THE GOVERNORGENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1919, Page 6

THE GOVERNORGENERAL.

FAREWELL TO TARANAKI. NEW PLYMOUTH CEREMONIES. PRESENTATION OP ADDRESS. The cordial welcome extended to the. Governor-General and the Countess of Liverpool at the railway station on Tuesday night, with the profuse decorations and brilliant illuminations, was much appreciated by the visitors according to a reference to the* occasion made by Lord Liverpool yesterday. The official function of yesterday morning, 'however, quite eclipsed the over night proceedings, and the frequent outbursts » of applause with which references to the , work of Lord and Lady Liverpool were greeted show the popular feeling towards the representative of the King it the Dominion. The beauty of the street decorations was further enhanced by a large number of flagß along both sides of Devon Street, from their Excellencies' hotel to the theatre where the ceremonies took place and also by the amount of bunting -which was displayed generally by citizens. Unfortunately the morning was disagreeably wet, yet notwithstanding this it was evident that the people of the town had determined to do honor to their distinguished guests and to give the Governor-General and Lady Liverpool a fitting, farewell fr,om the capital of the Taranaki province. ARRIVAL OF VICE-RiEGAL PARTY. The proceedings at Everybody's Theatre commenced promptly at 10 a.m. The Guard of Honor was composed of a company of about 38 returned soldiers, under command of Major Shepherd. These men lined either side of the corridor leading up to the theatre doors. Inside, the building had been profoundly decorated at the stage end with greenery, a wealth of beautiful flowers and many flags, a "welcome" sign right across the picture screen being a conspicuous feature of the decorations. The front seats in the centre were reserved for the representative citizens and members of local bodies and public organisations who were the invited guests of the borough. On either side the foremost seats were reserved for the veterans and returned soldiers. The other portions of the building were crowded with citizens, and many were unable to gain admission. The Vice-Regal party were received at the entrance to the theatre by the Mayor and Mayoress, and the Guard of Honor was immediately inspected, the Earl and Countess personally shaking hands with each man.. When the party entered the theatre by the side door the band (which provided the music for the occasion) played the National Anthem. Those who accompanied their Excellencies on to the platform were the Mavnr and Mayoress, Lieut.-Colonel C. H. Weston, D.5.6., the Von. Archdeacon F. G. Evan*, Major E. Cox, Mr F. T. Bellringer (town clerk), and the Governor-General's aides-de-camp. THE MAYOR'S WELCOME. Mr Burgess, addressing the Earl of Liverpool, said that on behalf of the councillors and citizens of New Plymouth he had the honor and privilege of extending their heartiest welcome to the town, and of expressing the great pleasure it gave them to know their Excellencies had been able to make their visit possible. It was realised that it was not always easy to leave the seat of Government during the Parliamentary session, and this visit was appreciated all the more on that account. "Being loyal subjects of Mr Burgess continued, "we meet your Excellencies to-day as his representatives, but beyond that we desire also to welcome you for the very kind interest that you have taken in the affairs of the Dominion outside your official duties. (Applause.) You have been with us during the whole period of the war. You have shared with us our anxieties and sorrows, for the war has left many an emptv place in our homes. You have shared also in our war work. For these reasons, and for many others, we are here to-day to welcome you and at the same time express our deep regret that the time is drawing very near when your Excellencies will leave the shores of New Zealand. We all wished that - your visit could have been a longer one _ and that we might have had an opportunity of giving further evidence of our goodwill and esteem." (Applause.) ADDRESS FROM CITIZENS. The town clerk then read the address, which was as follows: To His Excellency the Right Honorable Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, Member of His Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight of Grace of the Order ot Saint John of Jerusalem, GovernorGeneral and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please your Excellency. On behalf of the Mayor, Councillors p.nd Burgesses of the Borough of New Plymouth we extend to your Excellency a hearty welcome on this your second visit to our town and convey to you the sincere regret which is felt at your approaching departure from New Zealand We embrace this opportunity not only to express our continued loyalty and devotion to the Throne and Person of His Majesty the King but also to express the respect and esteem which, in common with the rest of the Dominion, we entertain for Lady Liverpool and yourself, and our appreciation of the deep interest which .toil have both taken in everything pertaining to the welfare of the Dominion. J During your long term of office, the " Empire and its Allies have passed through the greatest crisis which has ever faced humanity, a death struggle in defence of the sacred cause of freedom and justice against might and ruthlessness. In that struggle Now Zealand has had to take its part and the onerous duties of your high office have i been rendered even more onerous thereby. We appreciate the distinguished ability with which you have discharged Lhose duties, and the self-sacrifice which both you and Lady Liverpool displayed throughout this trying period. Your Excellency's energy and perseverance in repari to the establishment I J,e* _*!•* w— **»»« d Bifla Brtoart« and

the fitting out of the New Zealand hospital ships, and Lady Liverpool's labors in connection with war relief work, particularly the Countess of Liverpool Fund, will always be remembered with gratitude throughout the Dominion. .Finally, in bidding you farewell, wc beg to be permitted to express the hope that prosperity, good health and every happiness may attend your Excellencies, and that you will return to the Motherland bearing with you the happiest memories of your stay in New Zealand, Signed, on behalf of the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Borough of New Plymouth, this 15th day of October, 1919. CHAS. H. BURGESS, Mayor. * : F. T. BELLRTNGER. Town Clerk. The Mayor then handed the address to his Excellency amidst applause. HIS EXCELLENCY'S REPLY. In replying to the Address the Governor, who was very enthusiastically received, said: — Mr Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of New Plymouth. I desire to thank you for the cordial welcome which you have extended to Lady Liverpool and myself. I am anxious, as far as possible, to visit all the chief centres of the Dominion before my term of office comes to an end, in order to tender to the inhabitants my congratulations for all that has been accomplished by New Zealand during the momentous years of the Great War. I greatly appreciate your kind words regarding Lady Liverpool and myself, and I can assure you we shall carry across the seas very vivid recollections of the energy and perseverance of the inhabithese Islands, during the times of stress and difficulty which the Em- 1 pire has had, and has still to face. The j unswerving loyalty and whole-hearted devotion of all the Dependencies of the Crown will never be forgotten by the people of the Motherland. The life of every individual of the British Empire has gone through many vicissitude* since lfU4, and it is the duty of each one to recognise that he is responsible in assisting to carry forward the traditions, which have been entrusted to him. both by his forefathers, and also by the men and women, who contributed to the task of bringing, about the consolidation of the ideals of his race. We desire to express a hope that the people of this Borough and district will long enjoy prosperity and the blessings of a victorious peace. s His Excellency continued, in a less formal strain, to ercpress appreciation-on behalf of Ladv Liverpool and himself of the very cordial welcome extended to them and of the splendid decorations made in their honor. He assured those present jokingly, that in their old age they would look back on New Zealand to see if it was anything like the NewZealand they had known (Miring their term of office here. (Applause.') ADDRESS FROM THE SOLDIERS. In addressing their Excellencies on behalf of returned soldiers, Archdeacon Evans said: I consider it la great privilege to be asked by His Worship the Mayor to address a few words to your Excellency on behalf of the returned soldiers, who have done the honor of electing me a3 their president for the third year of office, a continued trust which \ appreciate very much indeed. New Zealand has every reason to be proud of her sons, and of their splendid achievements in every field of military operations. It is sufficient to say of. them that they have striven with all their power to uphold the glorious tradition of the great country from which their parents came. As their representative, therefore, I should like to say how much they appreciate the fine work on their' behalf accomplished by your Excellency duriii!i the four years of the. great war,' which has now happily been brought toi a successful conclusion, and the unfailing; interest you have always taken in their moral and physical welfare. In connection with the Red Cross organiation, they realise how great a work has been done for them, in the. supplying of all the equipment necessary for the transports, and for the field and base hospitals, and the innumerable accessories that have come as God-sends to our troops in various parts of. the world. As patrons of the splendid patriotic societies, which have helped to cheer and comfort our men in their difficult and dangerous work for the Empire, your Excellencies have achieved noble distinction. And more than all in the inception and inauguration of the two New Zealand hospital ships, which have helped in an extraordinary degree to bring restoration to comparative health, and to restore to their country so, many of our wounded soldiers, your Excellencies have done incalculable service to the sons of their Dominion. It will be a constant service of pleasure and satisfaction to your Excellencies to remember the successful voyages of these splendid equipped vessels, the many thousands of men they have carried, the joy and comfort they have given to those who have fought and bled for their country, and also the happiness to their relatives or friends who willingly gave them for their King and Empire in the hour of greatest peril. It is the wish of the returned soldiers that your Excellencies should know how greatly they appreciate what you have done in their behalf, and you may be sure that when you leave the shores i)% this 'beautiful Dominion you will carry with you their gratitude and goodwill, and every sincere wish for your future well-being and happiness. "As vice-president of the association of His Majesty's Royal Veterans," concluded the speaker, "I have the great privilege of extending to you their goodwill and best wishes." The address was punctuated by frequent outbursts of applause. A SOLDIER'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT. In acknowledging the address the Governor said he thanked Archdeacon Evans for the kind words uttered. He stood, he said, as a kind of half-way house between the old veterans and the returned soldiers, as at the end of next May he would have completed 31 years' service in the military forces of the Crown. In regard to what had been said about the hospital ships he did not want to take credit for what had been done, because he believed he had done merely what was his duty. In 1!>15 when the Imperial Government were in such need of hospital ships he believed he was the only person in the Dominion who had any practical experience of the equipment of a hospital ship, and if he had not done what lie did he would have boon, to put it mildly, "a pretty rotten chap." (Laughter.) He had endeavored to apply his knowledge and to avoid the mistakes that had been made in hospital ships in connection with the South African war. ittMX »rf*»*tn« to the difficulties non»

nected with the conduct- •of the recent war, his Excellency proceeded to make some very practical remarks on the great question of reconstruction and urged that every individual in the State had just as much responsibility in this as is the war and that it was just as much a patriotic work as was the war work. He pleaded for a tolerant view of every aspect of the question, and expressed a belief that his countrymen were too level-headed to allow intolerance to win the day. In this work the returned soldiers could take a very important and useful part. Concluding, he remarked that it was quite likely that he and Lady Liverpool would visit the Dominion again at some future date as simple citizens of the Empire. (Applause.) PRESENTATION TO THE COUNTESS. The Mayoress then presented the following address to the Countess of Liverpool, the text being read by Mrs Burgess as follows: To the Countess of Liverpool. ' May it please Your Excellency. On behalf of the societies herein mentioned, and of the women of New Plymouth, we desire to extend to your Excellency our heartiest welcome. Notwithstanding the lr.any calls upon you which your high position entails, you have always found time to interest yourself in matters pertaining to the welfare of the people, more particularly 1 on behalf of the societies we represent. Youv untiring ■ efforts in connection with war work have earned our gratitude and proved an encouragement and incentive to the workers in the cause. You have shown by your action your deep sympathy with those who have suffered in the war, and the mothers of coldiers will ever gratefully remember it. The war is happily over. You are on the eve of departure to your own land, and we bid you farewell with full hearts, [n wishing you "bon voyage," long life and happiness, we trust you may he able to look back with some pleasure on the few years you have pent among us in New Zealand. The address bears the ,seals of the following societies, with the signature of a representative of each as under: Ann Burgess, Mayoress: who also si<rns on behalf of the Victoria League, Women's National Reserve. Mothers of the Empire Association, and the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee; Red Cross Society, Lillian Walker: Order of St.. John of Jerusalem. Elizabeth Dockrill: New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children, Lilian Wostoisj .\ T ew Plymouth High School Old Girls' Association. Clarice Allan Douglas. HER EXCELLENCY IN REPLY. Replying to the address, Lady Liverpool said: "I want to tell you how much I value the kind words which you have addressed to me. My husband and I have spent a very happy time in Kew Zealand, and although we are naturally looking forward very much to returning to our own home, we regret extremely to be leaving so many kind friends behind us. So far as anything which I have been able to do to to assist my fellow citizens during the time we have been amongst you, I f»n only say that I esteem it a great honor and pleasure to have been associated with such a warm-hearted and loyal community. ' "Never has an appeal during the years of war been made in vain to the women of New Zealand, and willing hands have always been ready to assist in any capa. I'ity where they were required. It has been a real pleasure to me to have had this opportunity of being with you nil to-day, and I desire to thank you trom the bottom of my heart, and to express a hope that happiness and good fortune may everywhere attend you. (Applause). The address to the Governor was a splendid piece of high-class illuminating handwork and pen craftmanship. It was suitably framed in New Zealand native wood, the specimen selected being (i beautiful piece of polished mottled maungaio. The framing was done by Mr. Brake. The address to the Countess of Liverpool was worked on white silk and hung nn gold bars, suspended by gold links from a bar of greenstone, which also suspended by a chain of greenstone links fastened together by smaller gold links. Gold and greenstone bars were also similarly attached at the liottom of.;the' scroll. A suitable case, sjjk lined, was made to contain the memorial. Both works were produced at the office of Messrs. McLeod and Slade. I A PICTURESQUE TOUCH. A picturesque touch was then given to the proceedings when floral tributes were piesented to her Kxeelle&cy on behalf of ench of the women's organisations represented in the address. The bouquets were handed to her Excellency by eight little girls, each of whom was presented by the Mayoress. The names of the girls and the societies they represented were: Claudia Weston (Red Cross), Audrey Eberlet (Patriotic Committee), r.lolly Allen (Plunket Society), Barbara Blackley (St. John's Ambulance), Peggy Jackson (Mothers of the Empire), Betty George (Victoria League), Mona Kelly (High School Old Girls' Association), and Jean Collins (Women's National ReServe). In returning thanks, Lord Liverpool smilingly remarked that the act reminded him of nothing so much as his wedding day, e.vcept for the absent-, pf the rice. (Laughtei and applause). BRAVERY RECOGNISED. His Excellency then said he had fcy command of His Majesty the King, to present the Albert Medal ot Mrs. A. H. Ambury in recognition of the heroic act of her husband. Mrs. Ambury was accompanied by Mr. A. Ambury, father of her late husband. The presentation provoked a tumult oi applause. . The formal proceedings at the theatre were then brought to a conclusion, the audience responding to the Mayor's call for cheers for the Governor and Lady Liverpool. The Governor thanked the people again, and as ho left the building he shook hSnds with the veterans. The Vice-Regal party, together with a number of representative citizens were entertained to tea on the balcony of the theatre by the Mayoress. The, students from the Girls' High Schol formed the guard of honor as tiieir Excellencies left the building. AT THE STATION. The route to the station was lined with school children, who cheered vociferously as the party passed by. The platform was crowded and as the train steamed out further cheers were given, largo numbers of children trouped along the line after the vice-regal carriage, cheering and waving flags, and the last thai New Plymouth saw of the King's representative was Lord and f.adv Liverpool at the door of the carriage' waving farewells to the citizens. .