THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1901.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11680, 15 June 1901, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1901.

To-day the Ophir leaves the waters of Waitemata with our Royal guests, bearing them southwards to eagerly waiting cities. From New Zealand, reluctant to lose them and regretful that they cannot wait longer in our midst, they retrace their course to the three Commonwealth States yet unvisited—Tasmania, South and West Australia—thence to steer for the South African colonics and to round the once-Dark Continent for the Canadian Dominion. Some weeks from now our parting Prince will look New Zealand-wards across the great Pacific, Ocean from the opposing shore of Vancouver, having seen in State after State, in Continent after Continent, the unbroken attachment of the overseas British to their ancestral Monarchy. So huge is the Imperial Domain, so vast the distances that lie between its scattered parts, so many and so pressing.the duties which await our Heir-Apparent within the United Kingdom itself that we can hardly hope for a repetition of the unprecedented Progress now being made. It is probable that we may not again have the honour and the happiness of welcoming again in Auckland the eldest son and daughter of King Edward. Bub we hope and believe that, through the long years which we devoutly desire may be vouchsafed to them, they will recall among their kindliest recollections the days of mingled storm and shine they passed in Auckland, that they will tell our King how they have found the loyal affection borne here to his mother continued to him and that they will rear their children in the knowledge that in this distant land and city are ever-increasing thousands of loyal and loving hearts. And we look confidently forward, if an actual repetition of this visit be not possible, that the little Edward, whose seventh birthday his mother will keep sc far from him, will follow in manhood her world-encircling path. For this coming together of our British lands and our British King, in the person of the Heir to the Throne, must become a custom. Not a decade should pass without such a desirable ceremonial, so gratifying to our colonial feelings and so edifying and instructive to the Monarchy. Already facilities for communication are modifying the difficulties of such intercourse. It is not too wild a dream to anticipate that before the (dose of the century the mechanical sciences may have so improved transit that even the British King of a future generation may institute a new order of things and periodically open in person the great local Parliaments which will still control the divisional legislation of a more fully organised Imperial Federation.

We can hardly lay too much stress upon the desirability from every point of view of bringing the Crown and the People into close and intimate acquaintance with each other. The Victorian House has so completely assimilated the national conceptions and so unreservedly identified itself with our national aspirations that there does not existin the whole of Greater Britain any party which is antagonistic to our well-tried Constitution or indisposed to listen earnestly to the cautious suggestions of the King. We would not tolerate for a year such an attitude as that assumed by the German Emperor, which seems to the Anglo-Saxon like a farcical modern imitation of the pretensions which cost the first Charles Ids head and the second James his crown. But in the Victorian House we have a monarchy which is strong in the tactful spirit born of sympathy with the People and of a generous trust in the sterling qualifies of the nation at large. Victoria displayed this tact in every act. Edward is famous for it. George of Cornwall has made for himself in Auckland thousands of personal friends by the unfailing and jrenerous manner in which consideration for others has governed his words and his deeds. And this quality—shared both by Queen Alexandra, who has so long been among the idols of the British nation, and by Princess May, whose youthful beauty is outshone, by her kindliness— is not merely superficial, acquired in a school of deportment as among the requisites of Royalty. but is the natural result of the passionate identification which our Royal Family nas established between itself and the nation. Every worthy movement for the elevation of our people, for the development of our arts, our sciences and our industries, for the elimination of distressful conditions, for the protection of the weak, for the, training of the strong, finds championship in the Victorian House. We have no truer democrats among us than the representatives of our ancient line, to whom the honest working is a subject to be proud of and the dishonest peer a subject to be ashamed of, who have chosen to stand 01 to fall as the People decided, and have found their trust and loyally repaid a thousand-fold. Edward VII. is no puppet-monarch, lie is King of the British nation, the hereditary chief who is trusted to have no ambition save to make his people powerful and happy, prosperous and free. Mis influence is not lessened or contemned because it is exerted in a constitutional manner, by the impalpable but telling effect of his opinions upon his advisers, upon Parliament, upon the public. This monarchical influence bids fair to become stronger and stronger as the

superiority of our monarchical system becomes more and more marked i,v comparison with other > forms of government extant. For it secures the continuity of purpose which else is lacking in Democracy, and without which Democracy is only permane. i v possible uoon a confined and limited scale. Since Royalty has Mich influence it is imperatively ne-c°'-i-arv that it should become per- ; sonaily acmifiintetl with the wide I realm over whose councils jt presides This was seen by Victoria, ' whose long life was passed in watch- . in" over the welfare of her People. It is keenly felt by Edward, whose influence has drawn his daughter-in-law from her little children and sent her anions; us with her husband, our Prince. It will be appreciated by Prince George himself, who will return Home, exceptionally conversant with the social, political and industrial development of Greater Britain, able to advise bis father upon many matters of present Imperial concern and soundly grounded in the , conditions existing throughout the vast dominions whose Imperial guidance may at some future date ■ fall to his lot. None of us will for- . get this Royal visit to Auckland j for long it will be among our con- i slant topics, the children of to-day j will talk of it to their grandchildren i when the century is wearing away, I But to us it stands isolated and | alone, saving as by sympathetic I imagination we follow with our j mind's eye this most wonderful journey. To' the Prince and Princess, j however memorable it may be. it is i but one of a Ion:.; and stirring series j of experiences which in the totality enable them to grasp a clear and real conception of the Empire and by resultant action to serve in the highest manner our dearly-loved Britain, Within and Beyond the Seas.