FINE EXAMPLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20102, 8 May 1935, Page 10

FINE EXAMPLE

“KING GEORGE THE GREAT” ROTARY ADDRESS “Just as the father is known to history as ‘King Edward the Peacemaker,’ so will the son be known as ‘King George the Great,’ ” said Mr H, C. Romans in an address to members of the Timaru Rotary Club yesterday, ■when reviewing the life of the King and paying a tribute to a glorious reign. Mr P. I. Washbourn presided, the speaker being introduced by Mr W. S. Young. ivir rtomans said that when King Edward, inspite of opposition from Queen Victoria, decided on a naval training for his two sons, the present King, and his brother, the late Duke of Clarence, he showed marvellous wisdom, as being Princes of a great democracy, it was advisable that in their youth they should have some training that brought them into close association with their fellows, especially as the Empire depended on the feeling that existed between the people and the Throne. He reviewed the King’s naval career, and quoted the case of a young sailor who had caused trouble during his service and who had been sentenced to imprisonment. The King, then a young Commander, had the young man transferred to his ship. “Now you are to become a member of my crew, I want you to make no promises. Your whole future rests with yourself,” said the King, in addressing the young man from the quarter deck. “For a year you have had no shore leave, and while you have been imprisoned you have not received any pay. Here is a sovereign, take it, and go ashore on leave. I hope my confidence in you is not misplaced.” That confidence was not misplaced, said Mr Romans, who added that the action was typical of his Majesty. The King’s naval career came to an end on the death of the Duke of Clarence in 1892, and it said a great deal for his ability that in the next six years he set about fitting himself for the position he has so ably filled during the last 25 years. For a man who loved the sea it was a great sacrifice to give it up. The King’s marriage with Princess Mav of Teck, who had been engaged to the Duke of Clarence, was touched on by Mr Romans, who referred to the great success of the marriage. Their Majesties had travelled widely, the whole of the far-flung Dominions were known to them, and nothing for the welfare of the Dominions was too small for them to take notice of. When the King ascended the Throne in 1910 he was almost an unknown individual. The personality of Queen Victoria, and tlje popularity of King Edward and the Duke of Clarence in Great Britain and abroad naturally resulted in Prince George being somewhat in the background. He also suffered an innate nervousness, another drawback being that he was not bom heir to the Throne, and for the first 27 years of his life he had never dreamed of ever becoming Sovereign. Most Popular Monarch "If we look over the last 25 years we can regard tills simple and sober man as the most popular monarch that has ever sat on the British Throne, and certainly one of its ablest occupants for centuries,” continued Mr Romans. To have reached that position during 25 years of storm and stress was no mean achievement. While other crowns were tumbling ours had stood like a rock and the link that bound us to the Throne was King George. Well might he look back, but so great was the modesty of that great little man that he wished his brother had become King, because he thought that he would have made a better monarch. Mr Romans said that the Empire at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign was great but loosely and haphazardly held together. During King Edward’s reign it was still great, but the bonds were no stronger. Now King George was securely seated on the Throne and every small part of the Empire was striving not only for the Empire itself, but for the world at large. The Dominions were independent estates, but a strong invisible chain bound them to the whole and that chain, an intangible thing, was allegiance to the Throne. Mr Romans considered that the strong bonds of unity were in no small way due to the many fine characteristics of the Sovereign, who was English to the backbone, who was deeply and sincerely religious, who had an intense desire to hold the confidence of his people, and who in masterly fashion had handled post-war problems. King George would certainly hold an honoured place amongst the portraits of the rulers of the past, and Mr Romans felt sure that he was expressing the sentiments of every Rotarian throughout the world, when he said, “Long Live King George V.” On the motion of Mr L. A. Waters, Mr Romans was accorded a vote of thanks by acclamation for his address. The National Anthem was then sung by the gathering.