Evening star., 1953-12-25
Elizabeth Promises
Devotion 10 Farmers
In Commonwealth
BY the Associated Press

BY the Asseeioted Press
AUCKLAND, New Zealand,
Dec. 25.-Queen Elizabeth II
vowed today to give herself heart
and soul to furthering the ideal
of the British Commonwealth
as IAN equal partnership of ma
tionS and races"
In her annual Christmas Day
broadcast to her peoples around
the world. the young British
monarch paid tribute to the
British founders of the empire
but declared the commonwealth
ideal was IAN entirely new con-
ception."
To this ideal, she promised,
II shall give myself heart and
soul every day of my life"
The Queen said the common
wealth is built ION the high
est qualities of the spirit of
man, friendship, loyalty and the
desire for freedom and peace.
In that fellowship the United
Kingdom is an equal partner
with many other proud and
independent nations and she is
leading yet other still back
ward territories forward to the
same goal"
Refers to Elizabeth 1.
The Queen, who arrived in
Auckland Wednesday on her
world tour, referred to hopes
expressed by many Britons that
her reign might mark another
age as golden as that enjoyed
under Elizabeth I.
Il do not myself feel at all like
my great Tudor forebear,", she
said. adding that the first Eliza
beth "was blessed with neither
husband nor children, ruled as
a despot, and was never able to
leave her native shores"
The Queen, the first reigning
British monarch to make a world
tour. is accompanied by her
husband, the Duke of Edin-
burgh. Their two children.
Prince Charles, S. and Princess
Anne, 3, stayed at home with
their grandmother, Queen Mother
Elizabeth.
Crown a Personal Bond.
Expressing her appreciation to
the nations she has visited thus
far on her tour. the Queen said
she desired to show that the
British crown was not merely an
abstract symbol of unity but
personal and living bond be-
tween herself and her people.
Elizabeth spoke from Govern
ment House. Her eight-minute
broadcast began promptly at
8 pm.
A last-minute addition to the
speech was made to enable the
Queen to express her sympathy
with relatives of victims of New
Zealand's Christmas eve train
wreck in which an estimated 166
persons were killed.
Through most of her prepared
speech, the Queens voice was
confident and clear. But when
she reached the addition re-
ferring to the rail tragedy it
wavered with emotion.
Prays for Crash Victims.
The Queen and the Duke of
Edinburgh earlier attended di-
vine service in st. Mary's Cathe-
dral, where they stood with the
congregation in silent prayer for
the crash victims. The monarch
wore a simple yellow dress, with
a white chiffon hat and white
accessories.
The service was conducted by
the Bishop of Auckland, the
Right Rev. w. j. Simkin. The
Duke read the second lesson.
Before leaving for the church
the royal couple exchanged
presents with their host, Gov.
Gen. Sir Willoughby Norrie and
Lady Norrie. The Queen also
was given an electric train for
Prince Charles and a doll, a
set of doll clothing, a doll buggy
and a three-foot wardrobe for
Princess Anne.
At a private presentation the
Queen received a diamond
brooch in the shape of a fern
leaf, New Zealand'S national
emblem.
During the day the Queen
spoke by radiotelephone to
Prince Charles and Princess
Anne in England.