The King Speaks to the Empire

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 4 January 1935, Page 3

The King Speaks to the Empire

On Christmas Day millions of listeners all over the Empire, and throughout the world, heard the voice of his Majesty the King broadcasting his Christmas message to the peoples of the British Empire. Though reception conditions in New Zealand were poor, most listeners were able to hear his Majesty’s message, which was as follows:N this Christmas Day, I extend to all my people everywhere, at Home, in the Dominions, and in the Colonies, my Christmas greetings. This day with its hallowed memories, is the festival of the family. I would like to think that you who are listening to me now in whatever part of the world you may be, and all the people of this realm and Empire, are bound to me and to one another by the spirit of one great family. I was deeply touched by the manner in which that spirit was manifested a month ago at the marriage of our dear son and daughter, and my desire and hope is'that the same spirit may become ever stronger in its hold and wider in its sway. The world is still restless and troubled. The clouds are lifting, but we have still our own anxieties to meet, I am convinced that if we meet them in the spirit of one family we shall overcome them. On this day particularly we should unite as one family to remember those in suffering and sickness. We should always remember those other members whose sufferings and sickness are from the lack of work, and we should be ready to do our utmost to befriend them. I send special greetings to the people of my Dominions overseas. Through them the Commonwealth has become a fellowship of free «nations, and they have carried into their homes the memories and traditions of the Mother Country. f my voice reaches any of the people of India let it carry the assurance of my constant care for them, and my desire that they may ever more fully realise their value in the unity of the one family. : _ May I add very simply and sincerely that if I may be regarded in some true sense as the head of this great and widespread family, sharing alike their difficulties and sustained by their affections, I shall be fully rewarded for all the labours of my reign of well-nigh five-and-twenty years. As I sit in my owm home I am thinking of the great multitude who are listening to my voice, whether in British homes or in far-off parts of the world. To you all, and especially to your children, I wish a happy Christmas, and I commend you to the Father by whom every family in heaven and earth is named. God bless you all.