PRINCE OF WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18583, 9 December 1920, Page 7

PRINCE OF WALES.

HIS TOUR REVIEWED. A STRIKING SPEECH AT THE GUILDHALL. EXPRESSIONS OF THE DOMINIONS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, 'December 7. i Largo crowds lined tho route and cheered tho Prince of Wales during his drive to the Guildhall. Even the Thames Embankment, despite the cold weather, wub lined by crowds waiting for hours for his appearance. Tho fcraffio was diverted by policemen stationed along the whole route at short intervals. Both sides of tho roadways to,, the city were a blaze of colour. The buildings were beflagged, some flying the Union Jack and Southern Cross together. The Prinoe, in tho uniform of a naval captain, drove in an open carrikgo preceded by a guard of mounted men in khaki with swords drawn. On arrival at the Guildhall tho Prince received the Royal salute, and received a warm ovation on entering the library. Those present at the Guildhall included several members of the Royal Family, the whole of the Prince’s suite, leading commercial men and financiers of London, the High Commissioners and the Agents-Goncral. Tho Common Sergeant read the address of welcomed in tho library. The Prince, replying, said he had hoped to meet them under happier circumstances, hut at that time tho coal strike - began, which necessitated a postponement. “ You addressed me in the name of the whole City of London, which I, in common with all my fellow Londoners, regard os the greatest dty in tho world,” he said. “ Distant travel gives me an ever increasing appreciation Sf its influence and oharm. I find I love it better every time I come back,”

PREMIER’S TRIBUTE TO PRINOE. IXTNDON, December 7. Mr Lloyd George, in proposing the health of the Pnnco of Wales, said:— ** The Empir© is the most remarkable in the world’s history. It is loosely knitted. Thero is no dominion, but all ore dominions. There is no centre from which a dominion exercises Empire partnership, but all are free nations controlling themselves, and free to choose their own path. They are free to ohoose thoir own population, and free to make their own history. Such a combination would be of the weakest kind if it were not cemented by friendship of the strongest kind, influenced by inutuai attachment and goodwill.” Mr Lloyd George added that everything depended on the existence of the invisible attachment to the Empire. The great services of tho Prince consisted iii the fact that he had Strengthened those invisible ties by qualities Which the .Empire now knew, as we know bofore, by his charm—the remarkable charm, the winning charm, the joyous charm—of his personality. (Cheers.) ,

itlr Lloyd George hfntqd that the reaction following on the war had created tho vitivl necessity of finding some method of keeping Britain and the dominions together. “ Tho occasion demanded a man for the emergency. The Prihco of Wales was such a man (Cheers), just as much at home in the dominions’ cities as in London; just as much at home in the dominions’ wildernesses as ift tile cities. This latter was k good omen, because tho future of the Empiro might Well depend on the development of those vast regions.

PRINOE DESCRIBES HIS JOURNEY. NEW ZEALAND-SREOEPTION. . The Prince *in his speech thanked Mr Lloyd George for his presence, and said that though ho was sorry that he would not visit India till 1921, he was delighted at the prospect of an undisturbod year in the Old Country, “ a treat I have hot had for six years.” The Prince raised a laugh by saying that when a man was handsomely entertained it was usually because his hoßts wanted to get aomothing out of him. “I know you want to get some acoount of my latest Empire four out of me,” he continued. “My impressions are still rather kaleidoscopic, but I will do my best.”

He gate a detailed account ef his reception in the West Indies, and the achievement of getting the Rontiwn through the Panama Canal, from whence he wont to Honolulu and Fiji, crossing the two oceans where every group, cjf islands rings with the names of British sea captains and explorers, and made oWt realise the spirit of these men of old who faOed uncharted seas in ships not briO-sixtieth of tho tonnage of a modern battle cruiser. *‘ When I reached New Zealand and Australia,” he said, “I felt. that. I had come to tho culminating point of tho untiring work of the early pioneers, for there were two great nations settled and developing in tho very farthest quarter of ihe globe far from their origihal homo. When I landed at Auckland tho New Zealanders made me feel at home at once. Within five days I visited tho Maori people at Rotorua, a gallant and remarkable race who are not unknown in London. lam grateful to them for gathering in suoh large numbers to greet me. I worked my way down the North Island to Wellington, the capital city, where I was specially entertained by Mr Massey and his Government. I spent a weeu in the Soiitui Island touring and finally crossed the 'Otira Gorge to the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch, and thence to Dunedin arid Invercargill where ‘I almost felt myself back in Scotland. Auckland’s .kindness and enthusiasm was carried ofi e/6rywhere. What impressed me most was the intensely Gjd Country character of the people. You have pretty sound powerful patriotism here in this City of London, my Lord Mayor, hut I assure you, you will have your work hut- out to show it more thoroughly than they do in New Zealand, It was with regret that 1 sailed from Lyttelton. A month in Now Zealand was far too short.”

IN AUSTRALIA. “ I lauded in Melbourne on the Qheon’s birthday. I had to spare vou details of my New Zealand travels, but T must be still more sparing as regards Australia. I bad a wonderful time in Victoria, but no better than in New South Wales. Comparison is odious, and both States together hold well over half the population of tho Commonwealth. Sydney, as I told them myself, is indeed the London of the Southern Hemisphere. If there are any Sydney men present, t wish to tell them that riot only did I see their harbour, but I appreciated it. fQreat laughter.) I only wish you could see the kind and enthusiastic crowdß in those two great cities. I was welcomed with the same enthusiasm on a smaller scale in the other States, and [ was ablo to visit severnl goldfields and get some idea of life in the backblocks on the sheep arid eattlo stations, ft Would take a man at least a year to see Australia proyerly. I was sorry to leave, having missed so much. It is a lftnd of great Spaces, immense resources and vast possibilities'. Itß history i s a century old and tho continent as large as Europe, with a population much less than London’s. A striking indication of Australia’s power and Character is the size and beauty of itß capital cities, which hold one-third to one-half of the population of their States. I thought those cities An impressive sign of the quality of the people who are building them. The developed area is a splendid testimony H Australia's worth, although th*

area populated, I fear, is but small in proportion to the sizo of the oonntry as a whole, and of Its cities. This is a situation wliioh involves great responsibility. But the courage and self-confidence of tho Australians are amazing, I can assure you it requires both assets out there to bo sure of success. ’* The Prince then went on to describe his return journey, and recalled two features of his visit to Australia and New Zealand, which, he said he had very closely at heart. “In both dominions I was very much struck by the appearance and bearing of the children, and the wonderful way the Governments are carrying on their' education; One can truly sav of their systems that they instil discipline and .‘patriotism into their youth without militarism. Gatherings of thousands of school children were organised for me everywhere, and, [ never saw a child which did not reflect on its healthy, happy face tho widespread well-being which is the pride of those dominions. This, indeed, is a happy augury for tho future.

THE “DIGGERS.” , “ You will guosg tho other feature I have very closely at henrt—tho Australians and New Zealanders who fought and won in tho Great War. I felt' 1 was a comrade to the ‘ Diggers.’ I first met them in Egypt and France, but T had not landed one moment before I was hailed, ns a ‘Digger,’ and by tho timo I sailed from Sydney in August I hardly knew how to answer to any other name. Now I take that as a very great compliment, and hope they will always regard me in tho same way, as I want all ex-service men of the Einnire to look upon me as a comrade. Toil will not. be surprised to hoar that in both Dominions I found exservice men the backbone of the country.” (Cheers.) “ Think what they did hv volunteering in thousands to face the great adventure of war for the Empire thousands of miles away! Onrt anyone dare to say in the faco of that faot that the same spirit that took tho old sea captains and explorers across the world is not only alive to-day, hut thriving In young British notions? (Cheers.) But then, all ex-service men are the backbone of their peoples, whether in the Old Country or in tho dominions.

MUST BULL TOGETHER. “ I have only one idea to make in this oonnectioh. All British, nations must work together in a spirit of comradeship if the Empire is to endure. Th© dominions are putting their shoulders into the Work of nation-building and dovelopmont, but need our help and sympathy. We must do our utmost to appreciate) their viewpoint. Here is. a practical example of what I menrt. All the dominions want, population from us. We have spare population, hut a purely businoss method of emigration, which is no good nowadays. A flaming prospeotus will not draw ©migration steadily from tho Old Country. What is wanted most is plain, human co-operAtion. (Loud cheers.) They on their side should welcome our emigrants as friends and comrades the moment thoy arrive, and moke them feel at home, as they matte me. (Cheers.) Make them feel that they are really, wanted. (Cheers.) There Is no worse check on emigration than emigrants who fail; no better- advertisement than emigrants who succeed. British population is very valuable nowadays, but we must x see it remains British. (Lolid oheers.) Closer intercourse will make the movement .of men of capital within the Empire ensier.” The Prince concluded a forty minutes speech, delivered in a .clear, strong, resonant voice, unhesitating and easily heard in the remotest parts of the Guildhall, hv saying: “ The lesson I have learned from fifteen months of travel is, if we are to restore our wellbeing and credit, it is necessary that everv nation of the Empire should pull together with a true spirit of comradeship and co-operation in all our affairs. This can only be done by maintaining here the same spirit which links the nations of the Empire to us. It is dud to our ancestors, who overcame the difficulties of their time, as well as tho present generation, who have foUght and won a great victory, that their work shall not be in vain. It can be done.” (Great cheering.)