CHILDREN'S HERITAGE.

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1921, Page 2

CHILDREN'S HERITAGE.

PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES.

LOED JELLICOE 'S ADVICE

Addressing the children of the Northern Wairou schools, assembled in front of the Bank of New Zealand, in Dargaville on Wednesday morning, his Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand stated that her Excellency and he took an interest in the children of the Dominion for two reasons, firstly, because they had children of their own, and, .secondly, because they recognised that the children of to-day were the citizens of to-morrow. They took pleasure in encouraging such movements as the Boy Scouts and the Youfcg Citizens' League, because they rccognisod that the boys and girls were 'the future citizens.

It was not necessary, he said, to speak to them of loyalty, for the northern district had proved exceedingly loyal during the recent war. It had often been said that New Zealand was more British than Britain because of the loyalty of the Dominion's citizens, and it wa? quite a common thing to hear New Zealand referred ito as the Britain of the South. He hoped that in time it would become as important as the Britain of the North. The people of this Dominion had a wonderful heritage because there was ample space for all the people, while the people of the Britain of the North were crowded and had not the same opportunities for development as they had in New Zealand. There was every ohance for a boy in New Zealand to become a great man, and he would suggest that all boys should adopt the Scours' motto, "Be Prepared."

"Take advantage," his Excellency urged, "of the splendid opportunities before you to learn all that will be useful to you in after life. Take advantage to fit your bodies for what will come after."

To impress this lesson on the minds of his little hearers hi 3 Excellency quoted two instances that had coane before his notice of inen who had prepared for the hereafter. The first was an admiral who was entrusted with the work of destroying enemy flotillas. This work was most successfully - done at night, and in order to prepare his body for the strain of keeping awake at nights he used to go to sea and there he would test himself to see how many, nights he could Temain awake and still be fit to carry out work efficiently. This admiral toll his Excellency that the most he could do was three nights. The Governor-General added that he was afraid many of tho soldiers during the recefct war, especially in the retreat from Mons, had had to do without sleep for more than three nights on end. The other ease was that of a young midshipman in his Excellency's own ship, who was a very fine swimmer. He wanted to fit himself to save life at

sea Ibeeausc it was quite a common thing for men to fall or foe washed overboard One nigh't the cry was raised, Overboard!" A boat was lowered and after searching for some time they picked up this midshipman, who wanted to see what it was like to fall overboard at night, and they had great difficulty in getting him into the boat been use he had divested hiimself of his clothing. The young midshipman had taken off his boots and left them on the <inizzen chain and it was then known that he had purposely jumped overboard. His leave was stopped for six months because it was not fair, his principals said, to risk the lives of a boat's crew in order to pick up a young fellow who wanted to practise life saving. All the same, added his Excellency, it was a fine spirit which prompted that young fellow to prepare himself for what would comc hereafter.

The Governor-General said tha't he hoped it would never again be necessary to call the young men out to war, but still he hoped tlv> boys and girls world make themselves fit to take care of and protect the beautiful heritage they had in this Dominion. After wishing them all happiness and success and receiving their cheers their Excellencies motored to the Kauri Park.