AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 14 June 1935, Page 8

AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS

Welcome Home to Viscount and The Lady Bledisloe LYDNEY PARK TENANTS LONG-ABSENT SQUIRE At the Lydney Town Hall, Gloucestershire, on April 30, an illuminated address was presented to Viscount Bledisloe, to mark his return to his Lydiiey Park estate on the completion of his term of office as Governor-Gen-eral of New Zealand. The text of the address, which was addressed to Lord and Lady Bledisloe, was as follows: — “We, the tenants and employees of Lydney Park estate, welcome you back to your own. land; to the home of youT fathers, and the familiar scenes of your childhood and youth. We welcome you with feelings of the deepest pride and affection, and we thank Almighty God for His care of you and your gracious lady during the past live years, Wo pray that He may grant yoti many years of health and happiness among your own people. *‘The truly magnificent and -spontaneous tributes of admiration and affection which you have received from all classes of" the people of New Zealand have thrilled us; as they must have touched your own hearts. “Your lordship’s keen intellect, wide knowledge and wise judgment commanded universal respect; but, in addition, we believe it was your humanity —the simple virtues of a Christian gentleman, responding so instinctively to any human need demanding sympathy, tact or practical assistance — that so completely won the hearts and confidence of both races in our farthest Dominion. “More eloquent tongues and pens than ours have paid impressive tribute to your groat services to your King and Empire as Governor-General of New Zealand. But ours is the right and the privilege to pay tribute to you as our squire.

“We thank you, in homely but heartfelt sincerity, for your steadfast loyalty, kindly consideration and affection to us throughout the long years that you have been absent. We shall never forget how carefully and devotedly you have kept the ties unbroken which connected you with us in spite of the strain imposed by time and distance. '“ln the midst of your cares and anxieties, your heavy responsibilities and onerous duties, you have never forgotten us. No letter from your humblest correspondent went unanswered; you have sympathised intimately with us in our sorrows, rejoiced in our joys and you have never failed us with wise and kindly advice and practical help in our difficulties. “What you have done for the people of New Zealand will remain for them an imperishable tradition, and a high example for your successors. What you have done for your own homo folk during your absence has enriched the lives and memories of all of us, and added yet another record of thoughtfulness and kindliness to the great heritage of your respected family. “To you, my lady, we desire to offer our very sincere admiration and affectionate respeef. The full measure of your loyalty, solicitude and devotion which has enabled his lor ( dsliiT> to carry the heavy physical and mental strain inseparable from the cares of his high office will never be known to us. We can but surmise, and express to you our grateful thanks and appreciation. “The women of New Zealand will never forget you, for you have endowed their generation with the memory of a sweet and charming personality and years of unselfish service in the cause of womanhood, which will be an inspiration for many ofher generations to come. '“My lord and my lady, we feel you are glad to be home, glad to see some of the old familiar faces, glad to hear the good old local dialect once more. “You will find that the years have not changed us, and we know the years have not changed you. “Welcome home!”