DEFENCE OF EMPIRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11870, 7 June 1909, Page 7

DEFENCE OF EMPIRE.

STmiING SPEECH BY GOVERNOR.

At the annual Empire; Day celebration m connection with Canterbury College, which' took place on Tlmrsaay, Lord Plunket, on rising to speak, was received with continued . applause. His Excellency said that ih. celebrating Elmpire Day, it was fai" t<k>| often thought and said that Empire Day was created for the. purpose of reminding them of the greatness of the BritishTEimpire, of showing their pride m what their forefathers had done and tlie splendid heritage which- they enjoyed. Were that the main argument for its existence he would like to point out that he looked upon it as more of danger than advantage. But if tliey read the views of its f bun-' ders, they would find that year after year they were bringing forward a very different view, and the celebrations were not characterised by what was .commonly known as "jingoism." ; The main object was to enable t hoso participating m the celebrations to realise their duties and responsibilities. Such being the real object of Empire Da}- it came upon them this year with, very 'special .force, seeing that the whole British "world' had been compelled to. think seriously of the question how best to render the Empire absolutely secure. (Applause.) . They had been compelled ( to consider the question, they must., remember, not from a-n academical point of view, but as a question that must be faced, practically and. promptly. Some .twenty years ago Sir .Charles Dilke, iii '_.- Jtiis '■■" "Problems of Greater .Britain," liad written : "The danger m our path is that the enormous forces of European militarism may crush the Old Country and destroy the integrity ■• of our Empire before the growth of the newer communities that it contains has made it too strong for ati;i<Sk." Tn closing the author had .said : "The result of this survey of Imperial defence is to bring befqreYtho mind a. clearer image of the stupendous potential strength pf the British rtfmpire, and of an equally stupendous carelessness m organising its f>n'ces." That obvious truth still faced them, and that Organisation of the Empire's defence still remained unmade. Recent events in' Europe m connection with the inctSease of naval armaments should proye a blessing m disguise* to the British 1 - Elmpire,, m that it had brought about a conference thai his Excellency believed would prove to be the most valuable colonial conference ever .held, if there was 'still 'a true spirit of unity and a Tefll: readiness for self-sacri-fice existing, m the Empire to-day. (Applause.) That that spirit existed he believed. Ou the occasion of this Ehipire .celebratiod he thought they could express their confidence that it existed and whs steadily growing. . i Canada, was showing signs that she -was pi'epaved to do her paH m affairs of Empire. Australia, partienlarlV now that there was a • prospect of strong government for some time, spoke with more confidence. South Africa was on the point of becoming \mited ; and as for : New Zealand,, words failed him to express his pride m and respect for liter desire to hike a true part m t^te defence of ■ the Empire. (Continued, applause.)