ROOSEVELT AND NEW ZEALAND

Evening Star, Issue 15892, 26 August 1915, Page 10

ROOSEVELT AND NEW ZEALAND

[For the Duxedix ‘ Star,’ by H. W. Johns.] ' SAN FRANCISCO, August _3. An extraordinary pitch of enthusiasm was aroused at the Panama Exposition at San Francisco by a four days’ trip paid there by Colonel Roosevelt, the ex-Presi-dent of the United States, and his great speech delivered to an audience of 100,000 people assembled under the shadow of the majestic Tower of Jewels, rising to a height of 695 ft, set the blood of the gigantic crowd tingling with ardent fervor for • the cause of humanity in the great European conflict. Beneath the speech of the great American statesman there was an undercurrent of feeling favoring the humanitarian cause of the Allies. Martial spirit, defence of the right, and condemnation of “mollycoddles” were outstanding features of his address. Colonel Roosevelt paid a distinguished honor to New Zealand, for he made a special visit to the New Zealand Pavilion at the' Exposition. At the outset ho had expressed an intention to call on Commissioner Edmund Clifton, the Dominion’s genial representative, and learn more of New Zealand, which was a country which so strongly appealed to him. The worldrenowned visiter was welcomed by Oomriiissioner Clifton, who declared it was the greatest honor to bo visited by Mr Roosevelt, whose name and courageous policies wore known throughout the whole of the British Empire, and among all Englishspeaking races. The world needed more men of the stamp of the ex-President, to whom he wished every power and success, and trusted that the Riooseveltian speech at the Exposition would receive the attention and the action it so richly deserved at the hands of the people of the United States. - In replying, Mr Roosevelt stated that he was positive that the feeling of all true Americans was at one with the people of Great Britain and her colonies. He proceeded to inspect the New Zealand Pavilion, and displayed a keen • interest in the wools and other products of the Dominion, keeping up a. running battery of questions to which Commissioner Clitton furnished apt responses. “Teddy” marvelled at the scenery depicted bv pictures of New Zealand, and many exclamatiorfe of admiration foil from his lips. New Zealand, he said, was a country he had never been to, but he earnestly trusted that some day he would visit the Dominion and enjoy a better acquaintance with its people and scenic beauties. The majestic stags’ heads, with the wide-spreading antlers that grace the frieze of the pavilion attracted the attention of the ex-President as a sportsman, and the Commissioner .was able to inform him that New Zealand was extremely indebted to him for the splendid present of wapiti and other varieties of the deer family that were donated to the Dominion of New Zealand by Colonel Roosevelt during his Presidency of the United States of America. He inquired if they were increasing, and the Commissioner was enabled to tell him •that as the ■ country in which, they had been liberated was believed to be really suitable, and that- some of the rangers had reported the presence of progeny of these liberated animals, there was! every jiroa-

peot that they would increase very materially. 'hire trout were also mentioned. There again New Zealand was indebted to the brooks of California, for the original ova. of the rainbow trout came from that State, a remark which highly dated the cx-President, who, observing the models shown in the building, said the weight of the fish constituted an actual marvel. The. Commissioner described to the colonel the. New Zealand rivers and conditions under which the trout and other fish were liberated there, and attributed the exceptional size to the plentiful supply of fish food that the rivers provided. Of all matters discussed the fact that New Zealand has instituted a system of national training was highly praised, for it appealed directly to the colonel. Hcextolled the attitude of the Dominion of New Zealand in applying this principle, and said it developed the manhood and provided the strength of a country to maintain its own self-respect primarily, and its dignity with other nations. The visitor was still more enthusiastic in his commendation when it was indicated to him that from a population of bat one million, the Dominion of New Zealand load already equipped and transported some 50,000 men in England’s cause. - and that by Christmas that number would probably be increased to 50,000. It was shown that this system of training, although having been m existence but a few years, had provided the machinery by which New Zealand was able to be among the firet of the Overseas Dominions of Great Britain to equip and despatch its sons, and take a part with the Mother Country in a cause of humanity. Colonel Roosevelt finally departed, effusively thanking Mr Clifton, whom he assured that should it become possible that most interesting country of Now Zealand would be included in his next itinera try. Its people, its developments, and its social progress, he said, were those of a nation that would be among the foremost people of those of the British Empire who peopled the shores of the Pacific Ocean. In the evening the Commissioners of the State of California'extended a dinner and reception to Colonel Roosevelt in the magnificent California Building. The function was attended by President C. 0. Moore, Chief of the Exposition Executive, the directors of the Panama Exposition, the naval, military, and civil officers of the State, avid many of the leaders of the San Francisco “/smart set ” to do honor to their guest. > Among those who bad the privilege of attending were Commissioner and Mrs Clifton, Mrs Cohen and Mr Mark Cohen, the chairman of the New Zealand Delegation to the World’s Press • Con mess at San Francisco. ; D