VALE!

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 13

VALE!

LORD BLEDISLOE

WAITANGI MEDAL PRESENTED

HIS WORK PRAISED

Last evening was the 95th anniversary of the actual signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and,the New Zealand Numismatic Society took the opportunity of presenting its patron", his Excellency the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe), with a silver, medal struck to commemorate the signing of the treaty and the gift of the Waitangi Estate to New Zealand by his Excellency and Lady Bledisloe. The medal, which was struck by Messrs. Mayer and Kean, of Wellington, is ths first of its-kind-to bemade in New Zealand. Their Excellencies wore met by a large number of members of the'society, and feeling reference was made by several speakers to the valuable •services they have given to the Dominion: Her Excellency Was accompanied by Lady Godley. In his opening remarks the president, Professor J. Rankine Brown, said that while most of those present were residents of Wellington the society had members throughout New Zealand, and of these a vice-president, Mr. J. C. Entrican, of Auckland, and Mr. J. B. Ward, of Hokitika, were present. . The .secretary (Mr. Allan Sutherland) read a number of apologies from members who were unable to be present, and then the president read a short paper on coins'and medals. After the generous and patriotic presentation to the people of New Zealand by their Excellencies of the site of Waitangi, said the-president after reading the paper, the society took-up the idea of interesting the Government in the striking of. a medal to commemorate the event. Nothing, however, was done, so the society set about striking the medal. itself. His Excellency was good enough to consent to his portrait being placed on the' obverse of the medal, and also agreed to accept a copy as a.specimen of New Zealand medallic art." . Professor Brown described the medal and referred to'the assistance that had been given sby Mr. J. Berry, the designer, Mr. H. G. Mayer, and his diesinker, Mr. G. E. Whitehouse. During his five years in office, said the president, Lord Bledisloe had shown, that "he need have no fear of any comparison with those who had gone/before him.. He had put his outstanding knowledge and great ability at the service of the people of New Zealand and had always taken a personal interest in their concerns. The society- appreciated - the honour of having had him as its patron. - t»r. J. S. Elliott endorsed the professor's remarks,.and said that .his Excellency had conferred an honour upon the society by permitting bis portrait to.be placed on its medal. The medal was commemorative of Lord Bledisloe's services as patron of the society, and also of what he had, done while in New Zealand. It was also a permanent commemoration of the gift of Waitangi to the Dominion and a reminder, of what happened, when the Treaty was signed 95 years' ago. THE TREATY OF WAITANGI. Mr. Johannes Andersen dealt with the Treaty of Waitangi and' its 'effect on the history of .New Zealand,' and said that the action of their Excellencies in preserving the most historic spot in the Dominion was appreciated the more because it was done, not in their, official capacity, but by them as private individuals. Moreover, the action of the highest in the land had shown that the Treaty was still respected—in effect, their Excellencies had had the Treaty signed again. Professor Rankine Brown then presented his Excellency with the medal. LORD BLEDISLOE'S REPLY. "I thank you for your beautiful and epoch-making gift which shall have an honoured place in the cabinet of my family treasures in my' ancestral home in England, and be treated as an heirloom in my family," said his Excellency in reply. "It is a masterpiece of numismatic design and craftsmanship. v "Coins and,medals are said to be the most imperishable of all antiquities. Their striking or minting have always in the world's history marked stages in national progress and artistic achievement. The striking of this society's first medal may therefore be regarded as. a notable landmark in the history of this Dominion. Both obverse and reverse reflect the highest credit upon' Mr. Mayer and 'his die-sinker, as well as Mr. J. Berry and his emblematic designing. Particularly opportune and-appropriate is the incorporation in it of Maori carving and Native flora and the word 'Waitangi.' "One burning need of New Zealand, the recognition of which I sincerely hope the nationalisation of Waitangi may stimulate, is a sense of nationhood -^•an expansive, development, of that larger, patriotism, which puts country before city, township, or province, and tends to foster national pride, perpetuate national history, and promote national ideals—a sentiment which burnt brightly during the Great War but has been apt to flicker both before and .since. < "You-were good enough, in making this presentation -to me, to appraise generously my Viceregal- activities since I have sojourned amongst you. I have but endeavoured, with the valuable assistance of my wife, tq fulfil the task allotted; to me to the best of my ability arid have fallen far short of my-ambitions in that respect. In associating my name on your medal with that of Hobson I would like you .to realise that; 'while feeling highly gratified by the : association, I lay no claim to rank with New Zealand's first Governor and still less with that great far-sighted proconsul and racial pacificator, Sir George Grey. In instituting/comparison it must ever be remembered that: the earlier Governors of. the > colony,- and- notably Captain Hobson,' found -themselves in a hostile atmosphere, ill-supported with material equipment or -authority from the Motherland, and, in the case of Hobson, handicapped by jealousies of his staff and conflict between the diverse pioneering agencies of British civilisation and colonisation. Hobson and Grey achieved their success subjectively, by. their own strehgtti of character, their integrity, and their pertinacity of purpose. The modern ■ Governor-General achieves.his (if any) objectively; he has the soft cushion; of .popular sympathy, loyalty, and unanimity to rest against. Their task was executive and constructive as well as administrative —the task of responsible government; that of their modern successors is mainly social and ceremonial and almost wholly irresponsible. It is moreover rendered smooth and easy by the all-pervading loyalty. and- affection bestowed upon the Sovereign whom they represent arid who reflects so accurately the- highest, ideals of • our, modern democracy."