SCHOOLBOYS HONOURED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 10

SCHOOLBOYS HONOURED.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S VISITS

CHARACTERISTIC SPEECH.

" I have been living during the past week in an atmosphere of schoolboys, and a very pleasant atmosphera it has been," said the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, at the " speech day " ceremony of King's College, last evening. "I have been giving away prizes since last Monday afternoon (applause), and I have come to the conclusion there must be a great many learned and good .boys in New Zealand to have won the largo number of prizes that have passed through my hands." His Excellency said he had often wished during the week that he had been a schoolboy 'himself, because he realised the more he saw of the schoolboy it was the happiest time of his life. (Applause.) He did not go to & public school himself, because he went to sea too young. The average schoolboy had so much to think about that he was bound to have a happy time, except for occasional visits to the headmasters study, over which he would draw a veil. (Laughter.) What he would like to say to the boys was, "Do not miss opportunities, which come again." While at school they had the opportunity of learning much t that would be of infinite use to them in their lives, and., they 'had the opportunity" of having their characters developed by men whose business it was to do it. They learnt also the value of leadership and of playing the game for the sake of their side and not of themselves. By this they would be going a long way to learning the lessons of life and be useful citizens of the Dominion and the Empire. (Hear, hear.) " Professor Dettmann has told you there is no time-limit for my speech, but if you knew how much talking I 'havedone this week you would say there must be," Lord Jellicoe continued. "The boys of the preparatory school, of tender years, are here, and I hold the view that they ought to go to bed before nine o'clock. (Laughter and applause.) It is now ten minutes past nine. Otherwise I would have gone on until I tired .you out." His Excellency concluded by saying how delighted he was to take part in a ceremony like this. Those who had not got prizes would no doubt get them next time, and those who got prizes would no doubt get more next time. (Laughter and applause.)