LIFE OF SERVICE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 9

LIFE OF SERVICE

TRIBUTES yOICED CAREER OF KIWG GEORGE V LOYALTY TO SUCCESSOR DOMINION PARLIAMENT HOUSE ADJOURNED (Per Press Association.) WELJ.IXOTOX. last night. The booming of guns from Point Jerningliam shortly before 2.30 o'clock this afternoon amiounced the fact that tne usual ceremonial opening of Parliament was about' to take place. A large crowd had gathered j.u front of Parliament buildings, but the rain kept a number awav. and the alterulauce outside was not "as great as in former years. The .Governor-.G.ejierai Viscou.nl <.!alwav. arrived at the main entrance ol Parliament .buildings at 2.30 p.m.. and after inspecting ijic guard of honour. proceeded to tin- Legislative Council chamber, tjie galleries of which were crowded-

Members of the House of Representatives we.re summoned, and Lord (hilway read the Speech from I lie Throne. The vice-Regal procession then left the chamber, and members of the House of Jiepresenlatives returned to their chiimlier; where .Mr. »'. J. Lyon (Lab.. Waitemata) gave notice of his .intention to move .that a respectful address be presented to'His Excellency hi reply to the Speech froni the

Mr. Speaker amipiincefl that the Governor-.Oeneral .had transmitted to tlie House a message informing members ol the death of King George V.

The Prime ,\l uiisier. the Hon. M. .1. Savage, moved that the message from His Kscellency be recorded in tlie journals of the House.

In doing so Mr. Savage said lie could say without fear that the House would be united in the view that the passing af His late Majesty had taken from the British commonwealth of nations not jnly a beloved monarch, but also a true friend, a friend because he had stood four square for the rigid, of the people io govern, and in those turbulent days if wars and rumours of wars the rigid >f the people to govern was sacred. His Majesty was a beloved monarch. be•ause he gave up the greater part of his lifetime in sharing the sorrows as well is .the joys of his subjects. Members would be united in mourning the loss if a sovereign of that calibre.

During King George's ri.igll of 25 years, continued Mr. Savage, great :hit!lgcs had been made, ami at all limes a sense of personal duty had been .reflected on the part of'His Majesty, .impartiality, kindness and co-operation had been the keynotes of His late Majesty's actions in every sphere. As King, His ,ate Majesty's readiness to accept farreaching changes and adapt himself to the 'changing' world had been ontstand.ug. As ii mail his simplicity and kindness, and tlie general manliness of his make-up commended itself to all seclions of the community, so that in nourning his loss the House and the neoplc of New Zealand would speak with one voice.

It was difficult to forecast what I lie future hail in store, continued the .'rime Minister, but of one thing they ,vere certain, that was that in the successor to His late Majesty, they had a Sovereign who was also beloved, who had interested himself in public affairs and the welfare of his subjects and the conditions under which they had to live aiid toil.

Mr. Savage concluded: ''l feel that 1 Jiave, not stiOicieut grasp of language to express what is in me to-day and to fully express the feelings. aspiration's and Jove of the people of this country for their beloved monarch. King Edward VII 1." LOYALTY DEEPENED The' Jit. ' lion." '.6. W. Forbes /Leader of the Opposition) seconded .riie'moiion. He sahl 'the news of the death of King George had heen received with sorrow in all parts of the j)6niin.ip;i, just as if a close personal f,rieiid had passed away- His visit to t)ie J)omi/iion'hnd brought him into close touch with the people of New He had lakei. <i keen interest in their welfare right up to the Jas't. '

Air. Forbes referred to his visit to the .lubilee celebrations and said he

had had an audience with. King George, who had expressed appreeja lion of the kindness shown "to'J)' l "' self and the Queen. His Majesty had also expressed appreciation of the welcome accorded the Duke of. Gloucester when he visited the Dominion last vear.

Mr. Forbes referred to the spirit animating the .lubilee celebrations, and said that King George hn ( | sei a very high standard of unselfish devotion to public duty, a standard that had been an inspiration to those who took part in ptlbjjc life. public morality throughout the British Empire stood very high indeed, ami its source was the inspiration from the Throne. That w.oulil he King George's lasting memorial. The loyalty of the people of Xew Zealand had heen deepened by King George's reign, and ii would pass on undiminished to hN successor.

Tim Tit. Hon. .1. G. Coates (Nat. Kaipara) spoke of the interest Kiiif George had always taken in soldier; during the war. lie said His Majestx was always very ready to give a cheery word to soldiers and also took - a deep interest in the wounded men and in the sorrowing relatives ol tliose who had been killed. King George was a friend to all who knew him personally and otherwise. He trusted that the words of the Primt • Minister and the other speakers wouh. : radiate far .enough to roach the Queen - Mother and help her in her time of trial. After all. she had played an equal part in helping the King to ■ achieve what few men had achieved, .and that was the respect and tlie affecI lion of the whole of the people of the British commonwealth of nations. 1' lIUKAT EMPIRE f'HJKFTAIX sir Apirana N'gaia (Nat., Eastern • .Maori) expressed the feelings of the ■ Maori people in the passing of King ' .George. jje said that prior to .lune. IOOT. the kingship of tlie British Km- . pire had ibeen to .the Maori people merely a name, but with the visit of . King George, then tlie Duke of York, the personal element had been introduced, 'l'he Maori people, said Sir Apirana, did not give one inch to any other in the British commonwealth of nations in nl.leginnec and loyalty to j the King, the great rhicftain of the Empire. fu the accession of King Edward Vfl.T. the fortunes of Maori and pakeha alike ,were ill the silfesl possible hands. Mr. E. T. Tirikatene (Nat.. Southern Maori) supported Sir Apirana Xgata. Mr. 11. Atmore (Ind:. Nelson) also emphasised the personal contact that His late Majesty had been aide to es- ' i.-ililish with his Mihjccts all over tlie ■ Empire. The motion was carried. Mr. Savage then moved that a respectful address be presented 10 King Edward, assuring him of the deep lnnien.tntio.il caused by the death of his father, expressing tlie congratulations of both Houses of Parliament on his accession and assuring His Majesty of their loyal attachment and hopes for a happy reign and prosperity for his subjects. The motion was carried. Asa marl; of respect to the memory of King George, tlie House then adjourned till Tuesday afternoon. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL In the Legislative Council, in moving a motion regarding tlie. King similar to that, in the House of Representatives, the Hon- ?t. Fagan. Leader of the Council, paid a tribute to his late Majesty's untiring work for the people, during which tiiuo lu> hao maintained the Highest traditions of constitutional kingship combined with a noble character and a high sense of personal duty. His influence hail strengthened the foundations of democratic Parliamentary institutions. Crowned heads had crashed ;.n other hinds, yet, the foundations of the British Throne were not only still firm, .luit were actually stronger ;il the end ol . I is reign. Tp-day, in a chaotic and troubled world, Hr.ita'in was regarded as the safely /one as far as civilisation and I democracy were concerned, which was, due in no small measure to the actions 1 and the lifelong example of the late' Sovereign. The most filling way to serve the I ine/nory of King George V. would be Jo, give loyalty lo his son whom he had left io reign. 'King Edward was well versed j with the people's problems, and had already shown human sympathy a/iff an. understanding of the problems confronting the poorer section of his people. The speaker was sure that lie expressed the mi.nd of every 'member of the Council when he said lii'at they earnestly hoped that the ideals of his lafe father woujd ever inspire and sustain the King throughout what they hoped would be a long reign of prosperity' aild peace. The Hon. R. Masters seconded the motion without comment. The motion was carried and the Council adjourned till Tuesday.