EMPIRE LEADER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23828, 2 December 1940, Page 9

EMPIRE LEADER

MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL AUCKLAND GREETINGS INSPIRING REPLIES "LOYALTY AND COURAGE" A fine tribute to the Empire's war lender, the Rt Hon. Winston Churchill, on the occasion of his 66th birthday, was paid on Saturday night at a public meeting in the Town Hall, from which cablegrams of greeting wore, sent to the British Prime Minister in .Maori and English. Special arrangements enabled replies from Mr. Churchill to be received and read befoie the meeting dispersed. The gathering owed its inspiration to the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, who presided over an attendance of about 1500, I including representatives of local bodies and patriotic organisations, and a large muster of the Women's National Service Corps. Among those on the platform were Mr. Justice l 1 air, Mr. Justice Johnston, Brigadier P. H. Bell. D.5.0., general officer commanding the northern military district, and Mr. H. lai Mitchell, of Rotorua, representing the Maori race.

The Auckland Choral Society, conducted by Mr. Colin Muston, led the singing of patriotic anthems and songs. Text o! Messages The Mayor, who referred to Mr. Churchill as "the man whom Providence has found to lead the Empire in this hour of peril,'' moved that the following resolution be cabled to him: "That this meeting of citizens, held in the Town Hall, Auckland, on the occasion of the 66th birthday of the lit. Hon. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain, extends to him its heartiest congratulations and expresses the fervent hope that hewill be long spared to continue to direct the Kmpire's cause, which, with the support of every political section in the British Commonwealth of Nations, we are confident will bring victory to our arms." The motion having been carried with enthusiasm, Mr. Mitchell read a message in Maori and English which it had been decided to transmit on behalf of the Maori race. The English version was as follows: —''Greetings to the fighting warrior, to the rock who stands immovable by the mighty waves of the seas. Greetings to you on this your birthday. Hold fast to the prestige and might of the Empire within the Mother--1 aiiil the fortified citadel of the faith, the plighted word and the home of the single voice. Greetings to the man who beaconises the principles of love and j goodwill among the nations of the I world, great or small. God bless you! i Live on. live on, 0 great and heroic Knglishman! The Maori people are with vou heart and soul and in all humility to the end, to serve our King and our | country in defence of our high heritage, I the Treaty of Waitangi." Mr. Churchill's Replies

! A telegraph messenger was conducted •to the platform at 9 p.m. and delivered two cabled replies from Sir. Churchill. These were read by the Town Clerk, Mr. J. Melling, and Mr. Mitchell respectively. | The cablegram to the citizens was in the following terms:—"Pray convey to the people of Auckland my warm i thanks for their message on my birthIdav. The future of the whole world deI petids upon our victory, and if we all 1 stand together in loyalty and courage 1 feel sure that it will be won." Mr. Churchill's reply to the message from the Maori people wan as follows: i "My warmest thanks to the people of 'the" Maori race. 1 am touched and , honoured by the kindness and enI coiiragement of the message they have I sent me on my birthday from their faroff island home. I also saw a few weeks j a<io the splendid Maori soldiers marching past on English soil and eagerly awaiting a chance to strike at the invader should he dare to come. The Treaty of Waitangi shows that justice and peace can be made to reign under the nag of freedom." The reading of the cablegrams was received with loud applause, and Mr. Muston, on his own initiative, led the choir and audience in "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," which was most heartily sung. Mayor's Action Appreciated In the interval between the despatch and receipt of the cablegrams, Mr. L. K. Munro delivered an address on the character and career of Mr. Churchill. "Let us praise to-night," ho said, "a famous man —a man of infinite resource and infinite courage; ti mighty j orator who dares to tell our people the truth and rouse them to greater efforts; | a man of action who will leave no stone unturned to achieve final victory. His . | life has been a battle. His example is an . | inspiration. The greatest honour we can do him is so to live and act that- we , hasten the victory for which he lias dedicated his life." A vote of thanks to the Mayor for . calling the meeting was carried by . 1 acclamation on the motion of Mr. H. T. Gibson, chairman of the patriotic societies' central committee. The motion stated that the Mayor's action had the whole-hearted support of the overwhelming majority of citizens, who sank their political opinions in their loyalty to the Empire and its cause.

GIFTS FROM MAORIS CIGAR BOX AND STAFF Two birthday gifts which are to be sent to Mr. Winston Churchill from the Maori race were displayed at the citizens' meeting in the Town Hall on Saturday night. Brought to Auckland by Mr. H. Tai Mitchell, of Ilotorua, tiiey are fine specimens of modern Maori art. One is a delicately carved box of native timber, suitable in size for holding a supply of Mr. Churchill's favourite Targe cigars. The surface design is embellished with inlays of paua The other gift is a ceremonial staff about as long as a riding-crop, elaborately decorated with carving in a traditional style. At the upper end is a grotesque head with protruding tongue and eyes of greenstone. An inscription on a silver band states the circumstances in which the gift has been madb. The box and staff will be forwarded to England as soon as possible. NATIONAL PARTY MESSAGE ADM 1 RATION OF LEADERSHIP [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Saturday On the occasion of Mr. Churchill's C6th birthday to-dav, the Dominion Council of the New Zealand National Party forwarded the following cable-p-rani:—"The New Zealand National Partv and Parliamentary Opposition extend birthday felicitations ai;d express profound admiration for your inspiring leadership of the Empire, and of the spirit of the British people, and also confidence in ultimate victory."