AT THE BASIN RESERVE. THE SPEECHES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 76, 26 September 1908, Page 5

AT THE BASIN RESERVE. THE SPEECHES.

Jupp's Brass Band marched through' the city, drawing after it some hundreds of holiday-makers, while the Newtown Brass Band drew others from the southern parts. The cadets mustered strongly around Mount Cook Barracks, whence they advanced in column of fours on the Basin Reserve. The front of the column was moving into the Reserve before the rearmost files stepped off. As the school children filed on to the Reserve" they took their places in readiness to form the living representation of a Union Jack, and even before they began to wave the coloured miniatures with which they were provided they presented a pleasing picture. The threatening rain passed off, leaving an expanse of bright young faces, and when the Governor and suite arrived the weather conditions had become almost perfect. There was a re- " presenfcative muster of citizens around the dais, including the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Wellington, members of the Council of Defence, representatives of the clergy, Government departments, and every section of the community; It was noteworthy that the preliminary arrangements were made with excellent attention to detail, and that as a.Jresult the proceedings went off successfully. There were over four thousand ■ children on the Reserve ' proper, and three thousand of them participated in the representation of tho Union Jack, The cadets numbered over thirteen hundred, and they were commanded by Captain M'Donald, of the District Office, assisted by the varipus captains of corps, and the general supervision of the affairs was undertaken by Captain Mabin. ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR. His Excellency Jhe Governor (Lord Plunket), attended by his aide-de-camp (Captain Lyon), arrived on the ground punctually at 11 o'clock, the bands play« ing the National Anthem and the cadets saluting. His Excellency then inspected the cadets, being attended by the Prims Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and Captain M'Donald, Assistant AdjutantGeneral. The Governor and Prime Minister also inspected the battalions of school children engaged in the formation of the flag, and appeared to ba much pleased -\rith this portion of tho : spectaclo, which was certainly most effective. Mr. \V. Foster, headmaster of Mount Cook school,ar,rnhged and drilled "Hia Rag brigade," and was waim'y congratulated on the splendid reFiik. THE . RISING GENERATION. His Excellency, in the course of hia address, said he felt sure that it would be generally agreed that in inviting the children of New Zealand to take a prominent part in the first aiiniversnry of Dominion Day, the authorities responsible were to be congratulated. lor i 6 was most important that the rising generation should be early taught that ih© designation of "Dominion" was not given by the Mother Nation as a toy to be

played with, but -as an acknowledgment that these islands were now entitled to a place in the rising sister nations of the Empire, and in the belief that their people were prepared to accept tho responsibilities which the higher status implied. MILESTONES OF PROGRESS. "Children," said his Excellency, "in the story of every nation there are certain milestones showing the progress adZ vanced. In New Zealand you have been ■told of the voyages and discoveries of .. Captain Cook, the landing of the first ' courageous missionary, the famous ' Treaty of Waitangi, the foundation of the principal cities, and the conferring ' of self-government. Now, probably few, ;,,if any, of these were at the moment ap- " predated at their true value, and so, \ if to you young people this first anni- "" versary of Dominion Day conveys little, • you should try to realise that it may ' ' mean much in the future. What is be- •^ fore us .we. cannot tell, but in SO or 60 '"- years hence I hope many of you will be ',' able to produce the medals which are to • be given td you to-day, and to tell youv - - children — with pride— -that you took part -^ in planting one of the milestones of your progress." "THE BIT OF BUNTING." ~■< The Governor then called for a general ~ salute of the flag", which was given with '-^the utmost enthusiasm by the vast assem•>"*bJago of juveniles ia tho reserve-, the '^band playing.' "The Red, White, and -Blue." the salute ended, his Excellncy --observed: "Boys and -girls. That bit Zoi. bunting is yours and mine! We can the" right to fly it where we will. ""And what does it mean? As, the Cross ~.i>f St. George, . combined afterwards Cross of St. -Andrew and St. ♦"Patrick, it flew above the -gallant little Revenge -^ above "the .Victory at Trafalgar; 'the Plains of Abraham; the Resi-"-dency of Lucknow ; and in onrovm time ~tabove Ladysmith and Mafeking. In. :i"pcace time 'it "meant the only certain asy~fum for the slave. It" made the seas for all- honest ships; it has ever Z^been the hope of the unjustly oppressed. ~You t are, then, right in paying it hontb.6 occasion when- you celebrate % "'Zealand's b'wn special day. I am ■"•very proud to- remember that this coun--try was pibclairned a' Dominion during Troy term of office, and I feel it a great -"privilege to- have this opportunity of ad- - dressing so large as assembly of those T-'who so soon {will have to work out its -destinies." Zi DISTRIBUTION OF MEDALS. ""* The medals were handed to the headmasters and mistresses of the primary rand, Catholic schools by the Governor. "Sir Joseph- Ward also handed Lord ;\P.lunket replicas of the medal in gold, "silver, and aluminium. ' - The, medal is of the size of a,halfpenny, and is in aluminium. On the obverso side there is a portrait of the King, similar to that on the coinage, and this is flanked by two British ensigns draped. The inscription is "Edward VII. of the British Dominion King." On tho /reverse Sn oak wreath occupies the centre, and bears the legend : "Presented to the children attending tha schools "\ of th 9 Dominion." The inscription round the margin reads : "New Zealand - -Droclaimed a Dominion, 26th September, 1907.' THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH. Sir Joseph Ward, in addressing the assemblage, said he did not know whether it was indicative of him tlut morning that the band should have immediately played before he rose to ~ speak "We won't go home till morning." (Laughter.) But he desired to . say that if the length of 1 * the programme was very much beyond that fixed by - those responsible for to-aay's ceremony he was certain -it would be received ■ with very great satisfaction by the large assemblage of people who were present. To him it was a matter of extreme satisfaction to fir/fl that at comparatively short notice — not upon a holiday proclaimed by statute law — the organisation was so good there that some 4000 school children and 1300 school cadets had assembled to help to do honour to their country, to commemorate the creation of a Dominion, ' and to marie the first anniversary cf that day. He should v like before proceeding further to thank the Mayors of the cities and towns throughout New Zealand, to thank the school teachers and the officers and others who were associated with them, for the trouble they had taken, and for the excellent results of that trouble. He wished to say that if there was one thing more than another that they should utilise on an occasion such as that, it was for the purpose of impressing particularly upon the younger generation the great value of pride in their country, and the enormous advantage ie was to have instilled into tho young mind of this growing Dominion the necessity of sincere and devoted patriotism to this ~ portion of the great Empire. His Excellency had referred to, in a manner that struck home to them, the fact that it was the greatest joy and satisfaction for them to know that the flag now •■flying upon their right was the emblem of the strength and brotherhood and glory of the country. His Excellency's remarks impressed upon them the realisation of what every day was more and more coming before them — the importance of the outlying possessions of the British dominions. There might be some people who did not attach very much to a name. A name nowadays was a secondary! matter, but New Zealand had been elevated in the scale of nations by the designation of Dominion having been conferred upon it. He believed that as years went on whatTthV Governor; had to-day 'stated would gradually develop in this country. He did not Know what the future would be, but they were the possessors bf one of the best parts of the Britisa dominions, and their desire was to impress upon those who were to follow them that the trust in their hands would be handed over to the younger people." "If the communications he had received from the people throughout New- Zealand, from the Old Country, and* from Australia, -were any indicatioa of the goodwill felt towards this Do minion, then in that respect they were happy indeed. They were commencing to realise that the raising of this country to a- Dominion meant a great deal more than a name implied. He hoped .that befoffi very long Dominion Day would be proclaimed a statutory holiday throughout the - country, and that the. volunteers would .. be able to taks part in- a daylight parade valuable to them, valuable to the country — the fixIng of a certain day for certain work connected with the volunteer movement of New Zealand. The awkwardness of the day at present was % its being a Saturday. They knew it must have occasioned some inconvenience to many of the people. But those who had subordinated their convenience to make the day memorable he wished to thank sincerely. THIS AFTERNOON'S PARADE. This afternoon a military parade is taking place at Newtown 'Park, preliminary to which there was a military nr-arch from the Government Buildings, commencing at 2 p.m. The troops are to be reviewed on Newtown Park by his Excellency the Governor, and the Premier also will be present. DOMINION DAY. The commemorative dinner arranged by the heads of the public service will be held at tha Hotel Windsor at 10 o'clock to-night. All the Ministers and their private secretaries, the exception of the Hon. R. M'Nab and his private secretary, who are in Christchurch, and theJEEon.W. Hall- Jones, who

has sent an apology, wili be present. Dr. Fitchett, Solid tor-Geneial, will preside. There will be three toasts only, viz., "The King," "The Ministry" (to be proposed by the chairman and responded to by Sir Joseph Ward)," and "The Public Service" (to be proposed by the Prime Minister and replied to by Dr. j Mason, Chief Health Officer). ! In conversation with a Post reporter Sir Joseph Ward expressed great ap- j preciation of the efforts of the organis- j ing committee: — Captain T. W. M'Don- j aid (representing the • Government), I Messrs. Foster, J. C. Webb, and Parkinson, Miss Helyer, and Messrs. Hempleman and Mackenzie, .who' commanded the cadets. The Tramways Department will run a decorated car, illumined with coloured lights, between Newtown and Government station this evening. WHAT OTHER PLACES ARE DOING [BY TELKGBAPH — PKBSS ASSOCIATION.! OAMARU, This Day. The day is fine. It is not being observed as a general holiday. A special display of bunting is being made, especially on the post office building, which, is gaily decorated, 'and ■gives the signal : Advance, Dominion of New Zealand." The' steamer Waitemata, at present in port, is also gay with bunting. There was a parade of the High and Town School Cadet Battalions, which, saluted the Dominion flag at the Town Hall. MASTERTON, This Day. Dominion Day was, for the sake of convenience, celebrated by the scholars of the District High School yesterday, when the medals struck to commemorate Dominion Day were presented to the children. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The first anniversary Dominion Day celebration in Christchurch was wholly confined to the parade of Volunteers in Cranmer-square this afternoon, prior to the opening of the Military Bazaar in King Edward Barracks. • The troops paraded at 2.30, when the Hon. R. M'Nab "Was present, and the troops were inspected by Colonel Robin. There is no holiday in the city. Bits of bunting are flying here and there. The weather is superb. NAPIER, This Day. Some twelve hundred children assembled on the Marine Parade where they saluted the flag, and were addressed by the Slayor (Mr. J. V. Brown) on the importance of Dominion Day They were then presented with medals. In the afternoon a Volunteer 1 review was held, the local forces being inspected by Colonel Davies. Five old volunteers were presented with, long service medals. There was a liberal display of bunting, but no attempt by the general public -or tradespeople to make the day a holiday. AUCKLAND, This Day. The Dominion Day celebrations, 3part from the presentation of medals and the speeches at the schools, is being limited to a Volnnteer review in the Domain at j 3 o'clock this afternoon, which is ex- j pected to attract a large gathering, i FEILDING, This Day. Regarding Dominion Day celebrations, Feilding is calm. BLENHEIM, This Day. ' Dominion Day passed unobserved here, as the holiday medals were given to the children yesterday afternoon, co that their noliday should not be interfered with. A few business places are displaying bunting. An excursion to Ship Cove was held in beautiful weather". GREYMOUTH, This Day. Dominion Day celebrations passed off quietly. The only public, function was at the schooJ, where speeches wefe made and medals presented. Tradespeople did not observe the holiday. DUNEDIN, This Day. Dominion Day passed off very quietly. In some of the schools the children assembled, saluted the flag, and received medals. A volunteer and cadet parade took place in the afternoon.