VICE-REGAL VISIT

Feilding Star, Volume 4, Issue 742, 26 March 1926, Page 5

VICE-REGAL VISIT

TO-DATS CEREMONIES

GOVE RN 0 R -GEN ERAL ARRIVES

WITH LADY FERGUSSON

CIVIC AVELCOAIE AND LUNCHEON.

The first official visit to Feilding „f his Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral, General Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt|. Tv.C.B. K.O.AUG., D. 0.0-,

AI V. 0., ail'd her Excellency* Lady Alice Fergusson, which Toole place til-dav, had been looked forward to with keen anticipation by citizens and settlers of' the surrounding district. Consequently, the iown was eif fete when the special train, conveying the Vice-Regal visitors arriv'ed in Feilding at 8.50 a.m.

BITS INFSS SUSPENDED ; Considerable enthusiasm was manifested by all classes of the community, who vied with each other in demonstrations of loyally to the distinguished soldier representative, ol His Afa jesty the King.

Business and mercantile firms clos•Jt ed their ounces of business from 0.50 a.m. to .10 o’clock, and during that period, allhomfh short, the public fell into ‘holiday mood and co-operat-ed whole-heartedly in the proceedings.'' Flags were flown from I iie Post Office, the Lyceum, and other buildings. The weather was fine, with a light northerly breeze IN FROM THE COUNTRY Throughout the early morning there was an air of general expectancy about citizens and settlors who commenced to arrive in town at an early hour, all eager to catch a glimpse of the Vice-Regal party. A representative gathering assembled at the station to greet their Excellencies, hut the hulk of the people had' previously wended their way to the War Memorial in the Square where the civic reception took place At the railway station his Worship the Mayor (Air W. E. Carthew), the Alayorbss, and members of the Borough Council, and of the County Councils met their Excellencies and welcomed them to keilding. * The Guard of Honour was furnished oy the High School Cadets, undo,. Lieut. N. Tankersley. The Governor-General, who wore lhe uniform of his rank, and Lady T'orgii.xson and party were warmly cheered on alighting from, the N'iee.Regal carriage, and after formal courtesies and greetings had been extended, were motored to the Square, where a large concourse of people received them in characteristic fashion!'. IX THE SQUARE. THE MAYORAL WELCOME Assembled around the war memorial were the Feilding Alunioinal Rand, under Bandmaster A. Brab.vn, the public, representatives of local bodies and other prominent citizens, including Alr'.J: Gordon Eliott, ALP., and mein he its of the Feilding Borough Council; On the dais were the \ ice-Regal party, comprising the Governor-General, Lady' Alice Fergusson, and Captain Vernon Wontworth, with (he Alayor and Alavnress. ’

'I lie Governor-General’s arrival -vas signalised by the playing 0 f the National Anthem, those in uniform standing* aL the salute and [he gath(‘l'ing at attention. His Worship, in extending an official welcome to their Excellencies, said: Fellow-citizens, it gives me great pleasure upon your behalf to welcome to our town and district their Excellencies, the Governor-Gen-eral and Lady Alice Fergnsson. Since New Zealand was constituted a selfgoverning conoly wo have had many i eproseu i a ti vo.s ol our King in i!n> country’, and I think I am correct in stating that every Governor or Goveriinr-Geiieral for the last 30 or 3) years has, during Ids residence hero, honoured our town by official visit. My Council for some time has contemplated inviting' their Excellencies to visit our town, hut recognising that' his Excellency’s time "'as so fully occupied we were somewhat cliffident about extending that invitation, and we very much appreemte the fact that the visit to-day has taken place at the expressed wish o| their Excellencies. They did not come to New Zealand as stiangers. Both thei,. parents, .in Hie persons ol Sir James Eoruu.ssmi : >ud Lord Glasgow, having been former Governors of tin's country. This ladies and gentlemen, is a unique, a iiaiaiy circumstance, and is lio doubt one of the contributing factors for the manner in which rheir Excelencies, during their comparatively short residence here, have won their way to the hearts ol the people ol this Dominion. Addressing their Excellencies, Mr Giirthew said: The monument, which stands beside you, with, the names

engraved on it of the many men of this town and district who voluntarily laid down their lives for their King and Country, is a testimony ol the loyalty of our people, and I, through your Excellency, wish to reaffirm that loyalty to our beloved sovereign. Your Excellencies on behalf of the people of this (own and district, 1 wish to express our gratitude for the honour of this visit, to extend to voii a' hearty and loyal welcome, and I trust that vni nav have happy recollections of your visit, .to Feilding.

Cheers were lustily given for : licit Excellencies.

HIS EXCELLENCY’S REPLY

The Governor-General. who was enthusiastically received, said: Your AVorship. Ladies and Gentlemen, —! would like to thank you very cordially for her Excellency, as well as myself, for your very kind welcome, especially at. this early hour >f the morning. If the circumstances in paying this official visit had been different I should have visited you last year, hut unfortunate difi'ic fifties came in my way—the infantile paralysis epidemic, the illness of flic late Air .Massey, and a slight indisposition of mv own. Otherwise I can assure you that early last winter this visit would have taken place. I wish to visit the whole of New Zealand, and it takes a very long time. Our stay 'here, therefore', is an unfortunately short one, otherwise there are some parts of the Dominion we would not he able to go to in time during our -residence * here. A fay I ,say how much at home it made us feel on our arrival at Podding. Our first drive took us down Fergusson street. Air father, Sir

•James Fergusson, was Governor of New Zealand in 1873 to 1874, and hero you have the fact recorded. It must have been just about that time that Feilding had its origin. Lady kergnssoii and I have a great a flection for New Zealand, which we acquired when, wo were/ here as chill dren, and I say in all sincerity that wo have never forgotten it, and during (lie year or more phat we have been here we’ have managed to cover a good deal of country, hut it is nnd .it would be very difficult for the lew minutes I am going to sneak to tell you .-ill the things that interest ns both. Now, you can imagine • that after these long years it is of

gieat. interest for me to return to New Zealand and see the marvellous development that has taken place throughout, the conn fry. |{ is a wonderful country. What, interests me most in it is, and I sneak for her Excellency too, naturally the

land, because my family and her Excellency s family conigs from a

country which, in • many ways, is very like New Zealand ]. refer to Ayrshire, in' Scotland. Aiy forebears have always been connected with the l ;l| nl in all its different forms ,of farming, and therefore it is a de-

light to come to one of the centres

from which the main wealth and prosperity i.s derived, and which lias neen developed by* the industry and energy of early settlers. . There are people I enjoy speaking to, and they

are (he children. You will agree "ith me that any time wo can spend in talking in them of the wonderful country this is and; Ifnw much wo owe fo the early pioneers, is of benefit .to them. Mo have enjoyed going through the country seeing thousands and thousands of school ehildI'on and i,heir schools, and a verv delight! ill task it has been. We have told them what tfleir forebears were told, that they may he nseliii not only to New Zealand, hut t J the Empire to which they belong. Mo all know how New Zealand helped in the Great War, how she gave unceasingly and gladly to helo the Mother Country; I was p'rivileged

o serve with New Zealand men there iind I for one will never forgot mot July their courage, but the example hey set in self-control and di.sciiliue. They had no superior. As '•s Worship has already said, ini-

mense sacrifices were made, and memorials such as the one you have hero hi Ecilding are eloquent testi-

monies to their honour. In speakhig of that loyalty which they hire displayed 1 have something else to KM'. Throughout the history of this country, its people have always shown an unselfish loyalty to the Empire. The Empire -ms npprervnt,e<l tin's loyalty, and needs it. The vLd Country is at pro.?; mi going iii!'<ugh a very difficult period, Dow eau the Dominions further display their loyalty and help the Old CounM'.v? I think there are two main ways in which New Zealand can help. The first is that we absorb somo i' l Hie surplus population of Great Britain by bringing out -uve People who have not a hope I getting work there. 'I lie migration question is a difficult one We do not want the country flooded with people who will eventually find (heir "ay to towns. The object must he to introduce the young people <-.«- f-c'. ifdly by l I

"'of training •'•■in as you n-e doing at Flock House. I should very much like to see that system extended. But there are other avenues of

employment besides dairying and agriculture. There is, lor instance the avenue ottered by aHVires' ■> lion: There will shortly be a worldwide shortage of all timbers, and imagine the revenue New Zealand ,could obtain by developing her att’orestatioh scheme, which, it brought about, would provide employment For countless numbers. I think that six times as many people would he so employed on the land. Here is an avenue to relieve unemployment to he explored and developed. The other way in which New Zealand can heln the ..Mother Country is by her Dominions supporting her industries. 01 course. New Zealanders would' support their own industries First, but there are immense numbers of arth cles imported to which protore u.e •should he given—British manula( tured against Foreign. The last thing J wish to say is tl.iw I am happy n think that New Zealand has come through the aftermath, of Hie waive ry well; in Fact, very much better than any other country in Hie world. There is one thing, however, that I do think and that is to that we Mi list look well ahead. There is no doubt, that the very prosperous rimes will continue, but there is hound to be a period of depression. There will be, at the end of this season, a drop of some millions in the'exports of the country, while the imports are still on the increase. This gives us ground For a certain amount of anxiety For the Future. I hope I am not possimixtio .but it makes one think, do people realise the object of saving for a rainy day? Now, I have kept you too long, and I must say in conclusion what a pleasure it has boon for her blxcel’leiiey and mvsell to have this day as opportunity of visiting your town.

His Excellency was warmly applauded on concluding- his remarks