PRESENTATION OF A FLAG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15769, 18 November 1914, Page 10

PRESENTATION OF A FLAG.

THE OLD AND THE NEW HERNE BAY. On - behalf of the pupils of the Heme Bay Council School, Kent. England, the Rev. Knowles Kempton yesterday afternoon presented the pupils of the Heme Ray school at Bayfield with a. Union Jack bearing :tho former school's crest. The children. ! were assembled around the school's flagi polo at a-quarter past two o'clock, when • the Rev. Kempton explained to them that the gift was one which carried with it J the best wishes and kindliest feelings of | their young comrades in England. Heme j Ray, in New Zealand, had been named J after Heme Bay, Kent, England, and it was only natural that those living in' old Heme Bay were interested in and desired to fraternise with those living in new Heme Bny. Last Empire Day the school children there wished to convey , their love and esteem to the school children : here, and so they decided to send over j a Union Jack, with the following message : ;—" Brothers and sisters, we love you and ; we send this to you asking you to help | us that we may, both here and in New | Zealand, do nothing that may dishonour our great Empire, but strive to do that which us right and noble and good, so ; that we may make strong sons and daugh- ; ters of the greatest Empire the world has ever seen." After Mr. H. J. Short, chairman of the Ponsonby Schools' Committee, and Dr. Florence Keller, a member of the committee, had formally accepted the gift and thanked the Rev. Knowles Kempton, the flag was hoisted and the National Anthem sung. Amidst cheers, Mr. Short then announced that as the afternoon had so far advanced the children could have a half-holiday. Owing to the recent death of Earl Roberts, the new flag was flown at halfmast only.