EMPIRE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 5

EMPIRE DAY.

Y. . ()—-—_ MR. ASQUITH AND THE FLAG BILL. BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPTEIGHT London, May 21. It is expected that Bix and'a half million children will parade on Empire Day—nearly three million in the Motherland. •' With- regard to the rejection of Captain Craig's Bill (providing for the display of tho Union Jack on certain occasions, especially Empire Day), when, tho division was called, Mr. Asquith left the House. Tho rest of tho Government and many Ministerialists abstained from voting. : ADDRESS BY LORD PLTJNKET. [BX TELEGRAM.—I'ItESS association.] ■ Auckland, May 22. Empire Day was celebrated at several of the city schools to-day, the principal feature of the celebrations being addresses by Lord -Plunket. ' Addressing the children. His Excellency spoko of the greatness ■of the British Empire; and of tho responsibility that would fall on.them• as they grew to be men and women in maintaining the, Empire at its present high standard. It was his wish that Empire Day might be celebrated from one end of the Dominion to the other, but here tho facilities 1 were lacking ' for a general observance. There was-unhappily a division of opinion as to whether Empire Day or the Prince of Wales's Birthday should be celebrated by tho general public, and it- was unfortunato that the events should bo in stich close proximity. He concluded by advising the children always to try to conduct themselves. in/a manner which would not bring discredit upon themselves, their parents, or tho country to which they belonged, for it was not only the men who shouldered their muskets and went into battle that woro'patriotic, but also the little boys and girls who behaved themselves well. A Press Association telegram from Hastings states:—Childron of the local school havo purchased a Union Jack to exchange with scholars in Hastings, England. The flag will be saluted hero at an impressive ceremony to be held on Empire Day, and will then be dispatched to the historic town in the Motherland. With the flag will also be sent greetings from the local Mayor, togother with views illustrative of the beauties of Now Zealand, and of Hawkes Bay in particular, for the purpose of the educational adornment of tho school walls. Tho oxchange of flags has been organised by Mr. E. Smithurst (Sydney), to promote. Imperial sentiment. His Majesty's veterans in Wellington do not intend to allow Empire Day to pass unrecognised. On Monday evening, tho Wellington branch of the New Zealand Association of His Majesty's Veterans aro to indulgo in a dinner Mid a danco to (according to tho card) "celebrate the deeds thit made tho Empire during the reign of Quetn Victoria."