"GOOD-BYE AND KIA-ORA"

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1924, Page 5

"GOOD-BYE AND KIA-ORA"

GOVERNOR-GENERAL AT CHRIST'S

COLLEGE.

CHRISTCHURCH, 20th Oct.' "Good-bye and kia ora" were Lord Jellicoe's_ parting words to the boys'of Christ'S ; "College -to-day. "Viscountess .Tellicoe's farewell was expressed in the words "Good-.bye and good luck." Addressing the boys, Lord Jellicoe said that the atmosphere of Christ's College was. redolent,'of the spirit of the public ■ schools of England. The college j also stood • for one. of their' traditions, I loyalty. A splendid example of this was seen in the new Memorial Hall,' which spoke of old boy's' loyalty to King and Empire at the time of the Empire's greatest peril.- It spoke also of the Old Boys' loyalty to" the college. What they had done for the college was a wonderful achievement; he knew of no other bodyf that had done so much ,in that" direction. Boys of- the 'present iand future: generations, he hoped, would show the same splendid loyalty. The public schools of 'New Zealand were animated by,the same spirit as animated the.English public schools, and the college certainly was not behind them. That spirit, as Archbishop Julius had said, ,-was loyalty to God and to King and to high ideals. It stood also for honour. People expected public school boys to be honourable in - all their dealings, chivalrous, especially to women, and courteous to all. In a democratic • country there, was danger of civility being mistaken for servility, but boys could be absolutely courteous and civil with" out being in the least servile. Public school boys were expected to obey competent, authority. In the Great-War New Zealand soldiers were remarkable for their discipline, not only in the front: line,, but"' also behind, where it; was harder to keep discipline. People expected to find good citizens come from the public schools, and that each public school boy would do what he could for tho^vhole community. There, was a deal of citizenship in this Dominion. He hoped to see Christ's College boys occupying the highest position 'in the State, and taking part in the councils of the Dominion. Ho wished them all the good luck that the future could bring them,. They should stick to the college's high ideals.