Warm Welcome From Woodville

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7067, 28 January 1933, Page 8

Warm Welcome From Woodville

On arrival at Woodville from Dannevirkc their Excellencies, who were accompanied by Captain J. W. Twecdie, Aide-de-camp, were greeted by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. J. Elder) and the Town Clerk (Mr. D.

Keay), the Lady Bledisloe being presented with a beautiful bouquet by Mrs. Elder. Escorted by Mr. Elder, the Vice-Regal party proceeded to Fountaine square, where a guard of honour was provided by members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association under Sergt.-Major T. H. Williams; Giri Guides, with their captain, Miss J. Beattie; and Brownies, with Miss T. McGregor. • # Following the National Anthem, played by the Municipal Band under the baton of Bandmaster Lound, their Excellencies inspected the guard of honour and were then conducted to the dais which wa's appropriately adorned and in picturesque setting. The Mayor’s Welcome

“It affords me very keen pleasure to extend to your Excellencies on behalf of tho burgesses of Woodville and residents of the district a welcome to this town,” stated the Mayor. “We have not . been surfeited with Vice-Regal visits, as it is now ten years since we had the last one, paid by Lord Jellicoe; but we are not complaining. We recognise that we are only a small community, and that there are many calls on the Governor-General’s time, so that we appreciate a visit all the more when it is paid us. “I would, like to impress on the young people present that his Excellency is the direct representative of his Majesty the King —he takes too same position in our constitution and legislature as tho King does at Home. "Without going into heroics, I can assure your Excellency that this community is second to none in this Dominion in loyalty to his Majesty and the Empire, and we would call your attention to the silent witness of that fact in the memorial to our illustrious dead within a few yards of where we now stand.

“Apart from your high office, your Excellency also claims our respect for your personal qualities of head and heart. We have all read of your utterances on various subjects, which indicate the clear, trained - and logical thinker. As a farming community we recognise that Lord Bledisloo is very 'much at home when he touches on farming matters, and incidentally I would like to tell their Excellencies that the Woodville district is one of the best dairying districts in New Zealand; indeed, if champion awards for butter and cheese are any indication, it is tho best.

“Now as to their Excellencies’ qualities of heart, I need refer only to the magnificent gift to tho nation of the Waitangi Estate at the Bay of Islands. We are not mercenary, but we do appreciate your Excellencies’ generosity in this, as in many other directions. “ If I may be permitted to make further reference to Lady Bledisloe, she has endeared herself to tho women of this Dominion by tho genuine interest she has evinced in the various women s institutions, such as the Women’s Institute, Women’s Division, of the Farmers’ Union, Plunket Society and Girl Guides, and I am pleased to say that there are representative's of all those societies on the platform to-day, to do honour to lier Excellency.

“It is typical of the kindly thoughtfulness of his Excellency, that when he intimated that ho would do us the honour of visiting us, he particularly requested that the ratepayers should not be put to expense. Wo have followed your wishes, your Excellency, but if there i's an absence of external show, there is great warmth in our hearts towards her Excellency and yourself. “I will conclude my remarks . by again extending to your Excellencies a heartfelt welcome to Woodville, and by assuring you of the love and loyalty of this community towards his Majesty and our deep regard to yourselves.” Governor-General’s Reply Rousing cheers greeted his Excellency when he rose to speak. He thanked the Mayor for his charming and felicitously expressed welcome to Woodville. "Wo know you are loyal to the Empire and friendly disposed to ourselves,’’ his Excellency continued. “The task of a governor-general in the British Empire is a comparatively easy one, for he represents the most deservedly beloved monarch in the world. In New Zealand the governor-general is particularly fortunate, ■ as ho is always being reminded of the 'kindheartedness of the people and the level-headedness of every class and section of tho community. This is characteristic of the people of the British Empire arid it is this that stands them in such good stead in emergencies. It is the cool head, sound judgment and compassionate heart of tho British race, with their stability and .backbone, that has enabled them to face their difficulties with such confidence. Though we have not been able to pay an official jusii to Wiiciville*. ffifl MS*. as

Mayor suggests, very bu'sy people. However, we do not complain, for there is nothing better or more conducive to happiness than plenty of work in congenial surroundings.”

Lord Bledisloe referred to two interesting items of news in the cables that morning. The first concerned a sale of works of art at Paris. Good business had resulted, but no money had changed hands —everything had been bartered. The second item concerned a statement of an Australian farmer that New Zealand farmers were using too much superphosphate. The first item was intelligible, but the second wholly unintelligible, and his Excellency hoped that no one would bo misled by it. Superphosphate was essential to the well-being of the New Zealand farm lands, particularly in the North,lsland. Super acted all tho better when worked in conjunction with lime. An Efficiency of Gold As a Means of Exchange

His Excellency then mado reference to the economic situation, stressing the inefficiency of gold as a means of exchanging one commodity for another. Two countries, tho United State's and France, held 65 per cent, of the monetary gold of tho world. Added to this, America had erected a high tariff barrier to prevent goods passing into their country in payment of international debts. The difficulties of the position were accentuated by the fact that though America held a great proportion of the world’s gold, the only other way of paying international debts was rendered impossible because of the high tariff wall. The truth was that about three-quarters of the difficulties here, and more than that at Home, wero due to monetary and economic problems over which the people had no control. An economic conference was being held, however, and this might point tho way. It was a proud thing to realise that Great Britain was setting an example to the rest of the world in the matter of sound finance and thq proper treatment between nation and nation. The last thing Britain wanted to do was to repudiate her debts to other countries. At Lausanne it wa’s announced that Britain would wipe out reparations owing her by other nations if and when the United States wiped out Britain’s obligations to U.S.A. As long as Great Britain’s reasonable arguments were listened to there was a chance that the depression would be lifted before the end of tho year.” Appeal to Primary Producers The Mayor, hi’s Excellency said, had announced that Woodville was one of the best dairying districts in the Dominion, if prizes for quality were a criterion, but what he (the GovernorGeneral) wanted to see was that every pound of butter, cheese, meat, etc., sent to tho English market, was worthy of a championship award; that Now Zealand’s primary produce should be of the finest quality and of a uniformly high standard, which would enablo her farmers to obtain remunerative, prices in the face of foreign competition, particularly from Denmark. There never was a timo when farmers should give such careful attention to quality, upon which New Zealand’s credit was built. Gift of Waitangi Continuing, tho Governor-General stated that the purpose which had inspired the gift of Waitangi to the nation had been the thought t-hat this historic spot should bo secured for the people of this Dominion to inculcate a sense of nationhood among all classes of both races in New Zealand—a sense of nationhood as distinct from nationalism, which built up the hostile tariff walls between nations. “We are all members of tho great world family, and what affects one is bound to affect the others,” his Excellency said. “Let u’s have nothing to do with exclusive nationalism, but do all in our power to develop solidity in our own j community between class and class and 'each section of the body politic. Never | was there a time when it was more necessary to drop parochial differences and to stand shoulder to shoulder until the economic crisis is over. B'C patient and enterprising. That is my message to you, and I feel that it is the kindest and truest message I can deliver to the people of Woodville, and the one the King would desire me to deliver to you to-day.” Hi's Excellency went on to congratulate the Returned Soldiers’ Association on its splendid membership, stating that the country looked to the returned soldiers for determination, Tesouiccfulness, courago and levci-hcadcdnoss in times of stress. He appealed to the 'Guides to live up to the ideals of their movement, and in a concluding message to the children said: “‘You are the inheritors of the greatest heritage—the British Empire. Serve God and look to Him for guidance—it is not old-fashion-ed to do so. Be straight, keep clean, learn all you can while at school, and play the game. You are blessed with better chances than your forefathers enjoyed. Make the most of those chances that you may be worthy of the great pioneers who founded this, the greatest Dominion of the Empire.” The announcement that her Excellency desired the children to have a holiday when school reassembled., in honour of this occasion, was received with applau'se. Citizens and other representatives of various local bodies were then presented to their Excellencies, who short-