DUNEDIN TURNS OUT FOR "MONTY"

Chronicle (Levin), 22 July 1947, Page 7

DUNEDIN TURNS OUT FOR "MONTY"

■Press Association

By Teleprapn-

DUNEDIN, July 21. If Sunday's unofiicial welconye to Yis count Montgomery was to be regarded as surprising, today's official welcome was little short 'of staggering. Crowds lined the streets in bright winter sunshine from the time of his first appearance and by midday when the outdooi eivic reception was held in the Octagon, a huge throng of about 10,090 people filled the centre of the ci-ty. As the open car with a police escort came along Prinees Street, crescendos of cheering and applause followed until he arrived at the main entrance of the Town Hall. From the time ne -left his hotel this morning until he finally drove away from the city, Viscount Montgomery was kept busy acknowledging the cheers of groups , of people along the sides of streets. His first call in the morning was at the disabled servieemen's vocational training centre in Anzae Avenue and there was a large group waiting to s-ee him at the entrance. As he was received by the chairman of the committee, Mr. S. V. Sinith, and district officer Mr. F. H. MeCluskey, the crowd broke into "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". After meeting the remainder of the committee the Field Marshal set out on a speedy tour of the buiiding. Catching sight ot photographs of Mr. Churchill, the Field Marshal stopped suddenly and pointed it out. " There 's old Churchill," he exclaimed. He kept up a running fire of questions as to the centre 's difiiculties in obtaining materials and outlets for the disposal of finished products. The umbrella making seetion provided a moment of humour as the Field Marshal opened a tartan covered umbrella and held it ab'ove his head. 4£You know this would be a most useful article for a soldier to carry," he said. "Mueh better than swords. " "Do you think the anny should be equipped with them?" he was asked. "Well, the Japanese army might be," was his reply. After morning tea in the canteen Mr. Smith presented him with a leatlxer suitcase "in the hope that you will take it with you on your travels and that it will remind you of the men here in Dunedin". "This is. very kind of you," said Viscount Montgomery. "One colleets all sorts of little things on one 's travels and I can hardly get all iny stuff into my baggage now. This suitcase will be most useful. "I think 'that in New Zealand you look after the exserviceman very well," he said. "I think you do these things much better than we do in England. As T go round. the various countries I learn lessons in how well the exserviceman can be looked after if it is well organised. I'U take these lessons back with me and see that they are put into practice. I think we have a very definite duty towards the welfare of the returned man. I was.very pleased when you made me a member of your Return.od jServices' .Association. I was told that I really should not we^r it because T'm not an exserviceman. No doubt 1 soon will be but I feel now that we are comrades in peace as we were comrades in war. " From the training centre the Field Marshal drove to the Contecillo Soldiers' Home where he was greeted by Dr R. Fulton, Matron A. C. Douglass, and the chairman of the committee of the Home, Mr. J. W. Smeaton. When told that there were 24 patients in residence at the home, Lord Montgomery replied with a laugh: "Looked after by all these nice nurses! They must have a good time". A. neat box in polished Southland beech was handed to tlie Field Marshal by Sgt. A. Anderson, of Cromwell, and the visitor opened it up and produced a woollen scarf in the Montgomery tar tan. 'Did you make it?" he asked. • ' Lovelv tliing. I shall wear it now." Viscount Montgomery then visited tlie only patient who wrns unable to be present at the welcome, Mr. I. Hastie, a double amputee who served with the merchant navy in convovs to Russia and during the evacuation of Dunkirk. The Field Marshal was deliglited to discover that the ship in which Mr. Hastie served was possiblv one engaged in the evacuation of troops of the division which he was commanding at the time of Dunkirk. He took a keen interest in a tapestry on which Mr. Hastie was working. "I couldn't do anvthing like this," he said. "As a matter of fact I should like to stay in bed myself for a month and do a bit of this. It would be a good rest. " He laughed when Mr. Hastie olfcred ,to tcach him tapestry work if he did decide on any sucli action. The Field Marshal returned to his hotel for a brief period prior to goin:to a civic reception and he attonded lnncheon _at the R.S.A. club rooms be fore going on to Oamarn and the north.