THE MISGUIDED DUKE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12539, 28 June 1901, Page 4

THE MISGUIDED DUKE.

The gentlemen who are responsible for the composition of the little speeches made by the Duke of Cornwall during his tour through the colony seem to have striven rather after literary effect than .historical accuracy. The words they put into his Bcyal Highness’s mouth when he laid the foundation stone of the Canterbury memorial, for instance, implied that the monument in Victoria Square was being erected to the memory of the late Queen, and nob, as is really the case, to commemorate the Jubilee of the province and the sacrifices its people have made in the services of the Empire. Then, in Dunedin, on Wedne®-' day, in their natural desire to pay a pretty compliment to the people of Otago, they, kd our Royal visitor' on another excursion into the realm of .fiction. “ The Fourth Contingent,’’ they mad© the Duka say, “is,-I find, renowned in this colony, manned, as it was, by your sons, equipped and mounted by the generosity of the people of the province, while Dunedin stands unique in having sent from among its brave, self-sacrificing daughters, nurses to tend and care for the sick and wounded in South Africa.” The truth is, of course, that Otago equipped and mounted only a portion of the Fourth'Contingent, and that Otago, so far from standing unique in sending nurses to South Africa, was merely following the example of Canterbury in this very, excellent work. The latter fact, at least, ought to have been, known to his Excellency the Governor, who is supposed to have had] the final revision of the Duke’s addresses, Lord; Ranfuriy was repeatedly consulted about the despatch of the Canterbury nurses, and ought to recollect that they sailed from Lyttelton a full month before the Otago contingent was selected. The idea of sending nurses to South Africa was conceived by Mr® George Rhodes, who was fortunate enough to enlist the sympathy of Mr S. D. Barker and Dr Palmer in carrying it into effect. Headed by Mrs Rhodes, the generous people of Canterbury offered money enough to equip a score or two of wiling workers, but the Governor, speaking, no doubt, with the authority of the War Office, insisted that not more than half a dozen were required. In the face of these facta it is a little surprising that the Duke should be allowed to say that Dunedin stands unique in having sent from among its brave self-sacrificing daughters, nurses to tend the sick and wounded in South Africa. ■ It is to be hoped l that the official historians of the Royal tour are better informed on the, more important facts they will be required to chronicle.