Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] MONDAY, 18th JULY, 1932. BACK TO THE HEPTARCHY?

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 July 1932, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] MONDAY, 18th JULY, 1932. BACK TO THE HEPTARCHY?

“In every quarter of the Empire,” writes the authors of “The Spirit of Adventure,” a booklet explanatory of the Segrave Trophy, “signs of the irresistible urge towards closer co-operation are becoming increasingly apparent.” In the larger sense, that statement remains true. There are, however, exceptions, some of which occur in rather unexpected quarters. For instance, consider the surprising case of Carnarvon. The world has heard little of Welsh nationalism, having every reason to believe that the gallant principality was well satisfied with its place in the British scheme. Nor did those few who had heard of it imagine for one moment that it carried with it those angry passions deplored by Dr. Watts. Yet on St, David’s Day, Ist March last, a party of Welsh Nationalists, insisting that the Welsh dragon flag be flotvn from the highest tower of Carnarvon Castle —evidently, by the sequel, a dragon which still maintains the old feud with St. George —ended by hauling down the Union Jack and tearing it to pieces in the castle square. Whether “with the morning cool reflection came” has not been officially disclosed. What is on record is the fact that a week later the incident was mentioned in the House of Commons, the members of which were informed that the Government had decided to ignore this “regrettable occurrence.” Failing entirely to find an Ancient Pistol, Fluellen had (presumably) gone home, and quiet reigned along the Gambian marches. History, however, still preserves it s age-long habit of curious repetition. Just when the episode of St. David’s Day had been all but de cently forgotten, it reproduced it-

self on another stage. The comedy of Carnarvon proved to be but the rehearsal for a second setting at Stirling. 11 Caledonia stern and wild” was not to be outdone by

“Cadwallader and all his goats.” Accordingly we were richly intrigued by reading that a hundred spectators at the Bannockburn Day celebrations had rushed the guard at Stirling Castle, pulled down the Union Jack, and hoisted the Scottish standard. Well, well! How many people were aware that Bannockburn Day was celebrated at all? It has always seemed an astonishing thing that Americans should still keep * ‘ Marching Through Georgia 5 ’ among their national songs—surely too plain a reminder of painful events. The example is hardly worth following in Britain, on either side of the border. “Stands Scotland where it did?” may well be asked if such strange capers are cut in an undiscoverable cause —unless for the purpose of proving that the part is greater than the whole. Nature, both geographical and economic, made Britain obviously one, and only human perversity delayed that union which eventually came about almost by accident.