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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8544, 26 September 1907, Page 5

i«HHB^HHIBB9BI^^BnIJ His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. M. Coradine) has been telegraped a copy of the Proclamation which will be read to-day at 11 a.m. The ceremony will take place outside the Borough Council Chambers. The Proclamation, for the time being is a confidential document, the contents of which cannot be divulged until the hour appointed.

TO COMMEMORATE THE EVENT. EVERY SCHOOL CHILD WILL RECEIVE A MEDAL. The Mayor has received the following telegram from the Premier:— "Re Dominion Day, as ths day will be historical in the annals of New Zealand and of more than passing interest to the children, I have decided to have a medal struck in commemoration of the event for presentation, later on, to each school child throughout the Dominion. Kindly make this fact known at any function you may hold to-morrow."

CELEBRATIONS AT THE MASTERTON SCHOOL. The celebrations at the Masterton District High Shool, yesterday afternoon, in connection with Dominion Day, were fomcwhat marred un account of the wet weather. ~ The saluting of the flag had to be abandoned for this reason, and as a copy of the King's Proclamation did not come to hand the reading could not take place. However, a number of the members of the Masterton School Committee and Messrs H. C. Robinson and H. M. Boddington, of the National Defence League, visited the school and several speeches were delivered to the children who were assembled in their various class-moms.

The children of the secondary.department were first addressed. Mr R. Brown, Chairman of the School Committee, was the first speaker. Mr Brown said that Sir J. G. Ward deserved to be congratulated for having been instrumental in bringing about the change in the designation of New Zealand from colony to Dominion. The speaker eulogised Sir Joseph Ward's services to the colony in the first place at the Postal Conference at Rome and more recently at the Conference of Colonial Premiers in London. He considered that it was due to Sir Joseph's foresight that the desired change was brought about, and he suggested that a telegram should be sent from the scholars congratulating the Premier on the proclamation of the Dominion of New Zealand.

Rev. J. N. Buttle said he was very I interest 3d in the change of the name of New Zealand to a Dominion. As a son of one of the earliest settlers in the colony, he loot e 1 upon the change with great satisfaction, He was not one of those who looked upon the name Dominion as amusing, but he believed that it was a forward movement in the great onward march of New Zealand. The speaker then wjnt on to refer to the services Bishop Selwyn and Sir George Grey had rendered to the colony. No man, in the speaker's opinion, did more to influence the political life ot the people of this country than SixGeorge Grey. He was the man who practically organised the present Constitution. Long before the Australian States federated, Sir Ceorge G:ey foretold that such a unification would come about, and he always said that New Zealand would not join the Australian Commonwealth, but wculd, with the adjoining islands around this country, form a great inter-island federation. The speaker had recently visited the neighbouring islands, and he saw clearly how sound and how probable were the ideas of Sir George Grey. Already this federation of islands had commenced, as the Cook Islands had joined New Zealand, and, from what he learned at Tonga, it was quite evident that Fiji would join New Zealand in preference to Australia. New Zealand shoiid awaken and endeavour to secure some of the trade of the islands that was at present going to Australia. In conclusion, he impressed upon the children the desirability of doing their utmost for the advancement of the colony. Rev. A. T. Thompson said he looked upon the change in a spirit of patriotism. He wanted them to be proud, not of themselves, but of their school, their country, flag and King. He considered that New Zealand was likely to be given a better status in the Empire on account of the change in the name. It might I be said that New Zealand deserved this because she had not been behind in Imperial affairs. New Zealand had sent men to fight for the Empire nnd the people were proud of those men. They were also proud of their athletes and other prominent men that they had sent to other parts of the Empire. The speaker instanced the appointment of Professor '.lieLaurin to a position in the Columbia University (U.S.A.) Some might ask, what was a Dominion? In answer he would say that it was really the people of the country to whom the name referred. He asked them to show themselves worthy of the name Dominion, and he was sure all those boys and girls present would when they grew up look Dack on their school days when New Zealand was raised to a Dominion.

Mr H. C. Robinson spoke on behalf of the National Defence League, and in his opening remarks traced the origin, and objects of the League. He went on to refer to the recent awakening of Japan, and the necessity for instituting in New Zealand a sound defence policy. The Pacific Ocean, he said, was little thought of a few years ago, but the rising of Japan and the subsequent overwhelming defeat of Russia had brought it into prominence. He took it to mean that in future all the great battles of the world were to be fought on the Eastern side. This meant trouble for Australia and New Zealand. He urged that the people of this country—women as well as men—should be in a position to defend their rights and property. It was not a manly thing to sit "tight" and say that England would defend us. New Zealand had only a small

Miller, and seconded^HnH^HH congratulations on the proclamation of the Dominion of New Zealand." The motion was carried by acclamation. The speakers then visited the o'her class rooms and delivered short addresses. The Masterton District High School Cadets will parade this morning, at 11 o'clock, and after hearing the proclamation read will salute the flag. Mr R. Brown, Chairman of the Masterton School Committee, received a telegram from the Premier, yesterday afternoon, with reference to striking medals to commemorate the event, and presenting them to school children, but the telegram came to hand too late to be read at the celebrations at the District High School.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Correspondent) . WELLINGTON, September 25. In the House of Representatives, this afternoon, Mr Poland asked the Premier whether it was the intention of the Government, in connection with the proposed holiday on September 26th in honour of|New Zealand's change of title to "Dominion," to provide for Government and other workers being paid on that day by their employers. The Premier replied that the Government employees were being paid for Dominion Day. IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 25. In the Legislative Council, this afternoon, the Hon. T. Kelly moved that the Dominion Day holiday should be observed on the same day as the anniversary ol t'hs foundation of the colony, thereby avoiding the establishment of an additional holiday. The Attorney-General said that the holiday question was before the Government. Those holidays which everyone thought should be preserved would be preserved. The Government did not feel that Anniversary Day and Dominion Day, however, should be merged. It would be possible to keep these two days apart without adding to the number of holidays already in existence. The Government hoped to bring down a proposal dealing with the holiday question this session. After this statement, the Hon. T. Kelly agreed to withdraw his motion.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER. By Telegraph —Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 25. The Prime Minister sends *,he following message to the people of New Zealand:—"To-day your island home attains the prouder title of Dominion. This guerdon is not alone the fakhful efforts of the living, but still more the strenuous hard courageous lives of many of our noble pioneers and ccbnists now at rest. New Zealand's place to-day has been honourably won by the pluck, the grit and determination of its people. My message is the lesson of our history, to preserve the purity of our race from every undesirable mixture, secure equal opportunity to all, permit no ring fence of privilege to any class, elevate your view of manual work so that the true dignity and ennobling influence of honest labour be felt and shown in a contempt for idleness and extravagance, trust the future of our Domin-

ion, not to increasing wealth, but rather to an even higher manhood and womanhood to a wider enlightenment and humanity, disciplined by the needs of the industry by temperate living and by those healthy and beneficient tasks and trials that best advancement, and which should be the price of all promotion in a free country. Let us be justly proud of the place we take to-day in thfc roll of the King's Dominions, but let us make this an incentive to something higher still —a true Dominion in the head and heart of our own people.— JOSEPH GEOKGE WARD."