DUKE OF YORK.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17401, 11 March 1922, Page 12

DUKE OF YORK.

POSSIBLE VISIT TO THE _ ANTIPODES. SIB JAMES ALLEN EXTENDS A WELCOME. (12011 OUR OWN COKEKSPONDKNT.) LONDON, January 26. H.R.H. the Duke of York, who was the guest of the Australian and New Zealand Luncheon Club - to-day, had some complimentary'things to say of New Zealand and Australia, and when he expressed the hope that he would be able to visit those countries himself at no very distant date, it certainly sounded not a mere pulite sentiment, but the prediction of an actual fact.. .It is Australia Day, and Australia House and Australians in generally are celebrating it as a festival, but the Duke in his speech was careful to extend his remarks to the wider sphere of Australasia rather than to specialise in allusion to the Commonwealth alone.

This morning, Sir Joseph Cook, the High Cominisioner for Australia., opened an exhibition of the products of the Commonwealth in the Great Hall of Australia House. AH day long, cinematographio films are . being displayed for the benefit of the public, showing the processes of the industries of the country. This afternoon there is ah Australian service at St. Dunstan's in the East, and to-night a reception and ball at' Australia House. At to-day's luncheon at the. Hotel Cecil Sir James Allen was seated at the right hand of the Duke, and the chairman (Sir Joseph Cook) on the left, the very large company included other High Commissioners and all the Agents-General for the colonies, several ex-colonial Governors, and many Australians and New Zealanders resi- . dent in London. A feature of the decorations was the extensive use. of wattle, and a large number ot the guests wore sprigs of it in their buttonholes. Tile Australian and New Zealand flags were draped behind the principal table. | More Firmly-established Throne. Sir Joseph Cook, in proposing the health of the Duke of York, recalled that twenty-one years ago he was sworn as_ a member of the first Federal Parliament by the present King, who was then D'uke of York. Since then Australasia has had a visitor than whom none had ever been more weir come. The Prince of Wales to be .getting on satisfactorily in India, but-however great his success he could not possibly get on better than he did in Australia. It would be a great day for the Southern Continent, if in the evolution of affairs it had the honour also of , welcoming the Duke of York. On Australia's birthday it was we'l to reflect that while dynasties had faTlen and thrones had crumpled, the British Crown was more firmly established than ever. This was because the King and all the members of his family were every day. doing kingly and regal things. The King and all connected with him did their duty by the people with the and for the -.people. The way they did it during the war touched {he hearts of people all over the Empire. The sense of duty penetrated the entire family, who could stand upright and courageously look the whole world in the face.' ■

: In response, the Duke of York said h©' appreciated very hiphly the honour which had been shown him. "Like the rest of my .family," he'said, "I am very proud to think that I belong as much to Australia and New Zealand as I do to the Mother Country, and to the" other nations of the Empire. The invitation which ypu have extended to •me this afternoon strengthens-my belifef and hope that those sentiments are •reciprocated.' "My knowledge of your great country is limited, alas! to the results of mv reading rnd to what I have heard from my < brother,"but I. would like to assure yoU all that when circumstances allow and when good fortune favours me, j Australasia will receive no more willing cr more interested visitor than mvself. I learn that New -Zealand, with its] temperate climate, its magnificent and varied scenery, and its blue encircling sea, is as attractive a country as may be found anywhere. And I also learn that Australia is a unique island continent—a veiv world in itself. A world of boundless space, and probably, in the future of boundless wealth. But one does not need to leaive these in order to realise that Australasia's greatest asset is the stamina of her people. They, are of the truest stock to be found'in all the combinations of the Britannic League of Nations, for nowhere else is the Anglo-Saxon or AngloOltio strain less mingled with that of other races. Australians and New Zealanders were drawn almost exclusively from the British Islands, and oceanic legislation has preserved the • purely British element, and to a larpe. extent, diverted the threatened overflow, from other congested areas. When Captain Phillip landed at Port Jackson 134 years-ago to-dav. he knew that he was planting a British colony, but he could never have foreseen how purelv British it would be made, or how swiftly it would grow to greatness. The Famous Anzac. "When the Anzac soldiers were seenstriding through our streets we liked to recognise in the tall, lithe, muscular figures the epitome of British breeding under a kindlier sun, and more liberal air than we enjoy in these misty and : more crowded islands. And wh.en the all conquering 'All Blacks' and the redoubtable 'Wallabies' of some years ago, and more recently still when vour triumphant cricketers and masterly tenni players, mad® the Home-grown stock for the time being take second place, we were all able, to cherish a family pride in.onr conquerors, and to [ congratulate them very warmly on their victories aa first rate sportsmen. And when this first rate bread of sportsmen produced the famous Anzacs, who added .such lustre to the Empire and won imperishable renown, our pride m them had no limit. With that breed of men and' with, the spirit of independence which they possess, together with their, rigour, courage, £fcd pertinacity, Australasia has good grounds for her invincible faith in herself; confident in her own might, but at the. same time mindful of her privileges and. her ties to the greatest association of nations to which we are all proud to belong, .and the existence of which means larger liberty, nobler opportunities and greater Jiappiness." • Sir James Allen proposed a vote of thank 3 to the Duke of York for attending the luncheon and for his very sympathetic and loyal speech. "It was well for us to know- that the loyalty was not all on one side," he"- said. "Loyalty from the people and loyalty from rhe Throne—we had them both. We bilong to Australia and New Zealand, but Australia and New Zealand equally strongly belongs to the Royal Family. If His Roval Highness should visit Australia li 9' could not come into those waters without also visiting New Zealsffid, and I offer him a hearty welcome on behalf of the people of the Dominion if he should come out to the Southern Islos.". Sir James concluded .by a vote of thanks to the chairman and velcomed him as a fellow High Commissioner and on behalf of . the New Zealandere who were in the United Kingdom at the present time. During the luncheon Miss Margaret Bruce, a yonng Australian soprano, sang for tho first time publicly-in this country the Australian national song.' The National Anthem was'also sung by her when the loyal toast was proposed. The Duke was received with great enthusiasm and his toast was . drunk with musical honours.