HER MAJESTY'S DIAMOND JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10453, 27 May 1897, Page 6

HER MAJESTY'S DIAMOND JUBILEE.

"A BOLD AND VIGOROUS PROGRAMME" WANTED. TO THIS EDITOR. '

Sib,— consequence of a long residence in Auckland, association and familiarity with all the public movements which have been and are now in operation, it will not be regarded as vain boasting when I state that so far as 1 have been able to gauge public sentiment herein, there is nothing approximating that feeling of unanimity which constitutes the centre, circumference, and crown of all important subjects. In this city I can testify to the generous subscriptions of the people and to the wholeheartedness and even self-denial which inspires and prompts them when any clamant question arises. At present there are several projects on the board for selection, bat not one of them takes powerfully hold of the people. Oue is for Paul, another A polios, a third for Cephas; and in the differentiation lies the weakness. We are all ruminating in the valley of indecision, halting, not between two, but ten opinions, so that good, desirable, and appropriate as are the suggestions, all cannot be given effect to, and none are receiving the support necessary to lead them to success. • v . Your plan of a poll is an evidence of what 1 have, written, but this modus operandi can scarcely be said to. cover the ground. All do not take the .Herald, many who do will not exercise the voting paper; whereas an unscrupulous person might purchase and manipulate the whole of the editions and thus thwart and confuse the laudable issue. Time, which is of paramount importance, iB ebbing away, the subscription lists are not being filled, public feeling has never been fired to that status of enthusiasm which so unique and unparalleled an event is calculated to awaken in the breasts of all true Britons. A large representative meeting is demanded, a bold and vigorous programme should be issued, and the hearty support and co-operation of the public should be brought into evidence. • Unless this or some better course is immediately adopted, I fear that both in celebration and commemoration we shall fail to do honour to our beautiful city, and find ourselves amazingly outvied by tn'e other centres where, so far as one can judge, there appears to be spontaneity of feeling and thorough-going liberality— brilliant auguries of the projected triumph.— am, etc., Auckland, May'26,lS97. J. Abbott.

THE CANADIAN SUGGESTION. TO TEE EDITOR. Sir,— true subject of Queen Victoria whose attention has been called to the suggestion of the Canadian Loyal Sons of England, will not only approve, but do his best to carrv it out. I was glad to see your leading article in last Saturday's issue, which so very ably advocated the adoption of this unique proposition, I think it would have been more appropriate had the commencement of the National Anthem been somewhere near the locality of the Garden of Eden, where man was placed durihg Creation week, than to have commenced in the island of Fiji, through which crosses the supposed day-line which has been appointed by man. The " opening of the orchestra of the world-wide empire" should have begun there, by our subjects, at the island of Perim, to be followed by Cyprus, Cape Colony, Malta, Gibraltar, Britain, Newfoundland, West Indies, the Dominion of Canada, Pitcairn Island, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, then New Zealand, Australasia, and the Indian Empire. That is the true order of the day as ruled by the sun, rather than the navigator. As a matter of fact, we in New Zealand shall be singing the National Anthem 24 hours too soon, or one day before the anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne. It is, however, too late now to make tbe alteration. I would suggest that the three verses to be sung should be printed in the New Zealand Herald some days before the 20th of June, and if the children of the day aud Sabbath schools were supplied with the anthem, it would do very much to increase both the loyalty of the subject, as well as to popularise and make known the suggestion.—l am, etc., David Nield.

THE SCHOOL FOR MAORI GIRLS. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,l cannot agree with the Rev. Mr. Mac Murray's suggestion, because it hardly conies up to the expressed wish of the Queen. The natives as a rule are not so poor as the Europeans; indeed in some parts they are what may ■be considered, with their large landed estates, wealthy, and as a good deal has been done iu the way of schools and institutions for them, they ought to be prepared to do something for. themselves in the matter of a girls' school. If we want to relieve prior and suffering humanity, let us have a Convalescent Home tor the use of both races, an institution admitted to be greatly aud urgently needed by the medical practitioners iu this province. The natives have not much real ground of complaint; there has always been a disposition to treat them well. What we do ou this occasion should be for the benefit of the poor and afflicted of all nationalities.— am, etc., Veritas.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— I see by Archdeacon Dudley's manifesto published yesterday, that he intends to ask the members of the Church of England to give their offerings on the 20th of June to some one object, and, that in terms commendatory rather than mandatory. The Archdeacon recommends a certain object, I think, however, that an existing institution stands out prominently as a suitable recipient of such offerings, i allude to the rebuilding in brick of the Orphan Home, or at least of' the dormitories. This has been mentioned frequently of late years at the annual meeting of the subscribers. Two years ago the Primate specially recommended it, as did also His Excellency Lord Glasgow on two separate occasions. Objection has frequently been takeu to pressing the claim upon the general public, as the Home is purely a Church of England institution, and for that reason it seems specially to recommend itself to the liberality of churchgoers on the 201 h June.

The object mentioned by the Archdeacon, .6., the building ot a school for native girls is an excellent one. The offer of the Native School Board to give a site on the St. Stephen's estate is commendable, as it complies with their duties and functions, but there are one or two points on which consideration is necessary. 1. In the definition of the objects of St. Stephen's school there is no limitation to the male sex of the benefits of the valuable endowments, therefore what is now suggested by the Archdeacon is already provided for. 2. The endowments of that school consists of a valuable landed estate steadily increasing in income, and within measurable distance of time likely to become of enormous capital value, while the endowment of the Orphan Home consists of a sum of money on which the rate of interest is steadily decreasing. 3. The income of the native school is so far in excess of its present requirements that annual additions are being made to the capital, while the usefulness of the Orphan Home is materially hampered by the necessity of limiting its accommodation for want of means. 4. In all likelihood the section of the population from which are drawn the iumates of the native school will not increase nearly so rapidly as that which will supply the future recipients of the beuefits of the orphan home. Finally, the orphan home appears to exactly comply with the indications given by the Queen herself as to the direction which in her desire should be taken by her loyal subjects in the exercise of charity on this occasion. I hope that if Archdeacon Dudley does not quite coincide with the suggestion made in this letter, he will at any rate before the 20th June give the congregation an opportunity of expressing their wishes on the subject ; and I would ask him to earnestly consider whether he would not be philanthropic in recommending the removal of such a death trap as now exists at St. Stephen's Orphan Home at Parnell. —I am, etc,, Anglican, Auckland, May 26th, 1897.

HER MAJESTY'S TITLE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,— have beeu much interested in your articles, and communications thereupon, relative to the above subject, which has been in my mind for some time. It is very doubtful what weight our opinions out here may have at home, but if you will allow me, I will give mine for what they may be worth. It seems to me that this Record Reign Celebration is the fitting occasion for placing the chief stone in the edifice of the British Empire. When Her Majesty ascended the Throne it was that of a kingdom, which has now extended and developed into a world-wide empire, universally acknowledged as such. We speak of "The British Empire." "The Imperial Government," "Imperial Parliament," "Imperial Army," and now is it not obvious that these terms "Empire" and " Imperial" as much imply an Imperial Head as the terms "Kingdom" and " Regal" do a King or Queen Regnant. Therefore, why not now recognise this fact, and proclaim Her Majesty's title as follows: "Victoria, D.6., of the British Empire, Empress of the United Kiugdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Colonies. Queen, Fid. Def, Empress of India." The greater contains the less. This title embraces everything, and sigiis the , consolidation of the empire. As you have pointed out the Imperial' title : is not- inconsistent with free institutions, as vide Germany and Austria at I the'present time,' and-notably France under the Second Empire. * I believe that there is

even now precedent for the assamtitirf'J the Imperial title by the British SoiSL!' though I cannot just now recall' th»d»& : Finally, I cannot but think that the - of the Empire to Her Majesty touiiml2! title would be the most fitting coaramJ?tion of this wonderful year-and JSS' am, etc., ,