SIR CHARLES LUCAS’ RETURN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2671, 29 November 1909, Page 7

SIR CHARLES LUCAS’ RETURN.

“PI? IDE OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.”

i LONDON, October 15. Sir Charles Lucas arrived' in England on Saturday night (October 9), ,on the conclusion of his mission to Australia and New Zealand. Ho returned via Canada.

“I have not yet,” he said on arrival, “reported the results of my mission to the Secretary of State, and cannot go into details. I am glad, however, to avail myself of the opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the very kindly welcome Mr Pearson and myself received everywhere. The object of the visit was to bring the Colonial Office into closer touch with the British Dominions in Australasia, and everywhere I found' the greatest goodwill, readiness to give information on all subjects, and. all possible facilities, for gaining useful experience. “I was particularly impressed with the readiness to tell' us everything. There was no suggestion of holding anything back; on the contrary, the desire was to show us everything possible. I was greatly struck with the obvious desire of the Governments and the peoples of the Commonwealth and the Dominion to co-operate with tile Mother Country in matters of common interest and with the great resources which will make that co-opera-tion of constantly growing value. “All classes of the community appear to be animated by a strong spirit of loyalty to tile Crown and race. Everything I found so thoroughly British with the expression of a strong feeling of kinship of race. This was so marked. The pride of British citizenship displayed' at the Empire Day celebrations I attended showed 1 that it was a really living thing.” Sir Charles Lucas added that personal visits of this kind should be, of much use in enabling the Colonial Office to appreciate the Australasian point of view, and expressed l the hope that the tour just concluded might be the forerunner of others which will supplement written correspondence and tend to prevent divergence of opinion, in addition to giving members of the Colonial Office experience of the great courtesy and hospitality extended to visitors from England.