying really is nothing more than the ! figurehead of the magnificent solidarity jof the.. Empire. In the case of King ! Geprge V. he is a little more, for his visi£ to New Zealand, when Duke of York, reduced him from a regal conception to an intimate personality, and the revelation has not in any way lessened the spirit of loyalty to the Crown. We shall be celebrating his birthday heartily enough to-day, not simply as a birthday, but as a recognition'of otir" duty to the Motherland. We cannot all send him carpet'slippers and boxes of chocolates, Imt he will no doubt find a far more ac- | ceptable present in the widespread. re- | joicing of his people in a dozen different i lands, and the flags flying "frenetic to [ be free," wherever a strip of bunting and a flagpole can be raised. The King's Birthday is one of those anniversaries that we cannot afford to lose, if only a? an opportunity of showing in gregarious mood our loyalty and affection for the Throne.