Nor is it without significance that St. Crispin's day recalls the heroic episodes of Balaclava no less than the superb disdain of overwhelming odds which lends its peculiar glory and undying inspiration to Henry the Fifth's great feat of arms.
Mons, Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, Sedd-el-Bahr, and a hundred other names in the stern records of the last fourteen months have brought home to us all that the fearless courage, the unflinching self-sacrifice, the dauntless endurance, the devotion to duty that never pauses to count the cost, which, as our fathers have told us, characterised our race in the times of old, still burn clear and bright in the hearts of their sons, and leap into sudden flames at the call of occasion.
''The greatness of England'' - a consolation to that most gallant gentleman, Captain Scott, when a few short years ago he faced death alone in the waste places of the Antarctic - is, we have all learnt with pride, safe in the hands of the men of to-day.
But the men of to-day were born into a goodly heritage, and in spite of the engrossing cares of the moment, we do well on such an anniversary as this to spare an hour to honour the memory of ''the famous men, our fathers that begat us.''
The Nightcaps School has a scholar who may be classed as a record-maker.
He has been attending for some years the Opio School, some three or four miles from his home.
Since August he has become an attendant at the Nightcaps School, over seven miles from his parents' farm.
He leaves home every morning at 7 and walks to the school at Nightcaps, returning after school has been closed, and gets home in time for tea at 6.
That is, in itself, a record.
Once a week, however, the scholars in Standards V and VI travel to Riverton by train, 30 miles distant, leaving Nightcaps at 7.
On that day Glen Stiles starts from home at 5 o'clock and arrives in time to proceed to Riverton.
On the return journey the train reaches Nightcaps at 7 o'clock, and our young hero commences his walk home, arriving there about 9.
The lad declares he likes the trip to Riverton.
''It is quite a holiday,'' he said.
A general holiday was observed yesterday in celebration of Labour Day.
The weather in Dunedin was fine, but rather cold. A large number of people took advantage of the opportunity of spending a day at various holiday resorts.
The Labour Day Carnival in Auckland was a great success, despite threatening weather The procession was the longest yet seen on Labour Day, a feature being over a mile of military men. - ODT, 26.10.1915.
