SCOTT MEMORIAL PRIZES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14040, 24 April 1920, Page 4

SCOTT MEMORIAL PRIZES.

PRESENTATION--'BY SIR JAMES ALLEN. In response to a pressing invitation by His the Mayor and the Chairman of the Scott Memorial Trustees (Mr V. Milnor. M.A.), Sir James Allen paid a short visit to Oamaru today for the purpose of presenting' the Scott Memorial prizes to the winners. Prior to the ceremony Sir James Allen was entertained .at luncheon .by the Chairman of the Trustees at the Queen's Hotel. The function - was given a civic character, the Mayor ami Councillors of the Borough and the Chairman and members of the AVaitaki County Council, as well as other official dignitaries, being present. Otherwise. I the function was of an informal character and the toast-list necessarily of the briefest description.' Host AY. -Jones put "On an excellent luncheon, to which ample-justice was done by the company. Mr Milner. who presided, in suitable and brief terms fra.ve the toast of "The King,' 'which was heartily received and diunk with musical honors. His Worship then asked the company to honor the toast of their ex-, teemed and distinguished guest, Sir James Allen, who. as they were aware, was .just on the eve of his departure for *t,he Motherland to assume the duties of the office of High Commissioner. During his long and distinguished Parliamentary* career Sir .James had always commanded the respect of'political friend and opponent alike. That feeling became intensified during the progress of the. war. and on its success--<tul conclusion into one of admiration for -the man who. with remarkable power of initiation and direction, called; forth under sudden, difficult, and unprecedented conditions such a splendidly efficient organisation for Empire defence as the New Zealand Expeditionary Force... Sir James had instantly realised the sunreme importance of a maximum effort on the part of this Dominion in the hour of the Empire's peril, and with unwearied and unwavering- tenacity of purpose, directed his- efforts and the resources of the country in Vtlie interests of an Allied victory'. The responsibilities of his office of Minister of War were made doubly onerous by the absence in England for a great part of : the time the war was in progress of the co-leaders,of the Cabinet. Sir James had to bear alone'the brunt of hostile and unfair •criticism which his war measures received at J-he hands of short-sighted and unpatriotic factions in the Dominion. They were all glad that his'spirit and determination never wavered, and that from having been the mgst abused he became the mast eulogised Minister of the Cabinet. He 'was leaving New Zealand to take up a new role in the service of the country. He had beaten his sword into a ploughshare a net his spear into a pruning- hook. He will look after-the commercial interests of the Dominion in the markets of the world, and help the development of its peaceful industries. His high qualifications would eWable"' him to fill his new office with credit to himself and satisfaction to the Dominion. The earnest wish was that he might, be 1 -: spared for many happy and useful years in the grateful service of the country. - The toast,was greeted with applause jand musical honors..

Sir .Tames Allen, on rising to respond, was_greeted with applause. He said he thanked them very sincerely for their kindness in asking him to meet them at lunch, and for the appreciation expressed, by his Worship the Mavor of any services < that he had rendered to the Dominion. He was also pleased to seethem again and say au' revoir. for he would only say an' revoir, because he hoped at the end of his term of office as High Commissioner to return to New Zealand and spend many, happy years hero. He had only interpreted the spirit of New Zealand called up by the ;war in what he did in regard to tlie de'spatch of Ne"w Zealand's Expeditionary Force. ,; TF there was"s o'ne thing more than any other that distinguished New Zealand- ijt was loyalty. The people were loyal to themselves, their country, and their Empire,' They'enjoyed more, freedom than the people of any other country, no matter how democratic" it might be. The Prince of Wales; who was coming here, would ultimately become their King, but his would be a/constitutional monarchy. They had in their limited monarchy power of Parliament, and the wellbeing of; the people: they had a -..Constitution better than was possessed by even the great democracies.,, He hoped, that thev would combine.\ tos -enjoy the privileges conferred l>v 'the-Constitution.- Whereyej>*"ne had gone he had found a. strong feeling of loyalty. There was some little "dis-loyalty,-but it was moreapparent than real. ■ There were some who thought they iycre Bolsheviks; but i hat sentiment did not-spring from the heart, but from the" imagination.. They, had to .educate the people so., that anv dangers of that kind might be averted. The people should ho alive to* the fact that work was necessary and ..prepared to work. For himself ho had found that work did not kill if the collar did not hurt, > and the heart was yi the work. All that was neeesary to make New Zealand the ha.ppiest.and the most prosperous country in the world; was to " cultivn.te'fthe spirit of devotion to duty,. /He did not know much 1 -about the work of i the office of the High Commissioner, but'he knew tha* there was somethingbeyond trade and commerce. The Dominion had its duty to** the Emnird in the matter of its sea-power.--They must keep the sen-ways open. He hoped that the League of Nations would- pnevent wax,in' the fiiture, but'.with\the ahseneo ofthe United States it was impossible tosnv ■'iwhnt:might happen. There was likely t6

be', some difficulties h\ keeping §,iM sea-ways of - commercial* i ntercoiirM tie; believed New Zealand "part. The. kind references t.hat* been to His ;work raiseu Jijj'l of the respansibJitiesot .the office'ij! going'to enter upon. He ho would disehariio his diUio.S] satisfaction of the people ,in'(|'<Hfjj who had appointed him. He wjjl ing away confident'vt-bat the <-Jj' would t prosper, and he hopcl t]) || exports would double, and incrojJSj work oT the Jlitrh Cominissyf office. _ , .!§ This closed ihe function. ! r| The presentation (if prizes tookii afterwards in the Opera House M . presence of a large gathering, 'gjjjj Alien, who made the ■prreeiit«tiWi livered an address, for wliich. yy thanked, the audience carrying tion.by acclamation. * . Sir James afterwards left bv njs car for the South. '