OUR COUNTRY
ENERGETIC AND LOYAL PEOPLE. SAYS GOVERNOR-GENERAL. “We have already seen a great deal of the Dominion since we arrived hero 16 months ago,” stated the GovernorGeneral at the civic reception yesterday. “To start with, wo have seen what many have not—tho East Cape,” said Sir Charles, who went on to say that he and Lady. Forgusson had visited Stewart Island and sailed round it, had viewed the magnificent scenery of the Sounds on the West Coast, descended into three coal mines in Westland, studied tracts of virgin bush, gazed upon Mounts Egmont, Ruapehu and Cook, and seen a great many flourishing towns and cities tyhich in days not so very remoto were" but villages. “We have seen smiling country where in tho pioneering days it was only bush and fern and swamp. It has been a wonderful experience. ' “We have visited some of the backblocks and have seen settlers struggling with tho beginning of things as the pioneers and probably some of those present did in the past. “Two things strike me most about Now Zealand. The first is the energy and initiative of the pioneers and those who have succeeded them.” Those were features, he added, which might not attract the attention of those whose lives had been spent here, but he could assuro his hearers that they became very real to one who returned to New Zealand after a very lengthy absence. The second thing was the wonderful atmosphere of loyalty to the Old Country. “it may strike you as nothing out of the way,” said Sir Charles, “but to those coming fresh into the midst of it it commands attention. 1 have found it tho same all over New Zealand —this same wonderful love for the Mother Country and loyalty and devotion to the Empire. SPIRIT OF LOYALTY.
“That sentiment of loyalty is worth preserving,” ho stated, adding that it was realisation of tho fact which occasioned the attention paid by Their Excellencies to the schools and school children. It was sought to impress oil the minds of the young what they owed to tho pioneers who had made for them such a beautiful country to live in, and to imbue the children with the idea of emulating that example and serving the Empire which had made New Zealand and New Zealanders what they were to-day. ALL EMPIRE BUILDERS. “We are all Empire builders and Empire maintainers,” said His Excellency, adding that all contributed something to build up that mosaic represented by the Empire. It was necessary to mako sure that our young people understood and appreciated the glory anil responsibility of Empire. So long as New Zealand preserved its spirit of independence, coupled with intense devotion to the land and people from which Now Zealanders had sprung, all would bo well. Tlio Empire was passing through difficult times, but so long as the Dominions and the Mother Country, held together, and while New Zealand set the example in loyalty and devotion, it would remain what the Prince of Wales had termed it —
“Tho finest and proudest example of British civilisation the world had ever known.” (Sustained applause.)
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Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 102, 30 March 1926, Page 2
Word Count
523OUR COUNTRY Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 102, 30 March 1926, Page 2
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