EMPIRE DAY.

North Otago Times, 25 May 1908, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY.

■ * IBy Electric Telegraph-Copyright,) i'er Press Association. Received May 21, at 'l.lO p.m. London, May 23. The Empire Day celebrations in Great Britain are being spread over three days. A million children Attending the schools of London saluted the ling yesterday, and lectures and exercises relating to tho movement were given in 1000 schools, Tho Municipal Councils of Hntlersea nnd Poplar refused to fly the Hag, The display of bunting in the West End of London was greater than ever, In the East End hundreds of the poorest children purchased small flags. The boys .of Eton College presented a Union Jack to tho elementary schools at Eton, At St. Mayor's School, Woolwich, the Mayor unfurled Hags sent by the Woolwich School (New South Wales), the stud of which was made from timbers of the battleship Trafalgar, launched nt Woolwich in 1811.

At Greenwich School.,' a ling from the Greenwich School (i\'ew .South Wnlcs) was unfurled. Earl Meath, through Mr Carruthers, font n message of sincere thanks to Australians for their enthusiastic support of the Umpire movement in company with ten million other loyal subjects. ]l(£ui'j>e(l that they would not forget the spirit of the movement expressed in its watchwords: " Responsibility, duty, sympathy and self, sacrifice," ]f these ideas were impresfed nt liome and at school upon the rising generation, the children would become worthy citizens of the mightiest Empire the world has known. At the Londbn County Council's instance, n patriotic programme oi lessons on citizenship was conducted in nearly every school, abo the flag was saluted, and London's lead is being generally followed in the provinces. The King thanked the London schools for their message of loyalty. The ,I)uchcss of Albany distributed piires nt the Sheer national schools, where the Earl of Meath addressed th< children, demonstrating how best they could help the Empire. Senator Dobson recommended universal training in drill and shooting, ( 0 enable it:, citizens to defend the Empire. Lord Tennyson, the E a rl of Meath, Mr Jtudynrd Kipling, the Hon. C. U. Hason, Mr Dobson, and Councillor Wuldon, of Melbourne, attended n donionstrnlion of the Hoys' lirignile at Shepherd's Bush. A large school at I'eckham has been temporarily transformed into a museum for the- display of the products of the Motherland and the colonies. '1 lie luUci: nve sent by Mr Taverner and others. Tho scholars are much interestid by the exhibition, Jicccived'May 21, at 1,25 p.m.

. London, Mnv 21. .Mr Ilennikcr Ileaton presented Ilagi from dm ('nnlcrhiiiy and l'aramuttn Schools (Now, South Wales) (o . two Canterbury schools. ilr Carrntlicrs, addressing a thousand scholars at 'Canterbury, emphasised the loyalty of Australians to the flag, because it ivus an omblcm of liberty, national seourity and Empire, He stated that 2500 New South Wales Echools celebrated Empire Day, Thu Mayor of Canterbury returned thanks'for the Aug. The headmaster ot the King's School, Canterbury, eulogised Bishop Broughton's foresight in pcrnianontly establishing at, the heart oi Australia n school embodying the noblest ideals of English life. Mr Heaton stated that the King's Schqols of Canterbury u ti(\ Paramatta were modelled on the same lines, only tliitt llie Australian scholars wore volunteers' uniforms. The Dean hoped that soon every boy in England would enjoy military discipline. -

Per Presg Association. Nolsoii, May 24, . Empire Day was obsorved yesterday as a closo holiday, but there was no public celebration of tho occasion, except that the Farmers' Union held a sports meeting and field day at Wakefield.