EMPIRE PRESS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 August 1925, Page 6

EMPIRE PRESS.

DELEGATES ENTERTAINED

PRAISE FOli THE DOMINION. (BY TELEGItAPIi FBESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. The visiting members of the Empire Press Union were entertained at iuncheon by the Government at Parliament House to-day. The GovernorGeneral (Sir Charles Eergusson) presided

The toast of “The King,” proposed by His Excellency, having been honoured, the Prime Minister gave “Our Guests.” Mr. Coates said they were assembled to do honour to the most influential gathering of journalists that had met together at any one time i n the Dominion. On behalf of the Government and the peopl© of the Dominion, and particularly of the members of Parliament, he extended to their distinguished visitors a most cordial welcome to this Britain of the South.New Zealanders lately had had an opportunity of fraternising with men from the United States fleet, and out of that contact only good could come. Now they were meeting an even greater power, for tli© wielders of the pen exercised a mighty influence for good or evil. “May I say,” the Prime Minister continued, “that we hope to gain and profit by your experience. We are always ready to a'ecept advice honestly intended' to assist in the building up of our young nation. We are proud to feel that we are partners in the greatest Empire the world has ever known. New Zealanders yield to none in their patriotism and loyalty to the Throne and constitution which has been the bulwark of our safety from the days of our national infancy.” In conclusion, Mr. Coates referred to the paucity of New Zealand hews in the British Press, which was often the subject of comment by visitors from the Dominion, and expressed the hope that something more generous would be done in future. He took advantage of the opportunity to say that the Government was at present negotiating for a.30-day service to the United Kingdom. Both the Meat and Dairy Export Control Boards were to give consideration to the proposals.

Lord Burnham, returning thanks, expressed appreciation of the fine reception accorded the delegates everywhere. He complimented members on the fine building that housed Parliament. Lord Burnham paid a tribute to th e name and fame of Sir Julius Vogel, at once an able editor and an adventurous statesman, Who by his foresight and imagination drew this country out of the torpor and quiescence which followed on the Maori wars and enabled the population to be multiplied fivefold in twenty years. Lord Burnham recalled the memory of Seddon, “the inaugurate® of New Zealand’s bold experiments in social •reform, a man whose .brilliant energy and transparent patriotism so greatly impressed the public mind in those Victorian days, .and who did so much to arouse common faith in and enthusiasm for our Empire, which was .carried on to the end of the greatest war in human history.” “Last, but hardly least, I came frequently into pleasant’,and intimate intercourse with, the late Mr Massey,” added Lord Burnham, “and on behalf of all my colleagues I wish to express our deep sympathy with the Parliament and people of New Zealand on the death of a great statesman, whose staunch and steadfast service to the Empire means almost a s much to us as it did to you. I well recollect what he said in 1924: ‘The only way m which Britain can get back to prosperity ds by utilising the waste spaces in her overseas possessions, thus widening her markets and building up. strong communities of British people. The only ■lope 1 can see is for industrious men and women to come out to the Doriilili ions and make home s for themselves and strengthen the markets of the Motherland.’

“So say we all. Let. us help one another and all may yet he well with Britannia’s mighty hut scattered brood, in peace you take more of our goods per head of population than .any other people in the world. In war you sent us 10 to 12 per cent of your whole population to fight for existence, and those troops -were the best ever put in the field.

“I hope it may . be possible to make up to some extent for your terrible losses by sending you out contingents of our boys and girls, carefully chosen and adequately trained, to. develop still further the primary industries of this land. I cannot see why this Dominion should not extend the system of pivenile immigration on the approved lilies of Flock House, if they stand the test, together with a further use of the nomination system for further bodies, such as churches and chamber;, of commerce, to increase the potency of your youth and to reinforce the frame of your community. I k'now of no other country better fitted to raise the British breed of staunch, reliant and independent men and women, living their lives’ and doing their work with, the widest possible diffusion of happiness and comfort, without class distinctions, in union and accord with the Old Country under all the fertilities of your southern skies.” ' Mr J. .EL Woods, of the Calgary Daily Herald, also replied on behalf of Canada. He said lie would like to adcl one or two names to those mentioned by Lord Burnham. One that stood high in his country was Sir Joseph Ward, whose services were generally recognised as very great and valuable to the Empire. Mr 'Woods then proceeded to talk of tiie close .affinity between Canada- and New Eealand. They had furthered the c'oseiiess of their friendship in commerce and on the battlefields of Flanders, where the men in the trenches, side •; side, had come to know and appreciate each other. The delegates had had a short hut most interesting trip, too. short, indeed, to enable him to presume to express, too much of an opinion about it, but all he had to. say was entirely in our fafavour.

In Canada there wore only nine millions by the side of a huge community, of 110 millions. They should give them credit that for 75 years they had faced their own difficulties and had not given way to the temptations that assailed them. He assured his hearers that, though there were two nationalities and n. dual Language in his country, the French Canadians were loyal to tlie British nation. They themselves had said that the last shot fired on the River St. Lawrence would be in defence of Great Britain. Mr Wood concluded with an eloquent "lea for active sympathy and eo-opera-tion between the two Dominions, and mentioned that 50 to 60 Canadian firms wou'd be exhibiting at Dunedin.