Duke’s Message to Children

Evening Star, Issue 21916, 31 December 1934, Page 6

Duke’s Message to Children

A Happy New Year Document

[Per United Press Association.] THE CHATEAU, December 30. AATitten to-dav in the inspiring solitude of National Park, the Duke of Gloucester’s New Year Message to the children of New Zealand is an intimate document which strikes the deepest notes ol sincerity and understanding, and offers an encouraging Ipad in the ideals of true citizenship. A specially installed portable teletype system enabled the message to be transmitted from The Chateau at the rate of sixty-six words a minute to AVanganui, whence it was automatically retransmitted to Auckland for distribution to the rest of New Zealand and overseas.

The full text of the Message is as follows:

This Message of New Year Greeting is intended for the boys and girls of New Zealand, and especially for those whom I have not met in my travels through the dominion. I have already seen a good deal of New Zealand, and I assure you that you are very fortunate to live in this beautiful and fertile country.

How are you to prove yourselves worthy of your good fortune? One sure way is to work and play, not only hard, but unselfishly. You will find that you will enjoy your holidays all the more if, you can find ways of helping others to enjoy theirs.

So also, later in life, when you are working hard you will get additional pleasure and at the same time earn the respect of your companions if you are always ready to lend a hand to those less fortunately placed than yourself. This is one of the truest forms of loyalty and comradeship, and may be summed up in the motto, “ Service Before Self.” It is as important in its way as loyalty to the King and the Empire. Although you live a long way from England, do not forget that you are just as much members of the British Empire as those of your own age in the Old Country. We should all be like the members of a family or team, and work together unselfishly if we wish to serve our Empire to the best of our ability.

The King, my father, ended up his broadcast Message to his people on Christmas Day with the words “ God bless you all.” He sent me here to bring England a little nearer to you as his messenger and also as your affectionate friend. I wish you a very happy New Year and good fortune throughout your lives.