AT THE TOWN HALL
THE WELCOME HOME ADDRESSES TO THE MEN. There was not a great deal of stir, in the streets, or any great display ■ of bunting, on the occasion of the soldiers' return, but at the Town Hall a very enthusiastic welcomc home awaited tho heroes of the Dardanelles. Small tables stocked with food, and attended by mimorous ladies, filled the floor of tlio hall, and to theao tlio soldiers and then relatives were directed. Frequent hursts of applause greeted the men 86 tliey entered tho building. Speechmaking was a brief phase ot tho gathering. Tho Mayor of the City (Mr. J. P. Luke) presided, and among those on the platform with him wera the Primo Minister (the Right Hon. W. J<\ M'assoy), Sir Joseph Ward, and tho Hon. Wtn. Webster, I'ostmasterGoncral of the Commonwealth of Australia, all of whom addressed tho audience. Tlio Mayor, in the oponing speech, referred to the happy roiinions which had taken pliicrv To the men, ho said that thoy bad gone away to tako their part in the great' war, and thoy had dono that part nobly and well. "Now Zealand had no misgivingß as to what von would (In," lio added. "Tlio only ono opinion was that tlio hoys from New Zealand would make good." They had made good. Tliev had proved that tlioy could take their places in tlio lighting line almost no soon as tlioy ar. :ived at. I,lie front, and Hint wnN a tribute to the New Zealand . I,milling staff. Ho was prepared to say that, no better training camps, and no better cainpn, oxloted thnn those in Now Zonland, iu>d ho jjaid a tribute to tho
Minister of Defenco for his work in tho face of much criticism. Tho returned men were welcomed homo in tho heartiest sense, and ho congratulated tho parents and relatives of the men on being able to embrace their dear ones again. Our Fighting Spirit. ' The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. IV. F. Massey) said that he desired to follow the Mayor's good example _ of brevity. He extended the hoartiest good wishes of all tho people ,of Now Zealand to all tho returned soldiers, and he remarked that nature had joined in the festivities by providing a day befitting tho occasion. The men ivoro welcome home indeed. Tho fact that so many of our men had expressed their willingness to go to the front was tlio strongest possible proof that Now ZoaI land was prepared to do its part in tlio war. The fighting spirit of the Dominion had been -roused as it had never been roused before. That spirit prevailed throughout the British Empire, aim it would result in the Germans being driven back into their own country. All honour to tho men who "came forward to assist the Empire, no matter what part of tho Empire they came from. New Zealand would never forgot their courage, their-loyalty, their patriotism, "ibid 1 say to all: Welcomo homo!'' " R,t. Hon.' Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance, also, welcomed the men home to New Zealand. Ho remarked that the outcome of the work the returned men and their allied comrades had done might be seen in tho outrageous proposals for peace which Germany had recently mado through the representative of America.. But New Zealand would never consent to hand over the colonies which tho men had fought for and won from the enemy. However,
the proposals had led responsible men to judge this as the beginning of tho end, financially and otherwise, so far as Germany was concerned. Therefore, the men who had fought the Empire's battles, had the satisfaction of knowing that their work had borno good fruit. The presence of these men was an incentive to hundreds of others who were waiting to go to the front. He -welcomed them homo most cordially. , A Tribute to the Fallen. The Hon. Wm. Webster, PostmasterGenerar pf Australia, welcomed , the men back as comrades from the front, and said that he had hoped to be among the troops in the early stages of the war, but it transpired that his mother had brought him into the world a long way too early. What, he asked, were tile men fighting for? Simply, the right to retain the liberties of the British nation,' and tho right to live as we had lived. After what New Zealand had done at the front. New Zealand must have a voice in the terms of peace and the counsels of the Empire. •For the time being, we must keep fighting hard till the final victory was won. At the invitation of the Mayor, the audience rose and remained standing awhile, as a mark of. respect to those of our men who have fallen and died. The gathering concluded with the sing- | ing of the National Anthem, and'with I cheering for the returned soldiers, for the army nurses, and the army doctors. The Tahiti's Men.. The North Island contingent of tho soldiers who returned from Egypt by the Tahiti l arrived here yesterday morning by the Mararoa. The Auckland
division went on> by yesterday's midday express, but prior to leaving were briefly addressed by the Mayor (Mr. P. Luke), who warmly welcomed them Ikcls to their uativo land, and hoped that they would all soon be i fit and -well enough to take up arms again. A good proportion of the Tahiti's men have been sufferers from enteric. These have benefited considerably by tho long 6ea voyage. The names of the hospital cases among the Wellington contingent (there were no cot cases) are.: Gunner J. H. Mitohinson, Pte. W- J. Moss, Drivers S. A. Murray, E. Hopping, and' P. and Pto. A. Clarke.
The Tahiti only called at one way port on the voyage—Colombo—and there, they , were given a great time by tho Ladies'_ Golf Club, which entertained them right royally—"and no one made an ass of himself I" said one. ■ WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURNING BY THE TTJRAKINA. By Telegraph—Press Association. Cape Town, March 15. Eighty-four wounded New Zealanders aboard the steamer Turakina were welcomed and presented with fruit and other gifts. The Turakina has resumed her voyage.
FAREWELL TO ANZAC
Oh! hump your swag and leave lads, the ships are in tho bay,. We've got. our marching orders now, it's time to come away ; And a long good-bye to Anzao Beach, where blood has flowed in vain, For we're leaving it, leaving it—game to fight again! . 1
But some there are will never quit this bleak and Woody shore, And some that marched and fought with , us will fight and march no more; Their blood has bought till Judgment Day tho slopes they stoTmed so well, And we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they fell!.
(Leaving them, leaving them—the bravest and the best!
Leaving them, leaving them—and, maybe, glad to rest! Wo did our best with yesterday, to-mor-row's still our own—
But we're leaving them, leaving them, sleeping all alone!)
Ay, they are gone beyond it all, the praising and tho blame, And many a man may win renown, but none more fair a fame; They showed tho world Australia's lads knew well the way to die, And we're leaving them, leaving them, ' quiet whero they liel
(Leaving, them, leaving them,- sleeping inhere they diedl Leaving them, loaving them, in their glory • ana their pride! Bound them sea and barren land, over them tho sky, Oh! we're leaving tliem, leaving them, quiet where they lio!) —C. Fox Smith, in tho "Spectator."
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2722, 17 March 1916, Page 6
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1,251AT THE TOWN HALL Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2722, 17 March 1916, Page 6
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