HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14457, 25 February 1909, Page 2

HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.

SCHOOLS EXCHANGE FLAGS. As the result of correspondence that lias been carried on for ecn-.e time pact, the Cavorsham School. Dimolin, and the school at Cavorsham, Oxfordshire, England, have agrocd to exchange flags. Yesterday afternoon, at the local school, the [miction of saluting the flap, preparatory to its bring despatched to "IJiitain, took place, 'iho children were assembled on the playground, tho school cadets, in uniform, being in thocentre, and the Chairman c:\the School Committee (Mr C. J. Thorn), briefly explained the purpose of the gathering. The exchange of flag? with an English school was, he thought., a hanpy innovation, and ono that he hoped would not be lost Eight of by other schools in the Dominion. "The flag," lie said, ''will now be hoisted, and you will sahtiie."

Tho school flag was then run up, and, as the eehool buglers sounded the genera! salulo, the cadets smartly privenkd arms.

Tho B.ev. Mr Dutton congratulated the children on such a splendid day for such a splendid function. The valne of i!i» flag lay in tho fact tiiat it was symbolical of the loyalty of the British -people to their King ahd country. It represented tho fact that they were children of the Einnire, and. although there were thousands of miles between Girershain in Now Zealand and Cavorsham in England, that which the flag stood for bound them together just as it did all parks of the groat Empire. The Komaii Empire had been a great and famous one, but it was a very small cue indeed when compared with the strong and mighty British Umpire. They should rally round the flag, as millions of other children were rallying round it, ail over the world, for it was a bond binding every British child to every other British child. The reverend gentleman told many stirring talcii of things done in defence and glorification of the flag wherever British people had ventured, and said that the flag stood for Bri;i;h honour, and that no one could conscientiously salute the flag if he were dishonourable.

Mr T. K. Si:ley, M.P., spoke of the immiwr in which the children derived benefit, by occasionally leaving (heir !(w:uns and interesting themselves iii other things. He supposed that they did net know until very recently that .there was another Caversham in the world. They knew well .enough now, however, and what 'was more, there was a gentleman ;>: wenl. (Mr Phillips) who had lived in Reading, quite clc.:e to' Caversham, in England, and he ku:iv the town very well indeed. He (Mr Sidey) had just discovered that day that his partner (Mr Collier) was a Reading man, and he, too, knew Cavorsham well. It was somewhat .puzzling to know how Cavcrshaln here was named. He thought it had probably been" called by that mime by Mr -falpy, who was settled in Cavershaui a great many years ago, and who also was a Reading man. That explanation tore greater weight when i! was nuireinbercd thai Mr Vulpy namwl Eorhtiry, after a big garden in Reading. As for" the original Cavcxsham. it would he difficult indeed lo trace it* It was hsard of almost as early as EngliVh history was heard of. and the town was certainly more than 1000 years old.

Mr G. S. Phillips referral to Cavenliam in England, and said that -ho remembered the clays lie had snout there with grjafc pleasure. He was delighted that it hod been arranged to exchange the. school flag.;, and, just as lie was nrcormt to s»e the flog here saluted, lie hone;! that his brother, who was as pleased us lie was with the exchange, would <ec a similar function performed in Oxfordshire. Ho would ghidlv undertake any duty that might ivJst iii bringinV about further com-uimicaJMu letween (ho children.

Mr G C Wl acdrc-d tho children briefly, dwelling en the o' IK uniis of Ihe Empire, situated thousand! of mile-, apart, kcepin.ir in constant and triend.y iiMereourse widi each 0(,i,, c „- Other gentlemen pmnit were ifes W. -Milne. R. Todd, aJ id 3an K (t The function concluded with' llie sinpg a. verse of the National AtilWi and giving three cheers for th.-. Sit" B or ! mg tb proceedings the children" a iiitmbcr of songs. ' °