THE NEW ZEALAND FLAG.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 188, 27 July 1900, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALAND FLAG.

Mr. J. Hutcheson asked the Premier in the House the other day by whose authority aid for what reason the New Zealand blue ensign has- been altered by the insertion of a white disc in the blue field? He took off hi t s hat to the British flag wherever he saw it, figuratively speaking. But, upon his word, he could no. fool the respect he j ought to feel for the new design, which reminded him of a Hennesy's brandycapsule, and all that was wanted to complete it was the word " Hennesy " in the middle, or perhaps two more ! bal's somewhere. The Premier replied that it was done by the request of the Board of Trade, for ship signalling purposes, and the Board of Trade having made this recommendation, the Government, acting under that advice, agreed to fall into line with what had bsen done by the other colonies under the advice of the Board of Trade. That was why the white disc had been adopted. He thought it was to continue for twelve months, after which time it became absolute, As to flags being used except on the steamers and ships, there should be neither disc nor anything else to interfere with that flag beyo; d what we shared and claimed for New Zealand. He had noticed thatllusintei ferencc with the flag on the recommendation of the Board of Trade had this effect: commercial houses were commencing,to injure our flaginsult it, :.s it were—bv usintr it for

advertising purposes. Tlio remedy for that was this: lie would pass nn Act making it illegal for the flag to be use-.l for any such pur| oses. He would, sn far as our own flag was concern d, adhere to it, maintain it, and, what was more, he would s y to tho Boards of Education and to nil individuals that when they hoisted the British flag it should h.vo upon it t' o Southern Cross of New Zen land. Wo wanted to established that. Wo had not done it yet. Private individuals were to bo found hoisting the British flag, and were without the Southern Ci'o: s, or that which was emblematic of our colony. We should adhere to tho grand old British flag, but on every fl ig there should be in this colony the Southern Cross,

A fow days later Mr. H<;tuheson pursued the subject, asking the Premier if he will make known as publicly as jpossible & description of—(I) The Now Zealand flag to be used by ci izens as a (national flag; (2) die official flag of jNew Zealand Government steamers; and (3) the flag to be used by Sew Zealand owned and registered merchant vessels ? In the minds of the people there was the greatest uncertainty obtaining as to what really was the flag of New Zealand, and he trusted the Premier would take the necessary steps to proclaim officially what was the national flag, or what was to be the national flag. The Premier replied that he would have this subject dealt with -in a manner, as he thought, satisfactory to the colony, and would prevent what had been an undesirable intrusion. He believed they would require to have legislation on the subject, and he would give the House an opportunity of reviewing the matter.