LORD JELLICOE’S DEPARTURE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 November 1924, Page 4

LORD JELLICOE’S DEPARTURE.

Lord Jellieoe leaves New Zealand Tbgf the Tahiti to-day on his return to England after his term as .GovernorGeneral of the Dominion. Throughout the country there will be thousands of people who will regret that his term of office has ended. The famous Admiral and Lady Jellieoe have, during the few years they have been in New Zealand, endeared themselves to the hearts of the people, and no previous occupant of the office has been held in higher esteem and enjoyed greater popularity. When it was announced that. Lord Jellieoe was to be GovernorGeneral of New Zealand, great satisfaction was expressed at the choice of so distinguished a leader for the position. In an article on April 19, 1920, we wrote that “the appointment will be a most popular one, for Lord Jellieoe is held in high esteem by Britons generally, especially by New Zealanders.” Later in the same article we wrote: “We believe, however, that the appointment indicates something far more than just an accidental choice, and, in view of the important statements which naval and political leaders in Great Britain have made con-

cerning the Pacific as being likely to be the storm centre in any future war, it is reasonable to think that the decision to send Lord Jellicoe to New Zealand as Governor is in some way connected with the Empire’s future naval policy.” It is, of course, not known what Lord Jellicoe has been doing in this direction during his term as Governor-General, but the fact that he has lived for over four years in the Dominion cannot have failed to give him a still more intimate knowledge of the Pacific, which knowledge may prove of inestimable value to the Admiralty in years to come. Lord Jellicoe came to New Zealand in the days of the. boom; he has • seen the slump take place; and he leaves the country when it is steadily making progress towards recovery. During his term the special service squadron visited our shores, containing some of the largest, most powerful, and up-to-date vessels afloat. The great Admiral has travelled extensively through the Dominion, and he and Lady Jellicoe have made numerous friends everywhere. During the last few weeks they have said farewell to large gatherings of people in various parts of the country, and at the Auckland station, just prior to their departure by the express, there was a remarkable scene, Lord Jellicoe being overcome by the warmth and sincerity of the citizens’ farewell. That the departing Governor and Lady Jellicoe are very sorry to leave New Zealand is well-known, and we are sure that the people are equally sorry that the time for parting has come. At Wellington to-day there will no doubt be a very large gathering of citizens to wish Lord and Lady Jellicoe, on behalf of the people of the Dominion, bon voyage and to express the wish that they will be able at some future date to visit these islands again, as they themselves keenly desire.' In recent speeches Lord Jellicoe has given’ messages to the people, the most important being that in which he showed hoAv essential it was that the British Navy should be maintained at the highest state of efficiency and that the Dominions should see to it that adequate protection should be provided for the Empire’s sea communications.