Royal Scottish Country Dance Society NZ Diamond Jubilee Ball

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E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou.  Kia ora tātou katoa.  Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Fiona Bullivant, President of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, New Zealand branch and Elaine Laidlaw, Wellington Region President of the Society - tēnā korua.

It’s a great pleasure for Janine and me to welcome you all to Government House this evening for this Diamond Jubilee Ball.  I know that you have already been warming up with a few dances, and we look forward to observing the many dances to come.  I can’t say that either Janine or I know much about Scottish dancing and may prove to be more of liabilities on the dance floor.  With that disclaimer given, if you do manage to coax us into dancing, you know the risk you are taking!

Tonight we mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, and Queen of the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and celebrate her service and dedication to the Commonwealth.  We also celebrate her service as Patron of the Royal Scottish Dance Society and its many branches all over the world, including here in New Zealand.

I am well-informed that Her Majesty is a Scottish country dance enthusiast.  Each year, during her stay at Balmoral, The Queen gives dances known as Gillies' Balls, for neighbours, estate and Castle staff and members of the local community .

It is no surprise that Scottish country dancing is so popular in New Zealand, with the strong Scottish heritage that many New Zealanders lay claim to.  Our history tells a story of many who journeyed to New Zealand, seeking a better life for their family. 

The first Scots to set foot here were crew on Captain James Cook's ship Endeavour in 1769.  During the next 200 years thousands more followed, finding for themselves a new homeland on the other side of the world.  These Scots migrants brought with them trades and skills, ideas and beliefs, and their famous culture.  They established communities that were strongly Scottish in character, and eventually settled right across the country.

New Zealand’s first public servant, and the founder of New Zealand’s wine industry, James Busby, was a Scot.  He accompanied his parents to Australia, in 1824 after studying viticulture in France, and in 1833 was appointed British Resident in New Zealand.  Busby settled at Waitangi, residing in what is now known as the Treaty House, and planted New Zealand’s first vineyard.

Also of great significance and influence in the mid-19th century was the government official and politician, Highlander Donald McLean, who played a key role in the developing relationship between European settlers and Māori, and secured Māori land for settlement.  Then there is the notorious James McKenzie, shepherd and sheep thief, for whom the Mackenzie District is named.

Other notable Scots include Peter Fraser, who was Prime Minister in the 1940s, women’s rights campaigner Margaret Sievwright, and teacher, politician and Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout, who was a campaigner for women’s suffrage and played a pivotal role in establishing Victoria University of Wellington.  

Scotsman John Liddell Kelly , a well-known poet and writer who immigrated to New Zealand in 1880, wrote a book of poems called “Heather and Fern: Songs of Scotland and Maoriland”.  I will read a portion of one of his poems; itself entitled “Heather and Fern”, which reflects the fondness that those New Zealanders with a Scottish heritage have for their country of origin.

Though dear to my heart is Zealandia,
For the home of my boyhood I yearn;
I dream, amid sunshine and grandeur,
Of a land that is misty and stern;
From the land of the Moa and the Maori
My thoughts to old Scotia will turn;
Thus the Heather is blent with the Kauri
And the Thistle entwined with the Fern.

And so tonight we see the entwining of the heather and Kauri, and the thistle and fern, in the home which has served Governors and Governors-General representing our Queen, for more than 100 years.

Tonight we join together in song and dance to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of our Queen and Head of State.  She is an inspirational person and her dedication to her duties has inspired respect from all quarters.  She is a role model for service.  She has served our country and the 15 other nations where she is Head of State for 60 years with dignity, warmth and generosity of spirit. 

She has remained a constant and unwavering advocate of civic and personal values, despite the great change that has occurred in her reign.  She is admired for her promotion of charitable organisations and her support through royal patronages of a wide range of voluntary and community organisations including, of course, the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

Her Majesty’s commitment to service, and to the values of family, friendship and community, was well made in her Diamond Jubilee message.  As she said:

“In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.  I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations.”

And so, on that note of reflection and celebration, in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II the Queen of New Zealand, and in honour of your Society, I welcome you again to Government House this evening.  I trust you enjoy our hospitality as we celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year.  Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.