NO INSULT INTENDED

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 150, 19 March 1924, Page 6

NO INSULT INTENDED

NATIONAL ANTHEM INCIDENT AT RUNANGA EXPLANATION ON BEHALF OF SISTER IN CHARGE A reply to tine newspaper report of the incident at the Runanga Convent School, in which it was alleged the authorities refused the children permission to sing the National Anthem during the visit of the Governor-Gen-eral, in consequence of which Bis Excellency declined to go near the school, has been made by Mr. George Miller on behalf of the sisters (says 'he Greymouth correspondent of the Lyttelton ‘Limes”). “The report of the alleged insult to Lord Jellicoe by the omission of the National Anthem from the programme at the Runanga Convent School is not strictly correct,” he says, “and would convey the impression that the National Anthem was omitted from the programme of welcome lor the express purpose of insulting the Governor-Gen-eral or because the authorities of this school would not permit the inclusion of the National Anthem. “The reason as stated to me by the sister in cliargp, was that they had a very large percentage of young children at the school, and ’the programme. ‘A Song of Welcome’ and ‘God Defend New Zealand’ had been assiduously rehearsed for a week in anticipation of tho visit of His Excellency. Had they known that the National Anthem must be included it would have been as well prepared as the other musical items, and they feared that putting cn the anthem at five minutes’ notice might result in an imperfect rendering by the little tots, which would be a greater insult than the omission. The sisters were not aware that the Governor-Gen-eral was offended at his previous official visit, and regret that they and the children were deprived of the pleasure of seeing him on this occasion through any misunderstanding. The Runanga Convent is governed by the same authority as the, Grey Coinvent.”