A LEADING PART

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26904, 16 October 1948, Page 7

A LEADING PART

BRINGING ’ WORLD PEACE

EMPIRE’S RESPONSIBILITIES STRESSED BY KING

N.Z.P.A.—Copyright LONDON, Oct. 14. The King, in a speech welcoming the dominion Prime Ministers and other Commonwealth representatives at a Buckingham Palace dinner party last night, emphasised the leading part the Commonwealth could play in bringing peace. “I welcome these meetings,” the King said K “ because I set high value on personal meetings between those responsible for guiding our affairs in different parts of the Commonwealth. For myself, I specially welcome such meetings in London, for this gives me the opportunity to meet and talk with my Ministers from countries overseas.

“ Nevertheless I hope the opportunity will be found to hold some of our meetings in other Commonwealth capitals. “This evening has a very great historical significance, because never before have my predecessors or myself entertained simultaneously the chief Ministers of no fewer than nine Governments, but beneath this outward significance of our gathering lies something of far greater importance. * You, among you, are charged with the good government of more than 500,000,000 souls. This is a solemn thought, illustrating the immense direct responsibility which lies on you in your deliberations. “ The world to-day is in a state of terrible distress.” the King continued. “And the peoples of the world look almost despairingly to their chosen governors to bring order out of disorder and to. bring, peace,. The great majority of people look also to our own association of peoples—our Commonwealth of Nations—to play a leading part in the process. ®We must not fail them, for by our example we can help them feel that brotherly love is hot gone from the world. “ The self-governing members of our Commonwealth always embrace the peoples of different upbringing, social backgrounds, and religious beliefs. They have all had this in common—they were peace-loving democracies in which the ideals of political liberty and personal freedom were jealously and constantly preserved. Whatever outward form our Commonwealth may assume in the future the principles which inspire it must prevail in the world. I am confident that in your coming deliberations you will work to this end.”