"THE OLD FLAG AND THE RED EMPIRE."

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4764, 23 June 1900, Page 3

"THE OLD FLAG AND THE RED EMPIRE."

Th<» Be?. J. GvW. Ellis delivered a lecture on the above subject in the Weeleyan Church on Thursday evening, when, unfortunately, there was only a moderate attendance. This was much to be regretted as the subject, Which nas ably handled by the rev. leoturer, proved both interesting and instructive. The | leoturer, after % somewhat poetical introduction, went on to point out that the Union , Jack was not the creation of one man or the representative of one nation, and gave a brief history of its origin. The three croßses in it, he said, represented three unconquered peoples. He next referred to the magnitude of the Empire over which the flag now waved, pointing out that Britain had possessions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Amerioa, and the whole of Australasia belonged to her. In f«ct f . one-fifth of tba earth's land surface and OOfc-ftixth of- the etttlfe popblatlon o! the globe Were under the flag of the British Empire. Tbe leoturer said that it was not surprising to find that, with possessions so diffused, there were at times signs of dismemberment, and he eulogised the foresight displayed by the Hon. Joseph Chamberlain in arranging for representatives of all the dependencies being present in England during the celebration of the Queen's' Diamond Jubilee, thus forging the first link of an indissoluble union. The second link was the present war in whioh Mr Chamberlain again was so prominent a figure. The leoturer concluded by painting a picture in which the Boers let tbclr war doge loose, but simultaneously an offer cftino from every British dependency : •Twas the voice of the sons of Mother England, wbo flew to where she was being torn and vowed never to leave her. At the conclusion of the lecture Mr F. Vivian proposed a hearty vote of thanks to = Mr Ellis, for his very interesting leotare, whioh was carried by acclamation and the meeting broke up after Binging the National Anthem.