TRAFALGAR DAY. SALUTING SCHOOL FLAGS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 98, 22 October 1904, Page 5

TRAFALGAR DAY. SALUTING SCHOOL FLAGS.

in honour of Trafalgar Day yesterday, &c flags at the various schools throughwit the Wellington district were saluted by the cchool cadets, in the presence of (he scholars. Lord Plunket attended the aeremonies at the Terrace and Clydesuay Schools, and delivered appropriate , iddreeaes. Speaking at the Terrace School, His Excellency said he wished to" join with the scholars in celebrating one of the greatest events in, the history of fche British nation; thwt was to say, the history of ti» British Empire, .their Empire and his. The Battle of Trafalgar was not being celebrated here because it was a victory over France a»d Spain — two gallant nations with whom we were on the best possible terms — but it was because of the splendid heroism of our forefathers when, a great danger was averted at^he time for all of us. If they had not been successful, if their pluck had not defeated the great combination, in all probability there would have been a landing on toe British coasts— an invasion wmch the British navy would never have been able to stop. England would have been reduced to a second-class Power, and New Zealand would not have been one of the best and most prosperous dependencies of the .great Empire, but a colony of oorne oi^er Power. Our nserj meant everythiag under God for our protection and Jrcosperity, and it was right when Traalgar Day came round that the school flag should be raised and saluted. Hie Excellency congratulated the cadets on their appearance, and referred to the eulogies which had come to him from the Old Country on the cadet movement in New Zealand. The school flag was then l&ised, the National Anthem sung, and iheers given for His Excellency and Lady W.aket.