LORD BADEN-POWELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20800, 17 February 1931, Page 9

LORD BADEN-POWELL.

DEFENDER OF MAFEKING.

APPRECIATION IN AUCKLAND.

GIFT MADE MANY YEAR'S AGO.

The visit of Lord ' Baden-Powell to Auckland this week recalls thjafc on the occasion of the relief of" Mafeking in 1900 the people of Auckland paid a striking tribute to Lord Baden-Powell as the defender of Mafeking. The circumstances are recalled by Mr. J. W. Shackelford, who writes:—"l would like to remind your readers that Auckland rejoiced when the news of the relief of Mafeking was announced, and certain Auckland citizens, the late Messrs. A. C. Caughey, J. P. Hooton, H. M. Smeeton and W. E. Hutchison, with Messrs. R. S. Abel and J. W. Shackelford, were dining in the old restaurant so we|l known as Dalian's, in Queen Street, and immediately took up a collection of Is each from other gentlemen present and further collected, in shillings only, nearly £3OO, so spontaneous was the admiration of Baden-Powell's gallantry. The gentlemen named formed themselves into a committee and arranged with the late Mr. Suefert, whose inlaid work is so well known and appreciated, to execute an escritoire of New Zealand woods with a view of Auckland harbour inlaid. This, with a, very handsome silver casket on a solid greenstone mount, was forwarded to Lord (then General) Baden-Powell, in the name of the citizens o? Auckland." The following letter was received from. Lord Baden-Powell: —"I wish to express to the citizens of Auckland and to yourselves my deep gratitude for the generous appreciation of such services as my force was able to render in South Africa, and also for the very handsome mementoes with which you have betokened that appreciation. Your Agent-General, the Hon, W. P. Reeves, presented me with the casket and escritoire at a banquet given by the Anglo-Saxon Club, as arranged by Mr. Graham Lloyd, last night. Many prominent New Zealanders honoured the occasion by their presence. "I can only say, briefly, that such work as we did in South Africa is in no way worthy of the high, recognition which you have accorded it. But the generous good feeling which prompted the peoplo of Auckland to send me thftse beautiful works of art .is strongly reciprocated by me, and, I am sure, by the South Africans and others with whom I was associated in Mafeking. This _ feelinjj forms one of those-many ties which now happily exist between the cplonies, and are.all the stronger for being the natural, unofficial outcome of a high mutual regard. For we, in South Africa, were all agreed as to the particular excellence of the New Zealanders as brave fighting men, who did their duty with marked cheeriness as well as devotion. "Therefore I feel that to be honoured by New Zealand is an honour of more than usual value. And it is not onlv from Auckland, but from all parts of New Zealand and from all. sections of society there that I have received tokens of kindness and goodwill, for which I am deeply grateful. And these particular presents which you have sent to me, will, I need scarcely say,_ be treasured by me and by'my family with the greatest affection and pride. lam delighted to And myself the possessor of so beautiful a casket with its massive greenstone pedestal, and of lio rare and unique a work of art as the inlaid escritoire of New Zealand woods. I beg to thank you, geritlemen, and through you tha people of Auckland for your great kindness to me."