SIR ROBERT BORDEN HONOURED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2733, 31 July 1915, Page 6

SIR ROBERT BORDEN HONOURED.

SPEECH ON THE DOMINIONS'

ATTITUDE

LONDON, July 29

Sir Robert Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, was granted the Freedom of the City at the Guildhall; j ■ _ „ Mr Asquith,- Mr Bonar Law, Sir Geo. Eeid, and the 'Hon. T. Mackenzie were present.. ... .. . ■ Sir R. Borden, in thanking the Lord Mayor-.for,-the honour bestowed upon liim, said that he hoped the outcome of the war would be to erect a monument to the autonomy of the self- j governing Dominions, and to give courage and power to the Empire, which would be more thoroughly and effectively organised for the purpose of preserving its own existence. \ ■ Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada wore all great free nations, possessing full self-governing rights. They had joined in the conflict because of their love of liberty and the ideals of democracy and tho spirit of unity founded thereon, which made the whole Empire single in its purpose. This action was taken also because of their intense convictions that the war was forced upon the Empire, so that, in honour, they could not stand aside and see a weak and tmoffending people trampled in the dust. They also realised that the issue of the conflict transcended even the destinies of our own Empire arid involved the future of civilisation and the destinies of the world. Therefore they must not fail. Sir R. Borden's mention of Australia; New Zealand, and South Africa wasgreeted with cheers. ,