HAEREMAI!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 17, 17 October 1944, Page 5

HAEREMAI!

WELCOME HOME SMOKO'

DISTRICT SOLDIERS THE GUESTS

< jCORDIAL BOROUGH GATHERING

"I only wish I could extend thi's welcome 'to all the men who have left this district for service overseas said His Worship the Mr B. S. Barry ( in addressing the returned men from all theatres' of war ; at the welcome home 'smoko' in the King Street Hall last Saturday evening. "We still have a hard row to hoe ? wentt on Mr Barry, "and therefore .we mluistt get rid of that spirijt of complacency ? before we start thinking that victory is won. We have? followed your deeds with pride and and in extending to you all a hearty welcome back to your homes I would like also to tendter our sympathy to the relatives of those who have made the? sur preme sacrifice.''

* / The evening followed closely the pattern of other welcome home func. tions promoted by the local com mittee, and was remarkable for the splendid spirit of fellowship and goodwill which prevailed. Oncc again speeches were limited to live • minutes (a popular innovation) anc the proceedings Ave re punctuated by items of a high order and some very •enjoyable interludes of community singing led by Mr A. O'Rourke. Ful 1 justice, .was done to the abundant repast of succulent crayfish, sucking pig and other appetising viands washed down by New Zealand s war time ale, and the evening concluded at midnight with the lusty rendi

t'ion of Auld Lang Syne. Extending a welcome on behalf of the County Mr Don Butlei advised any returned man to refei his troubles to the Council t adding liastily that*whilst they might pro. mise to fix things, they would a.' least try.

The toast to the Second N.Z.E.F was in the capable, hands; of Mr W. who said that New Zealanders in all spheres of war activities had done a great job of work, and those at home had been mighty proud of them. They had definitely refuted the contention that New Zealanders w r ere becoming a decadent race, for their testing ground liad been up'against thp trained youth of Hitler's Germany, whose outlook and life had been" directed to one objective—war. Thank heaver the Dominion could still breed mer who could stand up to anything in the w r orld. He added that tributes from the war leaders which had beer received in the House of Represen. ■tafcives all spoke in glowing terms of the admiration for our men of the Armed Forces.

Responding Capt. Bert Cutler ex pressed the. warm appreciation o ! the guests for the hospitality shown th,em, and the splendid welcome home they had received.

Toasting the R.N.Z.A.F. ? Mr R F. Smith said that despite this branch of the Services being the youngest it was now " recognised a: the most vital to final victory. N( nation could now lay open claim tc "Victory until it had established aii -ascendency, and when the record; of the war were he wa; certain that none would stand J gh, er in public estimation than the Em pire's young, heroes of- the sky. The airmen of this war had shown amaz, ing courage and fortitude in theii •dangerous task of defending th< Mother Country or of making offen *sive sweeps over enemy territory: In their ranks were many young -men fom this and evei since the dramatic Battle of Britain the enemy had learnt to> his cost the superior quality of the men whe manned the. English planes-. Jule: Verne himself could never have fore seen the magnitude of the aeria amadas now plying the skies, oi guess the devastating effects of the missiles which could be dropped from the air. Group Captain Nicholls briefly re plied expressing pleasure and grati tude at the warm tributes paid. Mr Norman proposed the toast tc the Nursing Sisters and Women'! which was responded tc

men fom this country^

by Lieut. Butler. Mr S. S. Sljapley ihandle.d the toast to the 'Maor Battalion' in a capable Lieut (Crapp responding and (paying a warm tribute, to the people on the Home and particularly tin Patriotic organisations which at tended to the despatch of parcels.

Other toasts were: 'The Roy a Navy' Mr lan Gow and Mr H. G. Warren; 'The R.S.A.' Mr L. Bud slle and Mr L. W. Luxton.

Much appreciated items- during the. evening were given by the fol lowing artists: Mr Stewart P'ync (PJano-accordeon solos): Mr Aubre> O'Rourke (vocal solos); Tony Smith (elocutionary);. Mr C. Carpenie, (elocutionary); Mr H. Antnsti on£ (vocal solos); Mr H. Waite (hum our).