Poverty Bay Herald GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1912. A NOTABLE VISITOR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12772, 25 May 1912, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald GISBORNE, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1912. A NOTABLE VISITOR.

New Zealand will: have the opportunity of welcoming to .hi 1 shores on Monday next a general of the British Army who fired, the imagination and won the esteem of every citizen of the Empire by his heroic' . .defence: ?of Maf eking. Mafeking— the wor^, conjures up memories of that seventeenth of May twelve years ago when the firebell m Gjis^orne pealed all afternoon the "glad tidings of the triumph of the brave little Rhodesian garrison, when staid \ citizens nearly went delirious with joy," an esteemed clergyman, since gathered to his fathers, parading tlie "town m his little .one-horse trap, ringing a dinner bell, and others performing equally irresponsible acts. . Then m the evening there were fire-works :^and torchlight pro : cessions, and if Gisborne did not attain to the height of aelirium that was reached m the cities it,' at anyrate, rose to a degree of enthusiasm never previously equalled, and which has not since been eclipsed. In the chief cities of the Empire, and especially m London, joy unspeakable was .shown by the multitudes that night, who -let loose' their feelings m that particular, form of demonstration which, led to the t coining of a new'word m the .English' . language— mafficking. The streets were pandemonium. iVll the main arteries were packed with a surging mob of yeling people, taking no liee<l for themselves and little for the safety of others. Next morning the people woke up to find that the streets were littered \with paper, >: and torn and smashed hats and tiny .flags and BadenPowell 1 tokens and things. And then Everybody wondered why they had gone mad. Great victories, had been previously won and duly celebrated with bonfires and fireworks, with speechifying, /and cheerpg in.a truly enthusiastic and yet decorous mannei 1 ; but the tidings of Mafeking gave ride' to feelings that could hot be controlled, and resulted m such an, outburst _ as led foreigners to question {i lie sanity of; the . British people. •The hero qi it all is to be amongst us next week, and we only regret that he is not coming to Gisborne so that this community should, have the privilege of giving him a truly. British welcome. He has been most warmly received m Australia, and we have, no. doubt New Zealanders will show him they have not forgotten the vbrave^ exploits of the ; little garrison which kept 'tlie. flag flying. Speaking iri; Sydney last week, on the anniversary of the relief of Mafeking, Gfenieral Baden-Powell— ."Bj.P.'V as he was popularly known m the war days — paid a tribute to the . relieving foi'ce, comprising Aos^ftliai 18 and New*. Zea- < landers, thfit \yent to his assistance. He 1 said he not believe tlxat march down through •? Rhodesia Iviao. ever been adequately recognised. It was a most arduous one, and -one made ih the face of great difliculties. In January he had said, m reply \ Jx>. an inquiry ' by Lord Roberts, that s^afelcihg could hold o«rt till May 18. . Anicl qji May 18 they "were relieved, ' ,Lord| lifphei'ts most punctual. But ,he cc^lctv not have been punctual if the fnen«he' sent had 'riot put their heart and. soiil iin,to l the work. As a matter fo facti- t*hey "could have held out m Mafeking i,V [.for '; • : anothei' week. There had been casualties^ among them, and the provisions. .jwei"e riot, *' conse-' quently, exhausted as quickly as he had expected. At all events, they were very glad to be relieved as -they were,- Tlie tGi-eneral then went- on" to tell. of the. incidents of the siege .and by illustrations; showed the straits, to which ithe garrison were put to to provide themselves with munitions of war,.' and to protect themselves from the sheila which were hurled . into > the town ; the W9nderful bravery of the women and children during the try-; ing time ; ' the tricks , adopted to deceive the enemy as to the strength of the defence, and other features Tof the resistance made : by the force. It must .have been a most interesting narrative. The main,7*purpose of the General's visit,, however, is to stir up interest m the Boy Scout . movement, •wliiph, riinder his leadership and organisation Ms attained such wonderful dimensions throughout • the world.' He is endeavoring to slimy what is back, of the idea which is bringing out these khaki-clad youths, '{^c,., put |ii>|o- the boys," he said, at Sydney, ' "tne spirit which must be the; proper groundwork on which to base th^e. -.military training that is to follow. , Lord Kitchener laid it down m his report; on, Australian defence that the riglit -spirit Avas essential, to the sviccess of the .scheme. The spirit of the subordination of one's own will, of .self-sacrifice, of 'honor, is not born m a boy. We take them at an impressionable age, and put that spirit into them. It must co^me from a sense of duty and loyalty to their officers and to the country, and be brought about by discipline. It is a good movement and a crowning triumph for the brave British general who initiated it.