MESSAGE TO THE KING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16320, 2 January 1924, Page 3

MESSAGE TO THE KING.

A SPEED CONTEST.

SUGGESTED EMPIRE YEAR

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—Onit<xl Press Assn.) SYDNEY, Jan. 1. In connection with the Empire Festival at the Town Hall organised by th© Empire Ddvelopmeint Union much interest was shown in a race between cable and wireless sending a New Year message to thei King. The message is a lengthy one, suggesting that His. Majesty, while the Empire Exhibition is in progress, should proclaim the year 1924 as Empire year, as an encouragement to the people to concentrate on promoting Imperial unity, particularly in the direction of preserving trade within the Empire, also in promoting a better knowledge and closer understanding between various parts of the Empire, and suggesting to this end v the harnessing of wireless and utilising every up-to-date facility. The King has been asked for a favorable reply whereupon the Empire yenr movement could he launched throughput Australia, and the other peoples of the Dominions be. also asked to co-operate. On tho stroke of midnight copies of the message were handed to representatives of the Pacific Cable Co. and the Broadcasting, Ltd., both of which companies had made elaborate preparations to despatch the message and receive a reply.

Twenty minutes after a reply >va.H received from the High Commissioner stating that the message had bean received and was being immediately transmitted to the King, pending whose reply the result of the race is not yet disclosed.