THE YUGO-SLAV ANNIVERSARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 285, 1 December 1928, Page 8

THE YUGO-SLAV ANNIVERSARY.

It is now. ten years since the Serbs of the Balkans and the Slovenes and Croatians then subject to Austrian and Hungarian domination were united in one State under a prince of their own race. The establishment' of this "triune kingdom," ruled by a descendant of Kara George, the founder of Serbian independence, was in many ways an event of great historical importance. • It meant, among other things, that the Southern Slav peoples, after centuries of servitude under Turkish, Austrian and Magyar now at last secured liberty and the right of self-government. It involved the. dismemberment.. of' the Dual Monarchy which had so completely displayed its .unfitness for the control of foreign races. And it introduced to the .Powers of Europe a new State ofloo,ooo.square miles in area, with a population of- over 12,000,000 industrious, patriotic arid virile people. Such a country is without doubt destined taplay a great part in the future of Europe. The fate of Yugoslavia is a matter of great interest to Britain and the Empire. For tbe Serbs during the war were our. faithful allies, fighting gallantly against enormous odds in the .common cause. Tlje emergence of a new State, attached by friendly association to. Britain,, may. make a vast difference in future- to international relations in Southern and Eastern Europe. And -we who recognise frqm.experience the fine qualities of the many Serbs and Dalmatians and Croats and Slovenes who have made New Zealand their home, have speeial and personal I grounds, for, offering our congratulations ta the Ytgo-Slav peoples on their national anniversary, and wishing them and their eountry all possible prosperity and happiness.