WORTHY OF DISTINCTION

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 September 1933, Page 6

WORTHY OF DISTINCTION

NEW -ZEALAND AS DOMINION • PRIDE IN COUNTRY’S PAST. CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE. LORD BLEDISLOE’S TRIBUTE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 25. Pride in the courage and determination that the .people of New Zealand had shown during the last few difficult years and confidence in the nation’s future welfare were expressed by Lord Bledisloe when speaking at the Dominion Day reunion of the Early Settlers and Historical Association of Wellington this afternoon. “On this day more than on other days in the year we look back and look forward, ’ ’ his Excellency, said. 1 ' There are many countries in the world that cannot consciously and confidently look ■back with .entire self-satisfaction to their past history. There need be no qualms in this country, however, in looking over its comparatively short history and feeling not only a pride in the past but also a buoyant confidence in the future. Twenty-seven years ago this then so-called colony became a Dominion, entering into the status of a great self-governing unit 'of the greatest Empire in the world. That is the distinction conferred on but few other countries, and a distinction of which, iii spite of its size and relatively small population, New Zealand has shew n herself to be abundantly worthy. “During the past two years New Zealand has found herself in the greatest economic crisis with which the world has ever been confronted; a crisis from which the world has not yet completely emerged, and a problem which the great Economic Conference has failed to solve. But I want to take this opportunity of saying, now that we see the light on the horizon and we believe that brighter times are coming, that I feel proud of the courage and determination, self-reliance and resourcefulness that this country has shown during the difficult years that have lately passed.’’ Referring to the manner in which those in want had faced the situation, his Excellency said it was the strongest evidence of the “deep-rooted stability of the country which was going to carry it to a higher position than it had ever occupied.’’