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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 6

HOME AGAIN

„ WELCOME TO THE WILLOCHRA'S .MEN.- . -There was a large attendance'of tho . public;at the Town-Hall'yesterday-morn-ing, when the North Island section of , i\, the ; returned, soldiers by the. Willochra ■ vcre: acoorded a civic and general Welcome home. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) ■■ presided," and there were present the Prune Minister (the Right Hon. W. V. .llassey), the Hon. James Allen, Brigadier-. General.A. W. Robin (Commander of the ...Forces), Colonel Tate (Adjutant-General), r -and- other Staff officers, and membersYof • tho City Council. Owing to a severe -. cold, Sir Joseph Ward could not be pre- ... Bent. A number of ladies attended to the - refreshments, and encouraged the men ■ to "refresh" during the speeches. - : -The Mayor expressed great pleasure: at v - meeting the men who had returned, and that it had been necessary to detain them for some time.' To those , who were present, and also those who \ Baa .been unable to attend, he accorded • th# '• heartiest welcome. Citizens had a thorough appreciation of the work which . lad. been done by. the' New Zealand boys. ,I'hey. also remembered the great ser- .. |vice rendered by. the; Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, and their staffs, . and by General Robin and. his staff. .The .officers at headquarters all wished to go to the front, but they could not . spared because of the very necessary .work they were doing here. No matter .iioiy long 'be spoke lie could not do jus- ,, tice to .the work of - the New (Zealand boys at Gallipoli .and. in Flanders at tho • . .present time... (Applause.) 1 > _ v The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. i. llassey) said he would not worry them ■with a long speech;. he wished merely to give, them a very, hearty welcome. He was sorry that they, had .been detained in the south, but he felt sure that men ,;who had risked their lives: at the front would not mind little aunoyances such ao that. He could tell them that New Zealand was continuing to do •'its . duty ' ■ Many more men. wero being sent from thft country than were returning. This' would be kept ,up until Germany sooner -.■•or. later received a knock-out blow. -They 'iwere not now one man behind with their lemforcements. In fact, the 17ths went into camp with an actual surplus. Whon tne ;men. who were now returning went ; ' ; away It was never expected that as many : , OS 60,000 of the young men of New Zealand would by this, time have donned .khaki. Those who had now returned had the comforting knowledge that they had ; done their duty in a time of trial. (Anplause.) ' . "■ The Hon. J.- Allen said: "We should -never ha,ve sent you away froin New Zen- .. land had.we riot had absolute confidence in you. Wo knew .that you would not ; return except with victory in your hands or because wounds and' siokness sent you • back. We regret that you have had to return because of -wounds, but wo hope .- that you will, thoroughly enjoy your "■'homecoming and that you will soon be restored to complete health and strength." ■ (Applause:) . " , ■ -.-■- reception concluded with cheers for the, men and tho singing of the National . Anthem,