FROM THE KING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 10 September 1914, Page 2

FROM THE KING

TO LOYAL DOMINIONS GRATITUDE FOR HELP IN NEED HIS MAJESTY'S MANIFESTO TO THE EMPIRE. Parliament was adjourned for a brief space of time last night on the announcement made in both Houses by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Council respectively that an important message had just been received from Hi« Majesty the King by His Excellency the Governor, who would read it from the steps of Parliament House. Members and interested spectators, somewhat anxious as to the purport of the message, gathered round the porch- of the Buildings, and there was considerable relief when His Excellency appeared and made clear the nature of the message. His Excellency Lord Liverpool said : "Mr. Speaker, hon. gentlemen of both Houses, ladies and gentlemen, "I am commanded by Hi* Majesty the King to read you the following message. This message was handed to me at 8 o'clock, and I have taken the ' earliest opportunity to do so" :—: — THE MESSAGE. "To the Governments and peoples of my self-governing Dominions, — "During the past few weeks the peoples of my whole Etnpire at Home and overseas have m#?ed with ono mind and purpose to confront and overthrow an unparallelled assault upon the continuity of civilisation and the peace of mankind. "The calamitous conflict is not of my seeking. My voice has been, cast throughout on the side of peace. My Ministers earnestly strove to allay the causes of strife, and to appea6e differences, with which my Empire was not concerned. Had I stood aside when, in defiance of pledges to. which my Kingdom was a party, the soil of Belgium was violated, her cities laid desolate ; when the very life of the French nation wae threatened with extinction, I should have sacrificed my honour and given .to destruction the liberties of my Empire and of mankind. "I rejoice that every pai't of the Empire is with me in this decision. Paramount regard for treaty faith 'and the pledged word of rulers and peoples is the common heritage' of Great Britain and of the Empire. My peoples in the self-governing Dominions have shown beyond all doubt that they whole-heartedly endorse the brave decision which it wae necessary to take. My personal knowledge of the loyalty and devotion of my overseas Dominions had led me to expect that they would cheerfully make great efforts and bear the great sacrifices which the present conflict entails. The full ' measure in which they have placed their services at my disposal fills me with gratitude, and I. am proud to be able to show to the world that my peoples of the overseas Dominions are as determined as the people of the United Kingdom to prosecute a just^ cause to a successful end. The Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Dominion of New Zealand have placed at my disposal their naval torces, which have already rendered good service for the Empire. Strong Expeditionary Forces are being prepared in Canada, in Australia, and in New Zealand for service at the front, and the Union of South Africa has released all British troops, and has undertaken important responsibilities of its own, the discharge of which ■ are of the utmost value to the Empire. Newfoundland has doubled' the members of its branch of the Royal Naval Reserve, and is sending a body of men to take part in the operations at the front. From the Dominion and Provincial Governments of Canada large and welcome gifts of supplies are on the way for the use both of my naval and military forces, and for the relief of the distress in the United Kingdom, which must inevitably follow in the wake of war. "All parts of my overseas Dominions .have thus demonstrated in the most unmistakable manner the fundamental unity of the Empire amongst all tin's diversity of situation and strife. " (Signed) GEORGE . • „. REX ET DfPERATOR." A COMMON SENTIMENT. Tho Prime Minister^ the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, then said:— "Ladies and gentlemen, I am quit* sure you will agreo with me in tho opinion 1 am going to express, and it is that thb message which has just been read by His Excellency the Governor from His Most Gracious Majesty the King is * message worthy of the occasion, however great th<» occasion may be. 1 am quite sure yott will also agree with me in this: thai, the sentiment that 'obtains to-day in the Dominion of New Zealand is common to every part of the Empire, and it is this: that though we hope and believe the worst of the crisis is over, we are prepared to see this thing through, whatever it may cost, and the life of every male citizen and tho property of every citizen of the Dominion ol New Zealand is at the disposal of the Empire. Now, -ladies and gentlemen. I am going to ask you to give three hearty cheers for the King, and then fchiee hearty cheers for His Excellency tho Governor, and I hope he will convey th* message I have just expressed to His Majesty the King."' The cheers having been heartily given, the National Anthem was sung", and the gathering dispersed.