LORD JELLICOE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18150, 13 August 1924, Page 9

LORD JELLICOE.

EX-SERVICE MEN'S TRIBUTE His Excellency tiro Governor-General was tendered v, farewell at an ex-ser-rieemen's reunion and smoke concert held last night in the Art Gallery. Colonel H. Stewart, president of the Christchurch U.S.A., was in the chair, and there was a large «itt'--ndance. His Excellency arrived r.t 8.30 o'clock and remained until shortly after 10 p.m. Lieut.-Commander D. Boyle, speaking as a retired naval olEcer, sud he desired to say farewell to his Excellency on behalf of the Navy men. The Dominion, lie said, was particularly fortunate in having a Governor-Gcner.il of the calibre of liis Excellency. It was essential, from the insular position of New Zealand, that it should have as the King s representative an officer who realised the importance of guarding the maritime traiiic of tho Dominion. It had been stated that his Excellency's successor was to be another admiral, it would be only fitting if such were the case. In conclusion he wished his Excellency and her Excellency and family o\ery success in thefuture. (Applause.) Colonel It. Young, O.C. Southern Command, sneaking on behalf of the Army, said that his Excellency was Commander-in-Chief of the New Zealand Army, and the speaker had therefore to be careful how he criticised his .superior officer. He paid a tribute to the assistance the Navy had given the Army during the Great War, especially in the Galliuoii campaign, and stated that when it became known thai his i Excellency' was to become GovernorGeneral of the Dominion the news was received with gratification by all exservice men. His Excellency had endeared himself to everyone during hissojourn in New Zealand, and had gpne into tho backbloeks on numerous occasions to unveil memorials to tho-e who had fallen on active service, no matter how he had inconvenienced himself in so doing. Ho could assure his Excellency that if the Empire was ever in danger again the Territorial soldiers ef the Dominion could be depended on to do their bit. (Applause.) On behalf of the officers and men of the New Zealand Royal Air Force, Captain L. M. Isitt said that although the branch, of which he was a representative, was small in numbers, it was large in enthusiasm. New Zealand had been fortunate in its governors, he said, and Lord Jellicoe would always \v; remembered among' them. He had strengthened the bonds of Empire during his term of office in-New Zealand, and his influence would not cease with his departure. (Apnlause.) The Mayor <V.v J. A. Flesher), speaking on behalf of the civic population and the Red Cross workers, said that he well remembered his Excellency's first visit, to Christchurch in 1919, when he came to the Dominion with H.M.S. NeAv Zealand,, and the good impression he then made on the people.. He had laid -the foundation stone of the Jellicoe Hall and of the Bridge, of Remembrance, and the Mayor honed he would remain long enough in the Dominion to open the Bridge. His Worship said *hat no ojie would regret his Excellency's departure from the Dominion more than the; Red Cross workers. The first Governor of New Zealand was a naval man, but of all the haval_ governors the Dominion had had. his Excellency was the most eminent New Zealanders could wish that his Excellency's sojourn here was .to I)© twice as long as it. was, but his Excellency had to respond to the higher- duties of the King and the Empire. ,He . could assure his Excellency that his departure would be regretted by, no one more than the ".eople, of Christchurch. (Applause.)

In, proposing the toast of "Our Distinguished Guest,'? the chairman said the ex-service men present had assembled to express their regret at the departu 2 of his Excellency, and Viscountess Jellicoe and family. The.exsoldiers of New Zealand felt his Excellency's departure as much as any other part of the community. The members of the R.S.A. were very grateful for the interest his Excellency had always taken in the Association, arJ\ they were appreciative of the honour he had done them in allowing his name to bo. associated with Jellicoe Hall. Although the returned soldiers were now out of the Army, they were always ready to offer their services to King and country should they ever be required again, and, jn this connexion, he mentioned the response that had been made some little time; ago, when the position in the Dar- ; danelles looked so black. After referring to the trophies his Excellency had gained qh : the waters of the Waite-mata'-'Harbour and the deer heads he had secured in Otago, the chairman asked his Excellency to accept -on behalf of the Christchurch R.S.A. a gold mounted greenstone matcß box in-scribed-as follows:—"Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa from R.S.A., Christchurch, New Zealand." The toast was drunk with musical honours. -

His Excellency's Beply. In responding, his Excellency said he was deeply appreciative of the honour that had been done him in extending to bini■■ the invitation to be present. The occasion was, however, tinged with a certain amount of sorrow, as it was one of farewell. One of his greatest regrets at leaving New Zealand would be to say good-bye to the returned soldiers. On his first visit to New Zealand, and also, subsequently, he had formed a high opinion of the returned soldiers of the Dominion and the Association to which they belonged. He hoped that us the years went by the ll.isA. of New Zealand would stick together as they had up to the present, for they were a power in the land and a power for good. The members of the Christchurch Association had 6tuck together best of all, and h 6 hoped they would continue to be an example to the rest of the Dominion. If he needed anything to remind him of the Christchurch it.S.A., the presentation they had just made him would always do so. His .Excellency thanked the speakers for the kind remarks they had made concerning- him. He would soon be in a similar position to Lieut.-Com. Boyle, in that he would bo a retired naval officer, h:'s time of retirement, forced on him by the age limit, being on December Sth next. With reference to the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy, his Excellency spoke appreciatively,, stating that he could only expect New Zealanders to turn out" good naval men from what he had seen of the Dominion's returned soldiers. He stated that the sixteen recruits who had gone Home to study for the specialised branches of the service had topped the list in each eection they had been attached to, and had exceeded all expectations made in respect of them. His Excellency said that he knew Captain Isitt as the son of an eloquent father. He had a great admiration for the Royal Air Force, about which he knew something, as he was once in charge of it. Referring to the chairman's remarks, his Excellency said that the number of war memorials he had unveiled in New Zealand ran into three figures, but he considered that this duty was one of the- highest of his office. If he were in New Zealand on Armistice Day, nothing would give him greater pleasure than to open the Bridge of Remembrance. When he got Home, it would be bis duty to make his report to His Majesty the King, and one thing he would not forget to mention was that if ever their services were needed again the response of the members of the R.S.A. would be instantaneous. It had afforded him the greatest pleasure to see the great response when the danger signal was hung out a. little over two years ago in respect "of the (Continued at foot of next column^