GOVERNOR FAREWELLED

Evening Star, Issue 23726, 6 November 1940, Page 3

GOVERNOR FAREWELLED

Civic Reception at Town Hall * Presentation of Illuminated Address National Reserve as Guard of Honour Their Excellencies (lie Governor-General and Lady Galway were accorded a civic farewell in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last evening, both the church and the legislature being associated with the mayor and mayoress (Mr and Mrs A. H. Allen) on the platform during the presentation of an illuminated address to their Excellencies. Prior to the function in the Concert Chamber His Excellency, accompanied by his aidc-de-camp (Captain Lord Dormer) and the mayor, inspected a guard of honour comprising the Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, National Military Reserve under command of Captain A. J. Lennox, which was drawn up outside the municipal chambers. The ceremony, an impressive one, a striking feature of which was the exact precision of the Headquarters Company, was witnessed by a large gathering of citizens. The band of the 3rd Field Regiment, N.Z. Artillery, provided the music.

Following the inspection, their Excellencies entered a well-filled Concert Chamber, where, following the singing of the National Anthem, the Mayor addressed the distinguished guests of the city. They had met, he said, for the purpose of bidding farewell to their Excellencies, who for nearly six years had been the connecting link between the Throne and the people of the Dominion.

“Unfortunately, your Excellencies have had only a limited opportunity of seeing this country and its people at their best, for when you arrived early in 1935, the Dominion was emerging from the severest economic depression it lias experienced,” stated the Mayor. This was followed by the present world conflict, which had brought sorrow into the hearts and homes of the people and a severe dislocation of the economic and social life.

“ As representatives of our beloved King, your Excellencies have shown a constant interest iu the welfare of our people and the development of this Dominion." Mr Allen said. “ You joined us with enthusiasm and pride in our centennial celebrations, and therebyassisted us to suitably and adequately commemorate that historic event, and to launch our nation on the second 100 years of its national life. A QUICKENING APPEAL. “ Upon the outbreak of war. your appeals to support the Mother Country in this critical hour of her history, helped to quicken the patriotism of our people, which has resulted in the training and sending of large numbers of our young men to the battlefield, and also in preparation to defend our own shores from enemy attack, should the need arise.

“ Again, as chairman of the National Patriotic Fund (Board, you have encouraged our people to give large sums of money for patriotic purposes, which are now being used for the help and comfort of our boys overseas, together with larger sums now being raised for the rehabilitation of our men and assistanci to their dependents as may bo required in the future. *' We deeply sympathise with our beloved King and Queen, with the members of tho (Royal Family, and with our kinsmen in the United Kingdom in the great mental and physical strain they are suffering in consequence of the war,” the Mayor continued. “ We greatly admire them for their wonderful courage, for their spirit of endurance and their determination to win, no matter at what cost, and pledge ourselves to share in their sacrifice and fight with them until victory is achieved. Please assure Hia Majesty of our continued love and affection and of onr loyalty, and that we look forward with him to the re-establishment of peace amongst the nations, with victory for our arms.

“ Now that your term as GovernorGeneral is drawing to a close,” the speaker concluded. “ and you will he returning to England, we trust you have thoroughly enjoyed your sojourn amongst us, and that you will carry away . with you pleasant and lasting memories of our country and its people. We feel sure that in consequence of your personal knowledge of us and this distant outpost of the British Empire, we will benefit greatly by your continued interest iu us. We regret that your Excellency and your gracious lady must leave us iu the near future. Our kindest thoughts and good wishes will accompany you, and we now take this opportunity to wish you a happy future, Godspeed, and a safe journey home.” His Worship then read the illuminated address and presented it to His Excellency, together with a smoker’s outfit as a token of esteem in which he is held by the citizens and as a memento of the city.

ILLUMINATED ADDRESS. Tho illuminated address was as follows: —■

“ The Right Honourable Viscount Galway, P.C.. G.C.M.G., J 1.5.0.. 0.8. E., Governor-General and Couimaiidor-in-C'hief of the Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies,— “ We. the mayor, councillors, and citizens of Dunedin, deeply appreciate the privilege on the occasion of your farewell visit to this city prior to your departure from the Dominion, of expressing our sincere appreciation of the valuable services rendered by your Excellency and Lady Galway during the period you have represented His Majesty amongst us. At all times your Excellencies have evinced the keenest interest in the welfare and progress of the Dominion, and have identified your-

selves wholeheartedly with many movements having for their object the welfare and. advancement of our institutions and our people. “ Your term of office happily coincided with the national celebrations in connection with the one hundredth anniversary of the foundation of New Zealand as a part of the British Empire, and we desire to express our warmest appreciation of the time and enthusiastic effort which both Your Excellency and Lady Galway gave to ensure that such an historic occasion should be fittingly marked. That these efforts were crowned with success will no doubt bo a source of gratification to your Ex cellencies and prove an abiding memory of an event so outstanding during your term as GovernorGeneral of the Dominion.

“ At this time of national stress, when the Empire is engaged in a stupendous struggle in defence not only of its hard-won liberties and free democratic institutions, but of its very existence as a Commonwealth of free nations, we gladly avail ourselves of the opportunity of assuring your .Excellency of the steadfast determination of our citizens to spare no endeavour and stop at no sacrifice to bring to a victorious conclusion the battle the Empire is now waging against the evil forces of world aggression which seek our destruction.

“We are supported and strengthened in that resolution by the inspiring example of our beloved King and Queen, by the fortitude and heroism of the people of the 1 Mother Country, and by the leadership which your Excellency and Lady Galway have continuously given to our people and to many and various phases of the Dominion’s war effort.

“ In bidding you farewell, we desire that you should convey to His Majesty our sincere sentiments of loyalty to the Throne, and our prayer that the blessings of pence with victory may soon rest on the Empire. “ We trust that your Excellencies may long be spared to continue the public and imperial service which you bare so fully given in this Dominion, and that you will carry away with you very happy memories of your sojourn amongst us.” HIS EXCELLENCY’S REPLY. “ I thank you warmly for your address and for the kind reception which you have accorded to Lady Galway and myself this evening,” His Excellency said in his formal reply. “We thank you also for your good wishes and for the kind references which you have made to our work and associations with different movements while we have been in the Dominion.

“ It was indeed most gratifying to us to have been here on the occasion of the observance of New Zealand’s one hundredth anniversary, .and to have been able to take some part in the celebrations which marked that important milestone in the Dominion’s .history. We shall retain most pleasant memories of the various interesting and spectacular ceremonies which we were fortunate enough to witness at that time.

“ The expression of your attachment to the King and Empire is what one would expect from one of the premier cities of this Dominion, where loyalty is so characteristic of the people. To that loyalty the sacrifices made by yourselves and your gallant sons during the last war and the present conflict bear ample tribute. It will be my pleasure to convey to the King, on my return, that renewed assurance of your loyalty and of the determination of the people of this part of New Zealand to spare no effort and to stop at no sacrifice until the Empire has emerged victorious, from the present struggle.

“ Lady Galway and I have greatly enjoyed our stay in the Dominion. Wo have always^looked forward to our visits to this city, and shall carry away from Dunedin and Otago pleasant recollections of a friendly and hospitable people. Wo wish you all possible prosperity and success in the future.” (Signed) Galway, Governor-General. PLEASANT MEMORIES. His Excellency again thanked the citizens for their kindly Wellcome, for their good wishes, and for their reference to his association with them during his sojourn in the Dominion. It had been gratifying for Lady Galway and himself to be in the Dominion during the Centennial year, he said, and it would record for them a pleasant memory of their stay in New Zealand. He was indeed gratified at the expression of loyalty and attachment to the King and Empire, but it was only

typical of what one might expect of one of the major cities of the Dominion. Lady Galway and lie had greatly enjoyed their stay in the Dominion and also on the occasions they had been in Dunedin. He wished the city success and prosperity in the future. His Excellency also said he wished to express appreciation of the loyalty to the Throne of the people all oyer the Dominion. “Jt is an outstanding feature of the Dominion, and I will certainly express to His Majesty how deeply the people of the Dominion are affected by the spirit of determination shown by the King in this hour of trial.”

It had been unfortunate that the Duke of Kent had not been able to take part in the Centennial proceedings, the Governor-General went on. As they were aware, the Duke of Kent was to have taken up a post in Australia, but owing to the exigencies of the war this had not been possible. When peace was restored he felt sure His Highness would be able to pay a visit to this country. DISTINGUISHED SUCCESSOR. It is a sad thing to say farewell, but wo must all look at it from a broad point of view,” His Excellency continued. “In the appointment of Sir Cyril Nevvull the Dominion is extremely fortunate that such a distinguished man has been secured for the position. Ho will come to you with fresh experiences from the centre of the Empire. His clear knowledge and wisdom will bo of value to you during the closing stages of the war,’’ he said.

His Excellency concluded with a reference to his work as chairman of the National Patriotic Eund Board. The endeavour, he said, had been to co-or-dinate the work and so avoid waste of ■effort. The idea was to practise generosity without extravagance, to help the men who had gone overseas and make provision for them upon their return. He also wishe'd to thank the women in the Lady Galway Guild for the wonderful amount of clothing that had been sent overseas, and he knew from letters ho had received that it had been very greatly appreciated. His Excellency concluded by again thanking everyone for the many kindnesses shown to Lady Galway, his children, and himself. He was accorded rounds of applause as he took his seat. During the evening Miss Ethel Wallace rendered violin solos, and Miss Dora Drake and Mr John Leech vocal items.