Schoolchildren Parade For Nelson Centennial

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28702, 27 September 1958, Page 11

Schoolchildren Parade For Nelson Centennial

(New Zealand Press Association)

NELSON, September 26 The Governor-General (Lord Cobham), in Nelson to take part in the city’s centennial celebrations. this afternoon- took the salute at a march past of 3600 city schoolchildren in Trafalgar street.

. Later, when he addressed the children at Trafalgar Park, he asked that they be given a school holiday—an announcement received with a mighty cheer—- ‘ ‘arid if you don * t get it, Wti te tor Government . House,” he added Tonight Lord. Cobham attended the historical pageant organised by the Nelson diocese and later he received 17 debutantes at the centennial ball.

This afternoon. Six R.N.Z.A.F. Vampire jets from Ohakea gave a display over the city, making four runs in different tight formations. The officers and crew of H.M.N.Z;S. Kaniere took part in the sunset: ceremony at Church Steps this evening.

“There are, I regret, far too many English people who still picture New Zealand as a land of milk and honey wherein nature gives her bounty with such lavishness that her people can afford to take it easy, living on the backs of those little woolly animals that feed themselves all the year round and only have to be mustered every six months to yield a fat wool cheque,” said Lord Cobham speaking in reply to addresses of welcome at the civic reception today. “I would dearly like some of these folks to have to endure for one week, what many of the New Zealand pioneers endured for their whole life-time, and for that matter, what many farmers in this country are doing today “How many of them would relish walking from Nelson to Collingwood like Bishop Hobhouse, or manoeuvre a utility truck seven miles up a slippery mountain track in mid-winter with six inches to spare on the weatherside? Not many, I think.

“If New Zealand is today a lovely and pleasant land to inhabit, this was earhed for them and paid in full by those splendid men and women who, with the minimum of. support from the Home Government, carved out a new home for themselves, bearing with them all that was best in their old one. their faith, their institutions, and, perhaps best of all, their ability to settle down with other people. ' '

“For those early settlers found here a race which had been in New Zealand possibly from the

time of Alfred the Great, certainly from the Conqueror, a race whose seamanship was the equal of our own, whose fighting prowess was immensely formidable and which proved to be the toughest possible nut to crack. “The example of New Zealand wherein two races—European and Maori—after 30 years of fighting settled down in peaceful co-existence and welded themselves into one people under the British Crown is not the least of the massive contributions she has made to the Commonwealth. “This Commonwealth is, 1 believe, a much more well-founded and rational conception than the old Empire which it replaces. England, with her long liberal tradition, has played the major part in teaching young nations to govern themselves. No longer able to impose her will by the use of force she can still lead the world by her example. “It was the recognition of that fact, and not solely the close ties of blood and kinship, that brought New Zealand and her sister Dominion, Australia, across the wide world to fight heroically for our common . heritage in two world wars.

“Today, we are joined ,oy people who value freedom in all parts of the world, people who believe that material gain and industrial efficiency are as nothing, when compared to the right of the individual to worship as he wishes, to work in his chosen profession and to say publicly what he thinks. It is a goodly company* and behind it is the surge and power of our belief in God and the ultimate triumph of Good.”