THE PRINCE'S LETTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1920, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE PRINCE'S LETTER.

MESSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND CHILDREN. REPRODUCED IN THE DAILY GRAPHIC. London, Sept. 23. [ On the day of his departure from New Zealand in May the Prince of Wales wrote to the boys and girls of the Dominion. The facsimile of the letter, which appeared iii the special souvenir edition of the New Zealand School Journal, reached this country, last week, and through the agency of the Daily Graphic it has been made public throughout the length and breadth of Great Britain. The whole of the front page of the journal is devoted to the reproduction of the famous letter in the Prince's own handwriting. Copies of the paper were taken to Balmoral by special messenger from London. The King, who read the Prince's message for the first time, said he thought it was excellent. "It is a pleasure and a privilege," says the Daily Graphic in a leading article, "for us to publish this morning the full text of a remarkable message written by the Prince of Wales. AN IMPERIAL MESSAGE. "The message is in intention one of farewell to the girls and boys of New Zealand. But it is more than that. It is a message to the girls and boys of the whole British Empire. It is moreover, a revelation of the mind and thoughts and aspirations of the Prince, our future ruler, the frank English boy who we all hope will one day marry air English girl. It is therefore an historic document of the first importance, and is destined to become orie of the most interesting State papers of our time. 'By t:i«> Prince'", express desire th™ letter is published in ins own handwriting in a school journal, jnd wis to be read out in all the schools of New Zealand. Tha children of fes country are mostly on holiday, but the message may well be read to them in every home" TRUE WISDOM After quoting some of the chief points in the letter, the writer goes on to say:. "By wisdom, it is recorded in Holy Writ, 'princes Tule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.' Edward, Prince of Wales, gives in this letter proof of true wisdom. He states a code of honour which is sufficient, if acted upon, to ensure to the British Empire a new generation of honourable and happy people" "If the Prince's life be reviewed, it will be realised that it is in complete accord with his noble precepts. He has lived up to his code. Young though he is, he has hent his mind to the problems of the day, he has travelled far and wide,' and he has stood the acid test of the great war. He has reveajed by his acts, as well as by his words, that he has character and individuality. " "Heaven lies about us in our infancy,' wrote one of the most understanding of all the poets; If it seems to recede somewhat as we grow older, such, a message as that of the Prince of Wales draws it nearer again, raises our aspirations, arid revives the eternal hope of a happy human race linked together with honour and animated in all actions by motives of mutual and self respect." The Daily Graphio has arranged for copies of the front page of the number to be reproduced on • paper of good quality, as there is likely to be a great demand for it among schoolmasters and schoolmistresses throughout the country. KINGLY IDEALS. "•". ! The message was addressed directly to New Zealand (jays the. Sunday Times), but it should, and -will be, read as addressed to every boy and girl in the Empire, Those will ho able to feel that their future King is one of themselves, that, he belongs to every section of his far-flung Dominions, in his own words, "every bit as much as they do th'emselvea," that his pride in their achievements and his sympathy with their afflictions will be as keen as any they can themselves experience, He has set them, a standard of conduct, he has asked them to play, not for their individual profit, but for the aide and the game. In setting forth his three special requests, he has proclaimed his own standard of conduct, sung the dirge of the old and ivprn-out Divino Right, of Kings, and: heralded, the birth of the new and truly Divine Right of Duty.