SIR IAN HAMILTON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2156, 23 May 1914, Page 5

SIR IAN HAMILTON.

CIVIC RECEPTION. GATHERING AT TOWN HALL, GENERALS BREEZY SPEECH. TRIBUTE TO HOME OFFICERS; A civic reception was accorded, to General Sir laa Hamilton at four o'clock yesterday afternoon in tlio Town Hull. The lvcejition was held in tho big hall, and, wbiio tho official party occupied tho stage, tho public were- invited to occupy tho body of tlio kali. About 1000 people were present in all. including a party of veterans who wcm inspected by General Hamilton after tlio ceremony. Among tho military present wore: General Sir tan Hamilton, and the officers of his staff, Brigadier-Gen-eral Ellison, Major Ashmore, and Lieutenant Shades, and tho following New Zealand officers:—Majot-Genora'l Gwiiav, Colonel E. S. Heard, Colonel A. \V. Robin, Colonel Chaytor, Colonel Collins, Colonel Wolfe, and , Major Hughes. Representing tlio Ministry xvero: Tho Hon. J, Allen, the Hon." W. Fraser, the Hob. H. D. JMI, the Hon, A. L. Herdman, tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, and tho Hon. ft. Heaton Rhodes. An apology was received from tho Bight Hon, W. F, Masses. Tk> Mayor (Mr. ..f. P. Luke) was supported by a majority of tho members of tho Citv Council. THE MAYOR; TRIBUTE TO THE GENERAL. The Mayor said that tha object of tho gathering was to do honour to a vory. distinguished citiwm of tho British Empire, Qeiternl Sir lan Hamilton. Ho was sure no place would give him a more, hearty welcome than tho City of Wellington.' Sir Jati had ooiae from a threat fighting stock, and ho had chosen tho career of a soldier, 'but if he l.mti chosen any other profession lie woaM still ' have been a- most distinguished member of it. But ho hud boon a soldier, and his reeord iras sueh that tho British people could well be, proud erf him {Applause.) Mi'. Lube went mi to detail incidents in Sir lan Hamilton's carter from the time* that- liejoined tho Gordon Highlanders in 1872, through the Afghan' War of .187.0, through the. South African War of 1881, and tho ill-fated light at, Majaba, through his/distinguished sarvico. with. Lordi Roberts, and with Gioiioritl Whito rat Ladysmifch),. right tip' till the present time. All this effort -on the part of General Hamilton hod been for the preservation of peace a.nd freedom in the British Empire. Now he was detailed for the special duty m inspecting tho oversea forces, to see that the yn'mig men in tlio British Dominions w-cre trained in such maimer as to benhlo to defend their countries against possible, foes, and also in such manner as to tie nbls to to-ojierato with tho Homo forces, ia-maintaining, if tho need skvuld arise, tho isvtcgriiy of the Empire find oar national esistene'e. He wisliedto say on behalf of tho people of 'Wellington that they honoured and esteemed' General Godloy as tho tti.au who had made it possible to establish a citizen army without disturbing the ideals of tho democracy. (Applause.) He assured Gonoroi Hamilton that it was the desiro of the people of' Wellington _ to make him heartily welcome to their city, (Applause.)

HON, J. ALLEN. IN PRAISE OpIIOMM OFFICERS. The lion. J. Alien, who was taken by sarpriso in being called upon to speak, said that ho" need not, to the people of Now Sfoaland, say anything in eon momlation of the work <;l Genarsl GiiCiley, but the peoplu ai iVow &ajand did not all knov; valuable work that liad been doao hero by tho Imperial bilkers and non-EOismvisaianed officers who had eo&w hero. Ho vo.vdd ask New Zealand people to pay the respee* tliat was duo to them' for what they had done* in working otit oU.r de.fen.co scheme. (Applause.) "There have been some, ijn.isivournb.lo comments mado about tho English ofllws," said Sir. Allen. _ "Ladies and Gentlemen, there were times when we were not satisfied with tho Imperial officers sent'to ns, but those times arc gone by, and I say without hesitation 'that tho ; men sens from the War Qffico during the last three years arc men of whom tho nation may well be proud. Nebodv knows the difficulties of rafinina a sehofflo such as our? except those in contact with it. it'&ocrts tnnt, but it ? l c&iS ■ osPWioiieo and knowledge awl tnore_ is no man so quick to disclaim apmst inexperience and lack 0 f .knwlrfga as the pjwpfc fe these out* lung parts of the Empire, Tho iwoiria Hero arosovero critics, and tbwois rt &■ io l " S ' ' J !T to* fec » « -K-ud io.? critrctsm ouvfeg the last two or threa fun. Wo a'ra prond rf «,n men who have- com© to ns, ami to them lor what they ],„«, fc '^

Mait Oi uir lan. Hnmi tern awl his *h(f as'the narts or other famous'& B itom Accoutre of the flmpiM fo ™ Already n/kd W «tafi, and he v«as sure that the- people « New Zealand would foam. tamTx^n published, j/fm i ns hector-General l u >d been asked to repot* ptody and <.| C av k o *« he saw. it ff p were nkkffi Kir "'° "" J>lGCl to ,£Wff a « ywni. 11 wo. were on vcima lines as (o dotaijs wo wished to know 0 J it. *, tint wc laisht.develop our Eciienio-iii such a way tiiat it wotild stand by Ms if the nwu occurred. Mo hoped that it w*uJd ):over he necessary to defend our shores againsc an invader, but lis ventured to say that the tramm.-? and discinlliirt already wauorgoiio had boon <>f immense iertel.it to the young liien coliccrirod "I know you will give » right royal welcome to sir lan Hamilton," ho said. "j know you are in favour of our /if-fenco scaenrc, and I ask you to -help us' fcv your sympathy to try to make tho thi'iv* a complete success," (Applause.) '"

THE GENERAL,

INTERESTING THINGS, WELL SAID, i . Sir Inn Hamilton was applauded and eh-cered when lie nwo to speak. Ad* (h-ossimi Mr. Luke and tlio l-iou." Jam« p , i Allen, he said: "I thank vau from Hie; bottom of liiy lioai-t, f ol . y ' mr „„,,.■ o ] o . queHt speeches. And you, Indies and' KPiitloHien, 1 also thank with the deep.- j est gratitude for yottsr welcome. 1 ns -1 sum you thai the warmth of it, has ' averted a serious <J:iflper to i»;o— of getliriß ft coirl in my head. Ooivuuk to'my position here when I walked up to slow ilinsie with lii's Warship, I felt in n yory bad'way. Almost ns if I wcr«< going to bo married. And I wanted " a ! litlla warming up, 1 assure you, ftfUu- \ this moruiti";.. Ib.it there is 'somotliiuj* \ in blustering weather that gives tim \ ideas, and an idea oamo to sic whilst X j was struggling with the. oU-moiils to-«i;iy, \ that a fierce and ficlslo eliranic makca j ;> steadfast, and kindly people, aud I j think, 'on tlio other liavid, that where ! ynu have, a kindly and settled climate— I the sort of climate that cvm.v 'limo a I man opens his mouth n banana drops i itilo il —there you hove a fioiw aiid fickle people. Another ides eamo lo inn, (as I was chasing my hat), that, of all pfofpwious 1 would lilw tn enter h«p.*-Rj» Worsliiy* has >M I shoulr! have nssdo ft eeasidflrabje fortune had I j

entered any other profession than that oi : tho Army, which I very much dolibl —I should have liked to try heffig a liatter hero in Wellington, " (Laughter and applause.) Famous fvTen. "I should liko particularly to express my joy. and gratitude- to {lis Worship ior having so kindly referred to my Ja-to chiela. Lord Moborts and Sir (Jeorgc i ~V , 1 constantly s*o bora iv<Acrts-l M) is S3 Ba w, but at the last manoeuvres in September ho was six and a half hours in the stwidk, mid seemed nono thu worse for it. Ho is Hoing strong, and his interest in eveyvwmg is unbounded, (Applause-.) "l write to hnr» pretty teftula'rly—cortaiulv onco 1,1 three weeks---and 1 shall most «srtaimy tako occasion in my next lot•«er to toll him of tho way in which Jits name was received hern. (All* plauso.) As for Sir George White, Ws was as galkilit, straight, B iid chivalrous a character as I litivo etcr struck. (Applause.) w ' About tho English OfTicof. T?n' J UM,in £ to *»«> point of Colonel Alien s remarks about imported cf-ficM-s, there, also, i afei- very' grateful •io Biw tor iJao words of encouragement whien ho spoke. I think that tho imported ofitr-ors certainly ato doing their vwy host, and 1 do believe,. although it m<i.y bo conceited to helioy-o it. that t it'.v am doing good work k«rc, On Ibo otter himd, 1 asu perfectly certain Ltiat, in doing that vert, tliavare doing a- gpod stroke for tlxcHuseiwTs also. 1 tlimk that, vfiry often, iu our Higher educational -colleges for tlio warning oi young men for military -service at Honw, people got rather a narrow and liigj>-a«d-drv viety of tli«ir OTtlttS. They got a. little, separated from vho j«iro human element which iies at tho bottom'of every groat work. I tlliiils when they come out Im-re., and tool that they have goMo bo on «tfy irwaidly terms with tho •statio.n.m-ast&f —(laughter)—<ui-d to 1* as ni«o ats ihov possibly caw to ffte constaWs wile, nod that, far from cwicmitvfttijig themselves entirely as they aid ratltEr tangitt to do in those higher edteational <;s----ta.ojjslmvcnts that I .have referred to, on woiKleritjlly high strategy and tactics, they have to -got down in the mud ahel teach young boys tlio goa-so «tep, 1 .think all that is perfectly splendid far them. But I think there is a, taitttnal obligation. As regards their wishes mid idcHs, I know that it- is their wish to give a -cojiiplota quid pro quo for every tiling Jv'ovv Zealand gives thorn, (Applause.) 1 certainly hopo that they do itt

C*vcn CCtonei Davis an Altfershat Corim?nU "

"And we in Great Brit-nip," continued Hie spes-kor, "arc most anxious, and have proved ilmt we afro most anxious, to giro New Zealand officers, a show' fit iioino- . | Now, I should say tfyitt tiia most eireted places in t-ho wlvoio .of our service arc t-Im eom.itiaiids of iko six infantry brigades' at Aidershot. They afo plums to vvhieh ovevy ambition's eoiiibatapfc officer loots rariv-afi-1,. IV 6 have given owe of those to Geporji). Davis from Jiorp. According to took regulations there aro all sorts ,of pos* *>ibk< fences m the .way of t.hfit. 'lia ttinsi- have, coniwahded a British battalj.on, lio must have passed d-i'Jlicult e.w animations, and so oii, htfs all tWt v.tb' put 0.11 one side, and to was given cneof those bri.gitd.es. I will ma-ko tito £&• murks on tips; Quo i§ thai lie lias -done H jolty Weil, and titio second .is that I have Hovel" yet hoard a'single Bi'ifeisli officer grtulgo-ft 'to Mm. •

Admtratloft of tha cadets. Sir laa Haiiiiitoii. Tyont on to sav tlvat; generally ho eojiin-ionded the idea .of military traiftifig for the ci'feolis of. this "hWuir j.'' Ariel' of all . tho : .jns.pirijig things'ho had sceu in his life the e#dofc paades ho had scan hero wcr-o the inps-t inspiring, Ho would make an exception to a rul'o which ho observed:, viz., Ireyor to teaujo any .corps or to compare, on<s ■corps with another, aind tlio osceptioft he would w&kq Was itt favour of a. jttttior cadet corps of hoys under 14 years of a.ge. This -earns wa/s that'.oi the New Plymouth High Se'ljsoL B:o mentioned these hays because, their steadiness 011 p-asad.?. had impressed l t tm so mtieh. Tho general -concluded cliiv'rneteristioaßy: "I thank you very inneh for tlio way yo.il have listened to. iny. long yarn." Tlio Mayor eafled for -th-rcp cheers far General Hamilton., and the ehe.efs woro given, This concluded iho public "eereuimiey. PINNER WITH MINISTERS, In tljo evening General Sir lan Hamilton and his staff were eHteftaiiied at dinner in Ifctlajjiy's by the Cabinet Ministers. PLEASANT ftfrwa.fl. FIRST CONTINGENT MEMORIES. _ At tlife coiielus-ion of tlio civb reeep* t-iou, Sir la-n Da-niiitsin proceeded to t'ho residence oi, Genei-al Godlc,y, where Jibmet a dozen Weinberg -of the New 2eaiam! Fifst Coiitingfi-ni Btrgiment-, wh,ich a uiixkr C-oloi-icl Rdbiiij fo-riiied a partian of liOrd Itohort-s's right i.lan-fc coliHntt totjiwandeel by G<tnwal Hamilton.) In the general advance from jiloeinfottteiii to the Vaal E-iver. in 1000. tte ujcm» liefs present were ■' introdiitfed to ' the tjJenera? by Celsiiel Rot-in, and a. rjjeasB:i)t talk of a rc-'niii-ii's-eei'i't oliftra-ste-r took place. This coloma Iwd Die experienee of fightiiag tbii-i-fl-en. actions in as ffiahy days, and these t-Mgageifiieiits iT3<sl-r.icic.cf the taking of. the B'lo-ei'iifoiitcia li'aterworlss, Sanaa's Post, awl the- iivety operations at Israel's Poort, Tfcabaff.■oliu. Heut .Mel':, and tti.o passage ttf the

Vfit Mid JJn.wl Rivers. Major Mad> wfiks. • wll kiiflW'ji in N-<W Zoftlaud, was General Sir lnu Itrumltcti's stall isfiTccf at tho time of t'lrO adv-anee.

Among thole present yosto'day nTternooti was Major Ashiiiore, E.A,, Staff Officer to the 3.ns'i3TOtm'-C)cii*i.'a!. Maiar Ashnwrv,.wlio was in cterge. fit 0 Battery r>f the Royal Artillery, was shot in ftrito'ii at Sa-sma's Post. At the* scantt time Tromwr White- (twv Captain White, N.X.S.C.) had his horso shot mw3er him, lint, fctfraflibliiif; free, frasn tlio falling horse, that of Major Ashmore, find galloped back tn tlie lines. Msjar As.i\more Va-3 picked up bv one of the fitfafor Corps, aiid was confined to t!-io hospital for set oral weeks afterwards.

• The clmrclnVa.Klens ' and vestry of Holy Trinity Church, _l*rdy mouth, have [{routed Arohdeafiflii -fork nine months'' leave of absence to pay n visit 'to the Old Country. Archdeacon To-rli, accompanied by Mrs. 1 Vork, will leave i Sew Zealand dbqut the middle of Abj;- ; 11st, and, together' With the Bidinp of ' I Nelson and Mrs. &iillier, will travel by 1 (he Orient Lino to Italy, ass<l ttwi'ce by j ivuv of Swit/.erlMK? and France, to Enrj- ! land. The Hishop is seiitSiug the .Rev. 'j J. A.- Rosters, 8.A., to net as ktmn '; tenons at firoyinouth d tiring the Arcji--11 iJeatMii's absence., anil two thoolrtgJral i studenlß—Messrs. Winston? and ft;n-y j —fe assist him in working the parish. I Mr. G. A, Konrs, postmaster iiiii) teic--1 Rrnpliist Kt MosiptH, ajid ibrmerly i?f : Slicffipld, hss retired on supwanntjation I nftw forty years' service, The Mayor j of Moseiiel flnc! 11 nuinbei' of other rosiI dents maite Mr. ancl Mrs. Keys a. haiidj some. jn-CBpntatran as a »»rf: of tiieir I cstenHt and Hiiprceiatioji of (ho many j kindnesses mft ejwrtesies sliOffn liy llw ! rwipients during tho fourteen yanu j ihi'y had heosi resident In Mosgioh Fivo hoys escaped fronj, the TafciI viisna Oi'pna.niiso mi IWdaj, says a 'Press As*!iciaii<M* teloKrom fvom Aviehhind. After helug hejinl at in districts four were oaninreil ttt Onolninan yesterday, ono being aljil at largo. 'tor Children'? Hacking CoUr.Vu at Nißl't. j .Woods' Great Peppomwtt Cure, Is. Si,'