EMPIRE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 36

EMPIRE DAY.

OBSERVANCE IN DUNEDIN. VICTORIA LEAGUE GATHERING. A beautiful floral wreath placed at the loot of the statue of Queen Victoria on Ihe 24th was the simple public recognition of Empire l)ay made by the Dunedin branch of the Victoria League. For many years Empire Day haa been the date of the league’ll annual meeting and social gathering, and this was held in the Early Settlers* Hall in the afternoon. The Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P.) presided over a gathering that taxed Ihe seating accommodation of the hall, and there were also on the platform Sir William and Lady Sun, the Hon. C. E. Statham, Mr P. R. Sargood, and the secretary of the league (Miss E. the formal business of the gathering, the Mayor expressed the appreciation of the executive at the large attendance, and referred to the Empire Shopping Week which was ' o be organised by the league in conjunction with the civic authorities.

LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA. The speaker of the afternoon was the Hon. C. E. Statham, M.P., who gave a vivid and most interesting account of the life of Queen Victoria, illustrating his remarks by numerous apt quotations from correspondence and historic documents. Early in his speech he referred to the time of the death of the Prince Coti--80. t, and quoted the following statement made by Mr John Bright, at a crowded Reform meeting.in St. James’s Hall, Loudon, when Mr Ayrton had made some remarks on her Majesty’s infrequent appearance on public occasions:—“l am not accustomed to stand up in defence of those who are possessors of crowns; but I could not sit here and hear that observation without a sensation of wonder and of pain. I think ttere has been by many persons a great injustice done to the Queen in reference 'to her desolate and widowed position. And 1 venture to say this, that a woman—be she the Queen ot a great realm, or be she the wife of one of your labouring men—who can keep alive in her heart a great -orrow for the lost object of her life and affection, is not at all likely to be wanting in a great and generous symratliy with you. Ihe speech was received with loud and prolonged cheers, and the body of people in the hall rose and saug the National Anthem. , , , _ , . Mr Statham described the Queen s relations with her family and penally with the Prince of Wales, and passed n to speak of her meetings and association with such famous men as Tennyson, Bishop Selwyn, certain Maori chiefs, Addison, Patti, Professor Bell, and Charles Dickens. Of Dickens, she wrote in her journal: “Buckingham Palace, March J. IS7O —I saw Mr Helps this evening at half-past 6, who brought and introduced Mr Dickens, the celebrated author. -Ic id very agreeable, with a pleasant voice and manner. He talked of his latest •works, of America, the strangeness of the people there, of the division of classes in England, which he hoped would get better in time. He felt sure it would come gradually.” “Balmoral, June 11, 1870—I omitted posting in, cn the day I received it, a notice of the death of C. Dickens. Mr Helps telegraphed it. He is a very great loss. He had a large, loving mind and the strongest sympathy with the poorer classes. He felt sure that a better feeling, and much greater union of classes would take place in time. And I pray earnestly it may.” Other matters on which valuable light was thrown were the precautions taken for the Queen’s safety, her manner of asserting her authority, dealings with Disraeli and with Gladstone, her attitude to the Church and to the navy and army. The latter portion of the address dealt with the European wars that took place during her reign and the Queen’s behaviour in relation to them. The following striking passage was quoted from a letter from Queen Victoria to the King of Prussia:—‘TOth April, 1866.—War is ever fearful, but when it is begun from mere objects of ambition, for imaginary affronts and wrongs, it is still more fearful. You are deceived, you are made to believe that .you are to be attacked, and I, your true friend and sistei, hear your honoured name attacked and abused for the faults and recklessness of others —or, rather more* of one man! As you value the life of thousands, as you value the sacred trust, which, as a sovereign, you have in your keeping, of maintaining the peace of the world and of promoting the happiness of your own country and of the rest of Germany, and if you have any regard for the memory of him who was your friend (my beloved husband) and for my affection and friendship—pause before you permit so fearful an act as the commencement of a war, the responsibility %f which will rest on you alone, to be committed.” In closing, Mr Statham paid an eloquent tribute to the late Queen, drawing special attention to her love of justice and her human sympathy, her devotion to doty, her efforts for world peace, her jealousy for the ’. onour of her country, and her love of the British people. GENERAL BUSINESS. Miss E. Jackson appealed for books and periodicals to be distributed amongst the settlers in outlying districts —one of the principal works of the league. Lady Sim announcea the results of the annual essay competition amongst the primary and secondary school children of the province. The subject chosen had been “The Treaty of Waitangi and the Last Maori War. In the secondary division the prizes had both gone to the Waitaki Boys' High School, and the primary schools' competition had been won by two girl, from th« W.ikawa Valley School. Votes of thanks to the speakers and the Mayor were proposed by Mr P. R. Sargood and Sir William Sim. The formal business was then closed, and tea was served, after which a musical programme completed a highly successful gathering.

MESSAGE FROM MR OOATES. WELLINGTON. May 24. In response to the request of the editor of the London Times, Mr Coates despatched the following Empire Day message to London The previous Empire Day issue of The Times contained a message in which Mr Massey, in his last public reference to this subject, reaffirmed New Zealand’s faith in the Empire. It has now become my privilege as his successor to pledge the Dominion’s loyalty anew, and her fixed resolution to assist with all hfr power in the task of Empire building. It will be my constant aim to foster this policy in every possible way. This purpose can best be promoted by measures which will make the country increasingly stronger, and more able to discharge her Imperial obligations. The development work upon which we are engaged will enable us to offer new homes to greater numbers of our kinsmen from the Motherland, and we invite them to come and share with us the work of making this truly the Britain of the Southern Seas. The progress which can be made with this design must depend mainly upon the unity and impair the strength of the Empire. These must be exposed and combated. At the same time we must give great thought to those practical measures which will tend to strengthen the unity. Migration means communication, and mutually beneficial trade advancement policies, if given the united attention of all parts of the Empire, will help to preserve our heritage, and make it more than ever a power for good in the world. More than ever before. “Empire unity” should be the slogan of British citizens. Mr Coates also responded as follows t<r a similar request from the editor of the Empire Mail: — At a time when the heart of the Empire as being assailed by those desirous of undermining its Constitution, I should like, on this anniversary of Empire Day, -to reaffirm the undiminished loyalty of New Zealand to the Crown. We will continue to do everyhting possible to strengthen the unity of the Empire, believing firmly that its basic principles, freedom, and democracy are too valuable to be violated without the sterneet resistance on the part of all patriotic British citizens. A further message to the Daily Express, London, reads as follows: The cardinal needs of the Empire today, in my judgment, are:— 1. A fixed determination on the part of its citizens to preserve inviolate our glorious British heritage .of freedom, and a quickening faith in its mission to promote peace among the nations of the earth. 2 The preservation of our constitution, and the Basic principles upon which it stands. 3. The strengthening of Empire unity by fostering mutual co-operation among its peoples, and the development of our inter-imperial trade relationship. OBSERVANCE IN BRITAIN. LONDON, May 23. The Empire Day number of The Times gives graphic illustrations of the progress of the dominions. Admirable articles deal with the people of the Empire, trade under the flag, finance, transport, defence, produce, agriculture, aviation, and British films. The film question, it suggests, should be discussed at the Imperial Conference. The Prime Ministers of the Empire sent anniversary messages. Mr Baldwin points out that “we, the Mother Country, have emerged from the shadow of a national crisis and come bach into the light, because the people and the nation were united to resist forces which had set themselves to destroy the sacred edifices of the Constitution. Our people not merely fought the cause of Britain, they fought for the whole Empire, because once the heart had become rotten and corrupt the whole being must inevitably have crumbled. Just as the people of the Mother Country stood united in the face of danger, so would the nations of the Empire stand together in the face of a conimon enemy, whether from within or without its gates.” Mr Coates’s message pledges New Zealand’s fixed resolution to assist Empirebuilding by inviting kinsmen from the Mother Land to share in the work of making New Zealand the “Britain of the Southern Seas.” Mr Cosgrave urges a better understanding with the Free State and other portions of the Empire. May A number of Empire Day leaders appear in the London newspapers. The Daily Express is giving prominence to Empire Day messages from Messrs Bruce and Coates. CELEBRATIONS IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY. May 24. The city was beflaggCd to celebrate Emfiire Day. Patriotic addresses were deivered at all the schools and there was a great demonstration at the Queen’s Square which was addressed by the GovernorGeneral. Special services were also held in all the churches.