PARTY RETURNS FROM MIDDLE EAST

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 3

PARTY RETURNS FROM MIDDLE EAST

* MR FRASER’S ASSURANCE OF HELP (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 9. "You are not to feel that you are being got rid of,” said the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) in an address of welcome to a party of 157 sick and wounded officers and men returned from the Middle East. “That, is not the spirit of the Government, or of the people of New Zealand. We do not want any of the injustices which have unfortunately occurred in the past,” Mr Fraser impressed on the men the importance of informing the medical boards before which they would go of anything they felt. The records which would be made, in addition to those which accompanied them from the fighting zone, would be most important if, even as long as 20 years ahead, it became necessary to make arrangements for their well-being Everything would be done that could be done to fit them to return to take up the useful places in the community which they had gone out to '< 'if the Germans had not been held back in the Middle East, if Japan had not been held back, it would have been the end of this country,” Mr Fraser declared. ‘‘You have done a job, and done it well. We are grateful to you, and welcome you back.” Tl.' thanks of the returned party were voiced by the senior officer present, Lieutenant P. H. Toka, of the Maori Battalion.