MAGNIFICENT UNITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1940, Page 8

MAGNIFICENT UNITY

SHOWN BY THE EMPIRE MARQUESS OF WILLINGDON INTERVIEWED. VAST MAJORITY OF INDIANS LOYAL TO CROWN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “My position is that I am representing his Majesty’s Government here at the centennial,” the Marquess of Willingdon, a former Governor-General of Canada and

Viceroy of India, when he was interviewed last evening. “It was anxious to send somebody out to show its interest in this great celebration.”

Asked whether he thought the Empire could come more united out of the present war than ever before, he replied: "I don’t think that is possible. I think it has shown magnificent unity, and that is most enormously satisfying to one who like myself has done the best part of his service in the outside parts of the Empire. It was the greatest pleasure to me, as an old Imperial servant, at the outbreak of this war to see the absolutely united co-operation which came from all parts of the Empire.”

Referring to India, he said people would read in the Press certain statements by Gandhi with regard to his requirements as to the constitutional future which might incline people to think there was some considerable disloyalty in India. “Well, I am perfectly clear in this that the vast majority of Indians are absolutely loyal to the Crown," he said. “That is clearly shown by the number of troops who have already gone overseas and by the very large sums of money that are being subscribed by the princes and people of India to assist the Empire. I lived in India for 16 years and I have no doubt about the loyalty of India.” Invited to comment on reports that he might accept a post as GovernorGeneral in Australia or New Zealand, Lord Willingdon said he had reached the mature age of 73 years and that had never come into his mind. He was quite sure, also, it had never come into the mind of the Government. Of the ultimate outcome of the war, he said he had no doubt, because he had never known a war more just than the one the Allies were engaged in now and in which they were fighting for no material advantage but to defend the rights of small, nations against the brutal methods of powerful countries. “We are so much better prepared now both on the economic side and on the military side than we were in 1914, that I have very little doubt of the ultimate result, which will be to restore peace and good will to the nations of the world.”

This is not Lord Willingdon’s first visit to New Zealand. In the nineties, when he was A.D.C. to the then Governor of Victoria, Lord Brassey, he spent several months in New Zealand on holiday. “I then saw some of the lovely beauty spots of New Zealand, and I hope I shall see many of them again this time.” he said. "I am afraid I shall have no chance of enjoying the lighter forms of amusement, but I hope to see more of the beauties of this country. J am going to do as much as I can to follow out what the Government of New Zealand wants me to do. I don't think I shall be here more than a fortnight.”