THE FLAG OF EMPIRE.

Otago Witness, Volume 06, Issue 2899, 6 October 1909, Page 14

THE FLAG OF EMPI RE.

i _____ CAVERSHAM SCHOOL PRESEMTA- : tion. : Six hundred scholars of ihe Cav-ersham i School wtg massed in the playground on the 27th ir.hiant to v.'itno-.s tiis pie«onfcilion ro the- sc.icol of the flag s- lit from the C<nersham School In England, to vwiirh school, it v. ill ho ieii:c nb^r^d, tlu local c chco! scm3 htt'o tircc a^o, despatched a, \ Xo*v Zealand "eg. T't.prc was prr-scnt, i:i addition, a good gathc-rirg of parents as:d frier.-ds, amongst whom \\-ere the Hon. T. Ferpriw (cha.irr.Mn of t'io Ora^o Education Boujd), llr T. K. F'.loy M.P., Roy. P. Duitton, Citnon Kin?, Dr Houa.vl. M.R.C.S., Mr JaT"S Chr-'-iTlicld ilaf^ c' f'avcr«h<i r .i, EngiarH), and ileisi, W. Mi'r.?, M.A., Ha^'i Fox, A. Barnell, C. S. Phillips, arid J. 11. B-O'vn. The Committco was represented Ly .Messrs K. 11. Todd and 0. J. Thorn, i'oa fo/mor of wkom occupied the c-hair, in the absence c: the chairman of the commutes (Mr A. Ai'sUn). An anoloqy was received from Mr G. C. Israel. A short musical programme of national and patriotic songs \. a., gene through, th? first item hcinsr Thomas Bracken's "'Gcd of Nations," which washing by the whole school. W. Peinbcr Rcevc-s's ipoem " Kew Zealand " was then recited by Miss Nellie Rutherford, this item being followed by the sorjjr " Sons of the Southern Gross " (Tboraton Stewart), sung by the scholars. A short dedicatory poem, entitled " The Children's Song," K*ich bad /been recited at the Caversharu Sabool, England, on the occasion of the ceremony there, was sriven by Miss Gwen Cuttle. < Mr S. C. Phillips, whose boy-hood was j spent at Redding, England, half a-mile from the older Caversham, then, in a neat speech, presented, on behalf of the donors, ! the flag to the school, taking occasion to refer to old boyhood associations, and ] ale© to impress upon his hearers ihe Im- < perial moment of the exchange. < Mr Todd, on behalf of the school, for- 4 ma% accepted th© flag, which was at once hoisted and received with the ; "general salute" by the buglers of tho 1 Cadets And the- chorus of " Rule Britannia " * by the -school, s Th© Hon. T. Fergus, in the course of t a brief speech, first expressed the pride \ • J»- feft f* -**» manner in, f hicb the childreh, ♦ fafd t«oßiTed tfafe Si^— Jibe «m«eni of i£ai - 7 p*r^-%hich represeiHeU & greit deal to , them; ' There newt* vim » tun* when this * ffc« had «*fe^ber ito#oria)nbe ,tli«o now. If * IheAttglo-SAxoftra^^ which «^y iuti tVe t hbtf&K » 4» 1» * pvrtf -%m •to jfehiSa ' 4t» fc predon>m*nce thay wonW h*»e to «a hand B m hand and liave » -4lKMx>ugi for „ that flag, wlrioh ««4 fefie»'ti»e emUem of °. freedom smoe ejrer firitiin «»Be feom flic -* ware*. He would like to cc» this feetihg d grow owl more exchanges tike place. 33be V tbowsh* ateo tfaftt it would do » T«wy erect p

deal of good if members from the principal -education institutes -were to be exchanged with correc,7onding "institutions in the Old Land or Other British possessions, so that they might promote a ekwulation of knowledge and -ideas among the different portions of the Enroire. F« concluded by hoping that tn© flag would ever be taicea care of and honoured and bhat the boys would always be ready to lend aid and support to it in the future. Mr T. K. Side?, M.P., Rev. D. Button, and Canon Kin^ also spoke briefly on Imperial and patriotic lines. As one who had been present at the unfurling of tihe Caversham School Stag in England, Mr A. -Barnett a brief description -of the scene and ceremony. He had been surprised and pleased «* the interest taken in the event by the gentry of the country, who had been present in force. Ke assured his hearers that NewZealand was highly thought of in England and he exhorted the pupils to so ' live as not to cause that confidence and trust to On the initiative of Mi Thorn votes of thanks were accorded the chairman (Mr Todd), and the Hon. T. Fergus for their presene-a, and M* A. Barnetfc for his granting- 400 postcards of the English <3aversham School to tiie pupils. Photcs. of the older school were shown to visitors during tie afternoon. The ceremony concluded with tiie singing of 4l God save the King."