IN THE OLD COUNTRY

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 9

IN THE OLD COUNTRY

WEMBLEY AND COLCHESTER HISTORIC SCENES RECALLED EXPERIENCES OF REV. D. K. FISHER. I urther interesting details of England are given by Rev. D. K. Fisher, of Lumsden, in the following article, including a description of a visit made by him to the Empire Exhibition at Wembley. WONDERUL WEMBLEY. “At last, after a few more wrong turnings and miscalculations about distances, Wembley is reached. I have arrived. At the appointed turnstile my pass is presented, is duly examined, and I am allowed in. But in a few moments I am swallowed up i as it were, by the dense living mass of ; human beings that move hither and thither ; among the grounds, along the covered pas- i sage way and through the amazing stretches I of pavilions, courts, conference halls and! luncheon rooms. It was a splendid and ' unique sight, and an experience that can i come only once into an individual’s history. ! I shall not at all attempt to describe or to ' criticise the Exhibition in any of its parts, i its order, its beauty, or the precedence of > its innumerable and rare exhibits. My pen ; is far from equal for such a task, while the . number of critics to this gigantic show who ! have essayed the role of critic, is surely ■ legion by name. DOMINION’S EXHIBIT. ! “Some of those who have passed along its courts and hails and made their obser- 1 vations seem to have had the idea that ■ New Zealand’s ‘turn-out’ was to beat crea- j tion. Such people must have forgotten I that our Dominion is young, inexperienced, • and less wealthy than Canada, South Africa , or Australia. But amongst all the more ; youthful British Dominions and depend- ’• encies, there is, no doubt, that Canada top- i ped the list, while among the older and : Eastern possessions there were exhibits and : curios which only the ancient East could bring and present, and which of these excelled in grandeur and uniqueness it would = be hard to decide. The severest critic of ; the Exhibition which I personally came in i contact with, was an English gentleman who ■ happened to sit down at the same table be- i side me in the New Zealand Cafe dining- ; room for lunch. After a few introductory . words, he remarked that, in his opinion,; if the French people had had the work to do, they would have set out the buildings in a much more scientific and artistic fashion. The whole disposition and arrangement of the Exhibition, according to him, was not so good or effective as it might have been. I maintained that before one could take up a position of that kind, he would require to be a first-class judge, and also have experience as to the outlay and appearance of exhibitions generally. My friend replied that he had seen many exhibitions, some of the biggest and best in the world, both on the Continent of Europe and in the United States, and he knew something about the matter in hand. Of course, I felt in the presence of a man of this world-wide experience and travel, I had but a poor place, and could make a amateurish defence in favour of Wembley. But I can say that, after having lunch in the New Zealand Cafe, and also partaking of a similar luncheon on other days at the Australian and South African diningrooms, New Zealand, in my judgment, knew' the culinary art and catering business the best. There must have been a lunch cafe in connection with the Canadian section, and also with the Indian pavilion, no less than with the other Dominions mentioned, but I did not happen to catch sight of them or to sample their diversified menu, but it has to be remembered that one’s capacity for luncheons is quite limited. At all the luncheon room doors at the Exhibition, it should be stated, there was always a lengthy queue of evidently hungry and eager diners and one could get a fairly satisfactory meal for 2/6, FORMS OF PUBLICITY. “About the Burmah, African and Indian courts, there always hung a strange fascination, and the British Bermudas, said to be an island of less than 20 square miles, was i able to show it could boast of 150 different ' species of fish. And samples of these were; there, and of all shapes, colours and sizes. ■ For the small sum of threepence, you were ' invited to put your name down in the visi- ■ tors’ lists of the Daily News, and a paper j would be sent on to New Zealand to your j friends containing that list. The same . thing could be done for you gratuitously ' by the Weekly Times, as a link of Empire, ; and a copy of the paper forwarded to any i address in New Zealand. Free cinema shows ! were on day and night, illustrating to all i who cared to take advantage of the offer, ] the different overseas Dominions’ industries, i products and commodities. Each show of • films, whenever possible, had a special lec- j turer explaining to the audience the scenic i pictures and up-country representations of : leading industries peculiar to each. To me, personally, the display of Livingstone relics was a great attraction. Loaned out by the i directors of the London Missionary Society (under whose name the great Dr. Living- J stone laboured) were exhibited in a large '. glass case, his sextant, revolver and minia- ■ ture, but tattered flag, with its Union Jack in a corner of the Red Ensign; also sev- ; eral of his letters, bearing date 1858-59. | But, for the New Zealanders, one of the : greatest days at the Exhibition was Mon- I day, July 21. This was the first day of | what was known as ‘Women’s Week at Wembley.’ After New Zealand, was to come ■ in order, the day for South Africa, Aus- ; tralia, Canada, Indian Empire and then : Newfoundland. Unfortunately for these ' colonies, the hot sunny weather had cul- ; minated in electrical disturbances, and I thunder, lightning and deluges of rain were j the order of the time. New Zealand was i favoured in being fixed to lead off that week, for each succeeding day seemed to be ' worse in the weather than its predecessor, until it seemed as if Wembley were to be threatened with a flood. The rain consequently interfered somewhat with attendances in the Conference Hall and with programme arrangements. NEW ZEALAND DAY.

“Too much praise can never be given both to Sir James and Lady Allen, and also to all associated with them, who did so much and did it so well, to make New Zealand Day an unqualified and glorious success. All morning, noon and night, those industrious toilers were kept extraordinarily busy, and amidst the rush of activities and calls maintained an unruffled temper. Just before proceedings commenced in the morning I was agreeably surprised to discover that the aged gentleman who walked down the ide behind me and took the chair next to mine was none other than the Rev. William Hain, late minister in charge of the Presbyterian Church at Waikaia. Needless to add there was some conversation. Then Lady Allen assumed the chair before a fairly full house, and in a few minutes Her Highness, Princess Helena Victoria, stepped upon the platform, beautiful, smiling and graceful. She received an upstanding welcome and a most hearty greeting. To those gathered there she read the fine and noble message to the women of the Empire in general, and to those at the Wembley assemblies in particular, penned by Her Gracious Majesty, Queen Mary. Thereafter, addresses were delivered—all well prepared, eloquently uttered, and appreciatingly received by ladies of distinction from New Zealand. The Chairwoman extended cordial welcome and duly introduced the others. Some of those I shall name, and I hope, correctly. Mrs Hosking, representing Dr. Truby King, spoke on behalf of the Plunket Society, its work, its history, its extending branches; Miss Patterson, from Timaru High School, on education in New Zealand, tracing its history from 1840 to the present hour; Miss O. Fee, on the pioneer women of New Zealand; and Princess Papakura, on the Maoris and Maori’s history and legends. In the same hall in the afternoon of that day, a very successful, though short concert wm held. Before the programme opened, Princess Helena Victoria made herself very sociable and agreeable by nabring among the visitors -and

chatting with them. Here, also, I was most delightfully surprised to be seated just in front of Mr and Mrs Drummond, Five Rivers, Lumsden, who made themselves known, and we had a brief but neighbourly conversation. The artistes of that afternoon were all experts in their own departments and rendered their different parts with distinction. The names of the chief performers were:—Miss Rosina Buckman, Miss Esther Fisher and Miss Stella Murray; Messrs Robert Geddes, John Amadio and Maurice D’Oisley. At the close of this musical entertainment, the audience adjourned to the open grounds just outside the hall, where Sir James and Lady Allen had their ‘At Home,’ received and welcomed all visitors personally, provided afternoon tea, and saw that the Maori performers, both lads and lassies, went through the hakas and poi dances worthily. They also introduced a few of the Ratana Maori party to Her Highness, Princess Helena, who seemed delighted to make their acquaintance and who thereafter was presented by the Maoris with a gorgeous and costly New Zealand rug. t LINKS WITH HOME. “I managed to get into conversation with some of the Maori boys and girls—all of whom did their parts well—and I learned that one or two had come through our Turakina Maori Girls’ College Training School. On mentioning the name of the late much-respected and beloved Rev. John Ross, Presbyterian minister there, one or two of the younger women declared they had known him. Then somebody touched me on the shoulder from behind and beckoned me aside. The gentleman who had thus accosted me was from New Zealand and seemed to belong to the farming community, but I never got his name. Turning my attention to the lady by his side, whom I understood to be his wife, he said, ‘let me introduce you to the daughter of the Rev. Mr Ross, about whom you were talking to the Maoris.’ We had a hearty laugh and a real New Zealand greeting, and I gathered from this lady that her brother, the Rev. John Ross, who joined up with us in the Territorial Cainp, N.Z.E.F., at Tahuna Park, Dunedin, September, 1914, and began his work as chaplain there, was now, after his war experiences are over, in a church near Glasgow as minister. Because of the other pressing engagements it was not possible for me to attend the great gathering in the evening of that day to see the grand culmination to the New Zealand ! Pageant, but everything connected with : it seemed to come off well. Although I j was several times within the bounds of this , wonderful Exhibition, there were many sights 1 failed to overtake. The Rodeo, with ' its marvellous performances by the Western ■ cowboys and girls, I never got near. The great Stadium, with its mighty orchestras, i 1 never saw. The coalmine, the engineering i pavilion, and many other interesting and ; attractive places I could only have a glimpse ; of, while the side-shows, the motor boat ! trips and sporting grounds, etc., had to be ! sacrificed in the interests of what was still i more pressing. One of the sights of Wem- : bley was the continuous stream of young ’ life—from public school and colleges—boys, ' girls and teachers that passed through its j corridors. In most instances all scholars ’ were marked, numbered and ticketed, in i case of getting astray. On the whole, one at ! Wembley gazed on the concentrated, locali ised history progress, extensiveness and i triumphs of the mighty British Empire and all that it represents of human enterprise, endurance, justice and honour, which the master-minds and the champion explorers by sea and land and the citizens of that vast kingdom have carried within their breasts all over the world. LONDON’S QUAINT CORNERS. “My perigrinations now brought me to some of the oldest districts of old London. I wandered through East Cheap, Mark Lane, Mincing Lane and Staple Inn, and must have been in the vicinity of ‘the Old Curiosity Shop’ immortalised by Charles Dickens, but it somehow eluded me. Down to the Tower of London, hoary with age; by the new and beautiful building known as the offices of the Port of London Authority; then around the Royal Mint, and while at the gate, stood and watched some of the workmen make their exit, but entrance to this interesting spot was denied me by the stem looking officials who guarded its portals. Scenes and historic spots were all around me here, concerning which much could be written, but I hasten on to the imposing and wide-spreading buildings that comprise the famous British Museum. At the top of the flight of steps which land you near the entrance door, your attention is drawn to a curious tablet of stone some two or three feet square, set in the wall close by. This is a memorial tablet with a wreath neatly cut out at the top, commemorative of the men belonging to the museum service, who fell in the Great War. Under the wreath that verse is inscribed beginning:—‘They shall not grow old as we grow old At the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them.” Singular to relate, the first object that caught my eyes as I turned to the left after passing the turnstile, was that of quite a large memorial stone—apparently brought hither from some ancient burying ground—commemorating a young Roman soldier, by name Caius Suffeius, of the Fabian tribe, 40 years of age, and who had served in the 9th Legion for 22 years. Thus strangely and pathetically, are linked up, as near and real brothers, the brave of every country, clime, colour and age, who admire and pursue the way of self-sacrifice, and who, in due time, have laid upon their noble brow as a halo of glory an unfading amaranthine wreath, the plaudits and adoration of the after generations of their fellow-men. As on the crowded grounds at Wembley, one was confronted with an epitome of the daring and progress of the whole British Empire, so here in this Museum one is face to face with the world at large localised. Here North, South, East and West meet, and some of the most valuable relics, illustrative of the wisdom and skill which the highest in humanity can display or express, are to be found. Within these walls, to mention only one interesting item from the wonderful exhibit of arts and crafts of these bygone ages, is a statue of one, Usertisen, from the region of the ancient Nile, and bearing date 2500 years, B.C. Doubtless some of the works in beautiful pottery or sculpture here, brings us in touch with civilisations 5000 years back. But these attractive and ever-memorable surroundings have to be left behind however grudingly for duties farther afield. A POPULAR PASTOR, “One of the rare experiences any person can have in touring the Homeland after 33 years’ absence, is to come face to face once more with comrades of the long-ago. It was to renew the acquaintance of a very old and staunch friend that I entrained again for other scenes. On thia particular evening I was due at Colchester, some 50 miles to the east and north of London, to meet the Rev. Dr. John Lamond, who, at the moment, was acting-chaplain as an established Presbyterian Church minister to the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots, stated to be the oldest regiment in the British Army, Dr. Lamond has had an interesting career and his autobiography I feel certain would command a ready sale. He has recently retired from the pastorate of Greenside Parish Church, Edinburgh, a large and influential congregation over which he has presided for more than 20 years. Previous to his settlement in that city, Dr. Lamond had been the esteemed pastor of one or two other Parish churches. Previous to that again, he had been for several years one of the most eloquent and popular temperance lecturers in Scotland. Wherever he was announced to speak, John Lamond always commanded a crowd. He was for some time an agent of the Scottish Temperance League and moved up and down the country under its direction and auspices, lecturing, when still a young lad. In his earlier enthusiasm for the cause of the Kingdom of God and righteousness, he had boldly got up at a pause in a very dramatic scene m a city theatre one night and challenged actors and spectators to a discussion of the Gospel Naturally, he was howled down on that occasion, but he never lost his seal. We met again, then, at the station Colchester, after about 45 years’ absence, not having looked anothfiiLoffice, our days in the

English Literature Class at the University of Edinburgh. For the most of the night we could talk of nothing else but the persons and places of those youthful years, and forgot about ourselves, our advancing age, and the near approach of the morrow’s duties. But we awoke to our present circumstances at last and learned that Sunday morning was coming on and that the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots would be waiting our attentions soon. We agreed, however, to divide the duties of the morrow between us, and then we tried to sleep. A more peaceful and glorious dawn no Sabbath could possibly have than the day we set about preparing for the service at the barracks. We had about a couple of miles to walk from the place where the Doctor boarded, his home being in London, where his wife and daughter, with his sou, who is a medical practitioner, all reside. But our walk was most enjoyable in the glow of the summer morning’s sun, and the flow of our unceasing question and answer and halfforgotten memories. AT COLCHESTER. “The barracks at Colchester cover an extensive piece of country and are capable of housing thousands of soldiers, with quarters for married men. At every gate or entrance to these immense grounds, which were strongly walled all round, a youthful, but smart sentry paces his allotted measures. Nothing could be finer or more complete than the sudden halt, the click of the heels, the present arms and full salute, which greeted we two chaplains to His Majesty's Forces, as we got abreast of our particular sentry, who came to a most precise and perfect attention as we passed. Such a salute demanded and provoked the best salutations in return, but I’m afraid the chaplains’ response for the splendid military precision of the Royal Scot was a rather poor and clumsy affair. The like salutation was accorded us by a no less perfect comrade in the art when we made our exit by a gate at another point in the walled encampment. We were into the ante-room of the church hall ten minutes before the hour of service. Dr. Lamond had at least half-a-dozen gowns in that ante-room and he had one of them over my shoulders in no time, while his own black gown was partly covered by his coloured hood of Divinity degrees. On the platform of the church quite a number of the lads —about 40 —had already seated themselves, and, led by a lady playing the piano, were engaged in a little choir practice. The chaplains joined in, and till within a minute of commencement of worship we kept the singsong going. What a glorious morning—how still everything seemed to be —how fresh and fragrant were the few flowers, the verdant grass of the parks, the wide-spread-ing branches of trees in their welcome shade from the radiant splendour of the sun 1 But hark!—it has sounded, the pibroch, the drum! All heads are erect, all eyes front. From a distance across those grassy lawns and asphalted roadways, floats the wellknown strains of the bagpipes, the kettledrums, the ever-increasing tramp of trained men, as section after section of the regiment falls in at its respective point of junction with the main body on the march, and follows, step by step in the wake of the thrilling beat of the huge drums. Such music, such marching, such onlerly crowds of splendid men. At the door of the place of worship the band is halted, its members step aside to allow the Regiment to pass in, then they bring up the rear. We chaplains and the men already within are upstanding at attention and duly receive them. The officers ,non-commissioned officers and men are all there and, with steady gaze, with the motionless attention which only a military audience can give these all paid heed to what is being done and said most reverently. The service lasted for about 45 minutes, during which several hymns were sung, lessons read and prayers offered and the sermon preached. Dr. Lamond himself delivered the address which was based upon the words of St. Paul:—‘l press on toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ The men were filed out in order, led off again by their incomparable band, and detailed to their several quarters.

A FRIEND FROM QUEENSLAND. “There were a few ladies present in the meeting, probably wives of some of the officers, also a very few civilians, which was rather an unusual thing. At the close those civilians waited for us. One of the elderly men spoke to me. He declared he was more than pleased to be present once more at a Presbyterian church service of the real kind. That remark led me to inquire where he came from and how it happened that he had seen no Presbyterian service for long. His reply was that he came from Queensland and that he and his son, who was with him and who had come through the Great War, were on a world tour and resting for a day or two at Colchester with a brother of his, to whom he now introduced me. I got the name McLennan and introduced these gentlemen immediately to Dr. Lamond. When he learned that these strangers came from Queensland and not far from Brisbane, he at once asked if they knew a Mr James Lamond in that quarter. ‘Why, yes,’ was their reply. ‘He is a near neighbour of ours on a farm like our own.’ Then there was a kind of consternation in the little company for a few moments and the Doctor exclaimed: ‘Here is a strange thing—a wonderful coincidence, that my friend here from New Zealand, and you visitors from about Brisbane, living close to my own brother in Australia, should both happen to be at our church service and with me together this morning.’ A few words more, then a warm and kindly goodbye. According to his usual custom, Dr. Lamond visited—taking me with him —the Veterans’ and Pensioners’ Home within the barracks. Most of the aged men came from Chelsea. Some are aged naval men—some are grey-headed soldiers, but all have been warriors for King and Country, whose battles now are finished, who are looking towards the sunset gate with eyes dimmed and noble body bent, but still proudly wearing on their breasts to the last the badge or medal eloquent of deeds of valour in days of yore. Just a few moments to talk with some of the officers of their distinguished battalions and to listen to the martial music of the full pipe-band parade with its ideal enthusiast major, with his mace and gauntlets, handling his men and their movements as a workman that has complete mastery of his tools. In conversation with one of the officers, Major Wemyss, by name, he informed me that his brother, Sir Francis We my sb (Lord Inverclyde) was one who had been mentioned in connection with the prospective vacancy in the Governorship of New Zealand. He was of opinion, however, that owing to the present state of political afffiirs in the Homeland, his brother was not likely to be asked to fill the position. As recent events have proved, Major Wemyss was quite correct in his prediction. AN INTERESTING CITY.

“Colchester was glorious, that most glorious day, and Dr. Lamond made the most of the time in showing me round the place. This town was one of the earliest to be attacked and to be taken possession of by the Roman Legions in B.C. 50. Quite a lengthy piece of strong, broad, conglomerate bricklike wall is still to be seen standing some eight or ten feet high—which served first as a rough defence set up by the ancient Britons, and then as a more substantial and extended defence erected by the Romans to protect them from the assaults of the wild Britons in their primitive, but stubborn bravery. Colchester, too, was interesting from an ecclesiastical point of view, for within ita neighbourhood the great C. H. Spurgeon spent much of his youth and not far away from where we strangers stood, was to be seen the old Methodist Church where he made h» decision for the Christian faith. Soon ‘farewell’ had again to be said, but I managed to persuade my dear old friend of the longago to promise, if he possibly could (for he is still hale and strong in every respect) that he would visit our Dominion next time he sets out on a prolonged holiday. After that, the ‘goodbye’ did not fed so painful. In an hour and a-half thereafter the speedy train had landed me in London, and I had once more to plan for my journeying home wards, and after that to arrange one other fairly extensive tour before the end of my yacation should be due.