EMPIRE DAY MESSAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 5

EMPIRE DAY MESSAGE.

ONE KING, ONE FLAG, ONE

* NAVY*

| APPEAL TO THE RISING | ! GENERATION. By Telegraph.— Association.— j (BeceiTed May 27, 10.43 p.m.) J London, May 27„ !The Earl of Meath, through the Empire's press, sends a message urging boys and girls, their parents and j their teachers, to try to realise that the Empire consists of-a majestic] I community of free nations, freelyj governing themselves, and owing its! ; being to the vast sacrifices, enterprise, and valour of our forefathers | —bound togetlftr by one King, one] ! flag, one navy— forming a fedeI ration such as the world has never I known. These allied peoples, he says, look to each other, for practical 'sympathy, protection, and co-opera-tion, and he appeals to the rising generation to be ready in time of need to think, labour, and bear | hardship, to excel in the practice of faith, courage, duty, self-discipline, fair dealing, even justice, good citizenship, loyalty, patriotism, - and sympathy, thus elevating, strengthening, and consolidating the Empire, and the race.

..The, Earl of Meath was the founder of the Empire Day movement. In 1902 and 1903 he proposed the annual celebration of May 24 with a view to the introduction \ in all schools on that day of a moral form, of training having for its aim the inculca- ] tion of the virtues of good citizenship. In 1906 the day was celebrated in 38,336 schools, and by 8,000,000 children. The celebration this year was on a greater scale.