The Star. MONDAY. OCTOBER 28, 1901. OUR COMING GUEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7239, 28 October 1901, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY. OCTOBER 28, 1901. OUR COMING GUEST.

Ih!.< evening- Ihe- public of Christcfcurclwill have an opportunity of welcoming tc tbe.ii- mivist one of tib-e piost distinguished soldiers of the British Army. We have ik cki'.bt. that -they fully realise this and tha.l when Sir Hector Macdonald arrive? 'here h< will teceive ;i very w.irm greeting. There arc many reasons why we ought to rejoice tc have an opportunity of doing honour tt General Macdonald. In the first place he •: i* an ornament to his profession, eecondlj his deeds are evidenco that he is a brave man and his words that he is a modest one, and h'-rfly there axe features of his care'ei I which appeal with irresistible fascination tc ih.? colonial. In a country like New Zealand, -where a man is measured more by his deeds than by birth, and the self-nva.de man., provided 'he Iras made himself well, commands a. larger amount of deference than the le?s successful superior by birth, this soldier who has exchanged a private's rifle for ihe sword of a general is sure to be eaininted a;t hi-? time value. His brilliant acts may excite here -the- general admiration j which they compel elsewhere, bub the less dazzling quality of determination which, has carried! him from a humble beginning to the exaltedl position to which he has risen is what/ appeals chiefly to the people, oj ; ih:s Ci-.imtry. To most of us the "battle of life is a long and bitter straggle, a.r.d to many ib is not a very successful one. Some of the -leaf* successful are apt perhaps to be jealous of their more fortunate rivals, and under the circumstances few will be disposed to blame them. But Sir Hector Macdonald's success excites no such feeling. Envy of his good luck fades before admiration of the man and his deeds. Therefore we have no doubt that the public of Christ church will follow the lead given by the local Caledonian Society and strive to make Sir Hector's visit to this city as pleasant a? possible. On his arrival to-night, and again at the Canterbury Hall to-morrow evening, they will have opportunities of testifying their appreciation -of his gocd qualities. For the credit of the town we hope they will not fail to take ad- : vantage of both.