THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1921, Page 7

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH. THE CIVIC WELCOME. CLARKE MEMORIAL HOSTEL. The Govtrner-Generai and Lady Jellicoe spent a busy day in New Plymouth yesterday. In the morning an interesting motor drive included Maryland Hill and the Public Hospital, followed by the civic reception at the High School. Here there was a large gathering, and in the summer sunshine an impressive Scene was witnessed. A visit to Pukekura Park, en route to the hotel for lunch, concluded the morning’s programme.

In the afternoon Lady Jellicoe opened the Clarke Memorial Hostel, Lord Jellicoe also attending. Then Lord Jdlicoe visited the golf links at Waiwakaiho, where he played a round, and Lady Jellicoe visited the Plunket Society’s rooms. In the evening there was a citizens* ball, and it was the most brilliant social function here for many yetfs.

To-day the Vice-Regal party motor to Mount Eg mo nt, thence proceeding to Inglewood and Wattara. To-night Lord Jellicoe will be the guest of the Now Plymouth Savage Club, and Lady Jellicoe will be entertained privately. To-morrow morning Their Excellencies attend St. Mary’s Church, and other arrangements are a visit to the Old People’s Home, the unveiling of a war memorial at Bell Block, and a drive in the country. They return to Wellington on Monday morning.

OFFICIAL RECEPTION. WELCOME FROM THE CITIZENS. LORD JELLICOE’S REPLY. The official reception took place on the High School grounds. There was tn overcast sky, but the day was fine, with a cool breeze. A large gathering assembled in front of the school balcony, school children en masse (in charge of their teachers), returned soldirts, the band, veterans, scouts, and girt peace guides, being lined up in a sqsare. The front portion of the square was occupied by a guard of honor, from A Company territorials under Lieutenant A. Smith, and on the other ■idee accommodation was provided for the general public. The official platform was situated on the school bib cony, where members of the Board of Governors and their wives, and invited gue&tß. were assembled. A hearty welcome greeted Their Excellencies as they entered the grounds shortly after 11 o’clock.. When the Viee-Regal car drew up the guard of honor gave the salute and the band played the National Anthem. The inspection of the guard of honor, and of the returned soldiets and veterans followed. An adjournment was then made to the balcony, where the official ceremony took place. The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), addressing Their Excellencies, said on behalf of the citizens of New Plymouth: “I have the honor to extend to you a very hearty welcome to our town and district, and to express the hope that yonr stay amongst us will be both pleasant and profitable.” In calling on the town manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) to read address of welcome, Mr. Wilson asked Their Excellencies to accept this as coming from the citizens of New Plymouth. The address, which was read by Mr. Bellringer, was as follows: THE ADDRESS. To His Excellency, Admiral of the Fleet, the Viscount Jellicoe, of Scapa, G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.V.0., GovernorGeneral and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Dominion of New Zealand.

May it please your Excellency, on behalf of the Mayor, Councillors and burgesses of the Borough of New Plymouth, we extend to your Excellency and Lady JeDieoe a most cordial welcome upon this the occasion of your first visit to our town. We respectfully embrace this opportunity to reaffirm our loyalty and devotion to the Throne and person of His Majesty the King, and to assure you of the earnest desire of our citizens to do everything in their power to sustain and strengthen those invisible ties which so happily unite New Zealand with the rest of our E»pirt. We appreciate to the full the invaluable services which your Excellency has rendered to the nation during your long and brilliant naval career. We also realise the heavy burden of responsibility and anxiety placed upon you in the late war, when at times the whole Empire— with justifiable confidence —depended for its safety upon your successful handling of the Grand Fleet. We wish you every success in the discharge of the duties of your high office as Governor-General of this Dominion, and we trust that your stay in New Zealand may conduce, not only to the public good, but also to the personal happiness of your Excellency and of the members of your family. Finally, we venture to hope that your visit to New Plymouth may prove as much a source of pleasure to yourself and Lady Jellicoe as it is of gratification to us to bid you welcome. Signed on behalf of the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Borough of New Plymouth this 28th day of October, 1921. Frank E. Wilson, Mayor. F. T. Bellringer, Town Clerk.

LORD JELUCOE’S REPLY.

The presentation of the address to Lord Jellicoe evoked rounds of applause. His Excellency’s reply was:

Your Worship, councillors and burgesses of New Plymouth—lt is with pleasure, as His Majesty’s representative, that I -thank you for your words of loyalty to the Throne, and assure you of my deep appreciation of your expressed desire to assist in maintaining the unity of our great Empire. I am very grateful for the warmth of your welcome to me on this, my first Visit to New Plymouth, and take this opportunity of expressing the deep regret felt by Her Excellency and myself at the sad tragedy which prevented our paying this visit nearly twelve months ago.

“Your kindly references to the services rendered by me during the recent war, and your expressions of good wishes for the successful fulfilment of iny official duties in New Zealand, gives me great encouragement, and I trust that an early return to full prosperity may be granted to the people of New Zealand, and that a successful solution may be found of the problems, which, as the result of the war, face the Dominion to-day.

“On behalf of Her Excellency and myself, I assure you of the real pleasure which our present visit to New Plymouth, and its beautiful surroundings affords us, and we look forward with keen anticipation to renewing our acquaintance of to-day with the people of New Plymouth.” To his formal reply. His Excellency added the following remarks:— “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, veterans, returned soldiers, and New Zealand troops,—l must add one or two words to what I have read in the reply to the address of welcome, because no one can come to such an historic spot as New Plymouth without feeling something which cannot really be expressed in formal words. Standing here and looking at the surroundings today and thinking that 80 years ago. only a mere trifle in the history of the world, there was nothing here at all in the shape of white settlers, one cannot but be filled with amazement at what has been achieved in those short SO years. One remembers that the early beginnings to which so great a fulfilment has been made is largely due to that early band of settlers represented to-day by the veterans standing below. (Applause.) Eighty years ago there was nothing in the shape of a harbor. The soldiers landed on the beach when they came to help you in your fights. Today you not only have a fine harbor, where I am told a 9000-ton ship lies in safety, but moreover are proposing to enlarge that harbor and to make it one of the finest in the Dominion. THE EARLY SETTLERS. “It is a great tribute to the energy and enterprise of the people of New Plymouth. But when one recollects the stock from which the people of New Plymouth came one is not filled with wonderment at that energy and at that enterprise. In the navy it has been my pleasure and privilege to be associated on many occasions and in many ships with West Country men, and “I know the grit, and energy and spirit of the West Country men of England:, and that grit, and that energy and that spirit has been transmitted to their descendants settled in New Plymouth, ft has been my privilege to see the colors of the Taranaki Volunteers, that regiment which was the first volunteer regiment to go into action, the first volunteer regiment in the whole British Army. Of the record of that regiment you might well be proud. Associated with the aoings of that regiment and of the Imperial troops which were here in the days when the regiment was formed, the year, I may say, of my own birth, were officers and men of the Royal Navy, and that gives New Plymouth a link with the Royal Navy which I do not forget. (Applause.) New Plymouth also has another link with the navy. I am told that New Plymouth is particularly keen on the game of bowls. You may remember a very famous ancestor* of yours. Sir Francis Drake, who was just as keen on the game of bowls as you in New Plymouth are to-day, and that is another link with file navy which we are not likely to forget. “I would like to reiterate on behalf of Her Excellency and myself the real pleasure which we have in coming here and to re-express the liope that it is by no means our last visit to your delightful town. I cannot conclude without referring once more to the very sad tragedy which prevented our coming among you at a very much earlier period of our stay in New Zealand.

CHILDREN REMEMBERED. “There is one thing I never forget in addressing children—for I am always reminded of it by Her Excellency —and that is to ask for a holiday,” added Lord Jellicoe. “Indeed. I may tell you I had not forgotten it, for I asked last night and was told that the request had already been granted. I hope it is not to-day. because you have spent half of it waiting for me. 1 hope you may be granted yet another one.” (Applause from the young folk). Concluding, the Governor-General said: “Her Excellency and I extend to the inhabitants of New Plymouth our earnest and cordial good wishes for their future happiness and prosperity.” The call of the Mayor for cheers for His Excellency, and also for Lady Jellicoe, met with a hearty response. The presentation of official visitors to Their Excellencies followed, and the autographs of the vice regal party were recorded in the High School visitors’ book. During the official proceedings Lady Jellicoe was presented by Miss Moyes with a bouquet. Their Excellencies then inspected the High School cadets and Boy Scouts, and walked among the ranks of the assembled school children. Proceedings terminated with the playing of the National Anthem, and Their Excellencies left by motor en route for their hotel. The arrangements made by the borough officials enabled the function to be carried through expeditiously, and were a tribute to the organising abilities of those concerned in arranging the ceremony. THE CLARKE MEMORIAL. OPENING OF THE HOSTEL. LADY JELLICOE OFFICIATES. The official opening of She Clarke Memorial Hostel, which was recently instituted under Y.W.C.A. management, was performed hy Lady Jellicoe. A guard of honor was provided by the Boys’ High School, under Captain A. 1,. Ryder, and they were drawn up in front of the hostel. ' Streamers of flags were suspended across the street and a large

gathering of the public was assembled outside a cordon of High School boys. Girl Peace Scouts lined the entrance inside the hostel gateway. The guard presented arms as Their Excellencies arrived, and. an orchestra on the hostel balcony rendered the National Anthem. After the inspection of the guard Itift Excellency complimented the boys on their appearance. As Their Excellencies entered the hostel a presentation of a boiiqut to Lady Jellicoe was made by Rauma List. They were met by members of the Y.W.C.A. board and were conducted over the hostel, the party afterwards returning to the verandah, where the ceremony took place. NEED FOR THE HOSTEL. The president of the board (Mrs. E. A. Walker) said: “To His Excellency and to Her Excellency as patroness of the New Zealand Young Women's Christian Association, the New Plymouth branch extends a very hearty welcome. We know of the strength and support Her Excellency’s warm interest has been in the other towns where she has visited the association in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Whangarei, and we feel we are fortunate to have come in for a share of that warm interest, as shown by Her Excellency’s presence to-day. (Everyone who understands the existing conditions recognises that one of the primary needs of to-day in our towns and cities is for the supply of housing and accommodation, and the supporters Who have worked With us to establish this hostel feel that they are not only meeting a recognised need to-day, but that the perspective of their outlook enables them to see beyond to the needs of tomorrow. “As you all know, the originator of the hostel movement in New Plymouth waS our late Mayor. When he died about a year ago the committee decided that when sufficient funds were obtained to complete the purchase of a suitable building it should be called the Clarke Memorial Hostel, in memory of him. Later, knowing of the capable manner in which these hostels were run in other towns under Y.W.C.A. control, ■ve decided to ask the national committee to take over our hostel and start their work in New Plymouth. In this small beginning we are laying the foundation for future necessary development. The house, as you see, is solidly built to allow for the addition of two extra floors, and there is room in the rear of the building for expansion. Already girls and young women coming to this town have been faced with severe difficulty in their efforts to find somewhere to live, and we know it is a comfort to many of the citizens of New Ply- 1 mouth that we are now able to mitigate this difficulty.

SPIRIT OF THE HOME. “Our aim is to supply in New Plymouth a hostel with a home-like atmosphere, with order, created by sympathy afid love rather than by discipline. There will be nothing institutional in our methods of management. It is not our purpose to stop at the hostel, but later we hope to band together a group of young women who will be out for the best interests of the community, and moreover we hope to further carry out the general purpose of the Y.W.C.A. by offering to all young women such activities (not at present provided in this town) which may be needed to make for the highest development, by strengthening their bodies and minds, and encouraging in them the spirit of desire to serve others. To-day will ever remain a red-letter day in the history of the New Plymouth Y.W.C.A., and I should like to express my thanks for the part Her Excellency has played in celebrating the occasion by her pres-

Congratulatory messages received from a number of persons were read by M : jp Birch, organising secretary of the Y.W.C.A. Mrs. W. F. Massey telegraphed conveying her congratulations and expressing the hope that the hostel would always be as well filled, ns useful and as great a. power for good as those she was already acquainted with. The board deserved credit for its energy and enterprise, and she expressed the trust that the hostel would be a home for many women who otherwise might be among strangers. Other messages received included telegrams from Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., and various branches of the Y.W.C.A. in New Zealand, including the National Field Committee.

In the course of some Miss 1 Birch referred tn the interest which Her Excellency took in the Y.W.C.A. Work. This hostel stood as an instance of selfsacrifiee made by both men pnd women of New Plymouth. The board also felt grateful to the women who had devoted a lot of hard work to canvassing.

LADY JELLICGE’S SPEECH. Addressing the gathering, Lady Jellicoe said:—“lt gives me the greatest pleasure to come here to-day to declare the Clarke Memorial Hostel open. Before doing so I should like very much to congratulate the committee and the president on having carried out the work of providing this beautiful home. I feel quite certain all the girls who come here will ever be grateful to them for the comfortable way in which the home has been prepared for them. They must indeed feel that they have a home when they come here. I feel also that everyone is feeling very much for Mrs. Clarke to-day, and wishing she could have 'been here to see the good work her husband started and which '»"s now been completed. it gives me the greatest pleasure to declare this hostel open and to wish all who use it great happiness and success.” Her Excellency was then presented with a silver key, with which she opened the door of the hostel. The chairman of the Men's Advisory Board (Mr. T. C. List), on behalf of the ladies, expressed thanks to Their Excellencies for their kindness in attending the function and opening the hostel. He acknowledged the very thoughtful and kindly words that His Excellency had expressed at the official reception in the morning regarding the late Mayor (Mr. James Clarke), and the feeling references to Mrs. Clarke which Her Excellency had just made. The late Mr. Clarke was a fine man and a good citizen. He never sought preferment or the advancement of his own interests, but desired always to help and serve his town and sacrifice himself for others. His death was a great loss to the community. The self-sacrifice of the late Mayor was shown by his action in initiating the movement of which the acquisition of the hostel was the fruition. He had recognised the need for providing a suitable house for girls away from home, and oh his tragic going those associated with him in the work thought they could not do better than make the hostel a memorial to him. It would be agreed that the institution wftft a fine memorial io a worthy citizen, xne

Y.W.C.A. was an ihstitutioh where good work was known and recognised throughout the Dominion, and further afield. They had just been told by Mrs* Walker, the local president, that the committee were not satisfied with conducting the hostel only; they had plans for engaging in ameliorative work amongst the women and girls. The hostel would, therefore, be but the headquarters of the Y.W.C.A., the point from which their good work would radiate. Possessed of this spirit of service there could be little! doubt of the site 4 cess of the association’s work, and, as a community, they would subsequently be grateful to the late Mayor for initiating the movement, to the ladies for establishing the hostel—the foundation of their splendid work—and to their Excellencies for gracing the openihg of their fine building with their presence. Mr. List proceeded to say that, as a community, they should not be satisfied with launching the Y.W.C.A. successfully. They should give attention next to the boys. Their Excellencies could see before them as fine a lot of boys (the High School Cadets) aft could be found anywhere. When they left school they ran the danger of lofting their corporate spirit, their “esprit de corps,” because of having no place at which to meet. It would be well for the town to supply the need and establish a local branch of the Y.W.C.A., and he trusted, when tiines were more prosperous, that the townspeople would interest themselves in the matter and provide for the boys as they had for the girls. At Mri List’s instance, three hearty cheers were then given for the distinguished guests. “His Excellency cannot be persuaded to speak any more to-day,” remarked Lady Jellicoe smilingly. “He wishes me to thank you for your cheers.” Lady Jellicoe said that 'flisj Excellency was disappointed that the girls had not been included in the cheering, and she called on them, and the response was a good one. Hift Excellency then departed to fulfil other engagements, and Lady Jellicoe was the guest Of the board at afternoon tea. The interior of the hostel had been artistically detonated for the occasion.

REMAINDER OF VISIT. DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMME. The programme for the remainder of the period Their Excellencies are to spend in North Taranaki is as follows: TO-DAY. 9.30 a.m.—Leave for mountain. 12.15 p.m.—4-ainch at Mountain Hostelry. 1.25 p.m.—Leave for* Inglewood. 2 p f m. —Official reception, Inglewood. 2.45 p.m.—Leavexfor Wai tar a. 3.30 p.m.—Official reception Waitara. 4.15 p.m.—Leave for New Plymouth. 8 p.m—His Excellency attends Savage Club. Her Excellency entertained privately. TO-MORROW. 11 a.m.—Their Excellencies attend Anglican Church. 2 p.m.—Leave for Bell Block. 2.15 p.m.—-Unveiling Memorial to Fallen Soldiers. 3.15 p.m.—Leave Bell Block, via Hillsborough for “Meeting of the Waters.” MONDAY. 7.20 a.m.—Departure of Vice-Regal party for Wellington.