SUPPORT NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 108, 7 May 1926, Page 9

SUPPORT NEEDED

FOR LEAGUE GF NATIONS

THE HOPE OF CIVILISATION

DECEPTION TO SIB HENBY LUNN.

The great need of the League of Nations is the hearty support of the British Commonwealth of Nations. This was the keynote of remarks made by Sir Henry Lunn, who is visiting New Zealand with the object of arousing interest in the League of Nations, at a civic reception accorded him in the Council Chamber to-day. The Mayor (Mr. C. B. Norwood) characterised Sir Henry Lunn as one of the world's great international men. .That was not the time or place for them to consider the great purposes of the League of Nations. Until the students of the nations could bp taught to think internationally the League could not function to the fullest possible extent. He trusted that their very gifted guest in his world travels would be able to enlighten people in such a way as to bring about charitable thoughfbetween the nations, without which there could be no trust between the peoples of the world.: Sir Henry was sacrificing personal wealth and personal 'energy in order to work for the common good. He trusted that his stay in Wellington would bo both .", profitable and pleasant one. TO SAVE CIVILISATION. The Minister' of Defence (the Hon. T. J. Bojlcston) joined with the Mayor in welcoming Sir Henry. It gave him great pleasure to be present on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Government, and himself. "I do not think, ' said the Minister, "that it is any. exaggeration to say that the work to which oiir distinguished visitor has laid his hand is the most important work in the world to-day." In some minds there appeared to be a doubt as to the success or practicability of the League of Nations. Why there should be he had never been able to understand, for it wa3 apparent that unless the League ■was made a successful institution there ,was nothing else for it but the end of civilisation. Such doubts might be due ,to an inadequate understanding of ,what the League of Nations was doing, and what it intended to do. He personally had been amazed at what the Xieague had done. The first thing that iwould make for - the success of the League would be that someone should come and teach and preach the objects of the League to the people. In the past it had been difficult to arouse any great deal of enthusiasm for the League, tout that was due to lack of understanding. He was sure that as a" result of Sir Henry's visit the aims and objects «f the- League would be better understood and better appreciated. He was sorry that Sir Henry was not going further than Wellington, and expressed the .view that until the visitor had seen'the South Island he could not possibly say that he had seen New Zealand. (Laughter.) ■ ■■ Councillor M. F. Luckie said that there had been no more important world development since, the beginning of the Christian era than the League of Nations. Without such a force working in our midst wo must despair of our civilisation. GREATLY IMPRESSED. In replying, Sir Henry Lunn said he felt it a very great honour to be received i•. such laudatory terms. He felt that he owed his reception not to Jiis own personality, but rather to the mission in which he came. After making a reference to the strike at Home '(reported elsewhere) he paid a warm tribute to the Auckland and Wellington Harbours, which, ho said, would compare favourably with the greatest and grandest that the world possessed. The Mayor should be very proud of the city over which he presided as Chief . Magistrate. . Sir Henry added that he had been very much impressed by the wonderful prosperity of New Zealand. It was very pleasing to visit a country in which such a largo percentage of the population was of pure British stock. "We are having a very trying time in England," said Sir Henry. "Trying because of labour troubles, and trying because we have a million men out of work. I would like to seo. immigration extended to this country. My friend, Mr. Amery, said, before I left England, that I was to urge upon the churches the necessity of extending a hand of welcome to the people coming from the Old Country. You don't understand poverty here aa some of the clergymen working in the great cities of England understand it to-day. . . . .We are one nation in England, and you ■need not be afraid of the type of immigrants we will send you." NEED FOR SYMPATHY. With regard to the special work ■which had brought him to New Zealand, said Sir Henry, he wonld have a further opportunity of speaking fully on that subject. He entirely endorsed ■what the Minister of Defence had said. ,The one hope of civilisation was that the League of Nations should be supported by the British Commonwealth of Nations. The result of the Great ,War had been disastrous, and he pray--ed that they would be preserved from further wars. It was essential that the League of Nations should have the hearty support and sympathy of their brethren at the other end of the world. Proceedings terminated with the finging of the National Anthem.