Mining Township’s Tribute To

a Well-loved King

THE friend who kindly sent us a report of the service held in the social hall at Bulolo, T.N.G., on January 28, in memory of King George V., omitted to give the name of the man who delivered the principal address. This was unfor tunate; because, among all the hundreds of addresses delivered on that sad occa sion, we read none that was more moving or eloquent than that of the unknown man at the Bulolo mining camp.

Here are the concluding sentences: “It is a matter of record that during most of these crises, in one way or another, when the Government of the day reached a deadlock, and the situation seemed hopeless, the King, by his advice and example, always wise, always consti tutional, always directed towards the best interests of his people, showed the way out of trouble.

“Through all these troublous times King George kept his people’s love and loyalty —the crash of toppling thrones through out Europe only served to seat the Throne of England more firmly. The most strik ing example of his people’s affection occurred during his dangerous illness of some eight years ago—in his own words: “ T have been brought back from the danger and weariness of the past months by the wonderful skill and devotion of my doctors, surgeons and nurses. And help has come from another source of strength; as month after month went by, I heard of the widespread and loving solicitude with which the Queen and I were surrounded. I was able to picture to myself the crowds of friends waiting and watching at my gates, and to think of the still greater number of those who, in every part of the Empire, were remembering me with prayers and good wishes. The realisation of this has been among the most vivid experiences of my life.’

“This is the man we mourn—simple, yet wise, fulfilling his high office with dignity, yet never losing the ‘common touch,’ loving his people as they loved him.”