A WARM WELCOME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2847, 11 August 1916, Page 7

A WARM WELCOME

TO NAYUA'S RETURNED SOLDIERS

"OUT OF THE JAW? OF HELI."

There were 31 men and three nurses cs the Nav-ua from Egypt to.be welcomed at the Town Hall yesterdav morning. Although many of such, fiuictions have been held in Wellington sinco our men first smelt gunpowder, -there is'no faUing-oif in the fine spirit of patriotism, and tho rosy geniality of the welcome acoorded to those who have been through tho fire. Tho Navua's complement consisted of Maoris aiid pakeaas. Tho Council Chamber was crowded, and the scent of spring pervaded the Chamber, thanks to tne thoughtfulness of the ladies who had hung each electrolier- with festoons of wattle. ■

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Lute) presided) and.tliere were beside him on the platform the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. I\ Massey), Sir Joseph .Ward, the Hon. James Allen (Minister of Defence), and Dr. Pomare (Native, Minister). . Mr. Luke, ou behalf of' the City Council and citizens of' Wellington, voiced a hearty wolcomo home to the nurses and the men, who had been pernljtted by a kind and all-wisp proevidence to return to their native shores 'of New Zealand, He had great admiration for tlie splendid spirit of devotion arid patriotism -which had actuated .the nurses to travel 12,000 miles to help aur boys who veiß suffering from.sickness $pd woiuids. He also paid a tribute to the fine work which had been done ' by tho medical men find chaplains, both in the fighting lines and at the .hospitals. ' „

"Toil hoys who have been right in the firing line ; who have experienced all f)he vicissitudes and'trials of trench warfare; who have done hazardous outpost duty," said the. Mayor, • "we can never thank you enough for what you have done I"

■ The Prime Minister in a bright, cheery manner extended a., warm welcome liomo to the 6oldiers and nurses, and appreciatively referred to the great work they had been engaged in

beyond the confines of No\y Zealand. Sir Joseph Ward congratulated tho men who had been fighting for their King and country. Tlioy had left with a reputation which they had nobly sustained abroad, and which had returned tb New Zoaland with them.

Tho Hon. James Allen, in endorsing tlio welcome given by others,, referred to the joy that must bo experienced by their nest-ofrkin and relatives in receivr ing their loved ones home again safe and sound. Ho' trusted that the returned men wolild 600n bo restored to health. Ho ventured to say that',when they had read of tho gallant doings of fcho New Zealanders at Pozieres and east of tho, Suez Canal, that 100 per cent, of them would wish they had been thero. He had two words for them: "Get well," because they were wanted again- at the front, and if not thero they wero'wanted as civilians.

"You men who have come out of the jaws of hell back to your native land, I.greet you!" This was tho pict.uresquo -welcome from Dr. Pomare. "And you nurses and: sisters of mercy," he continued, "who have stood 1 by our boys during tho long and lonely hours, and havo extended tho hand-clasp which many a mother in this room and out of it envies, I also greet you! And those of my race who have come baok, I greet you also, because you have lived up to the traditions of your race; because you havo made new traditions —traditions for those who come after us to follow.

"I havo very little to say except this, that we are up against a. mighty foe—a foe steeped in fallacious 1 and vicious teachings; a foe bred on vile dogmas and imbued with a false philosophy, which to-day x makes the Htm worse than the worst of savages,. That foe we have-to conquer-; and we will conquer! It remains with those of you who have: come back to get those who are a bit diffident about going to go/ To my own people who have come back I say—^'Make yourself into recruiting agents, and get your people .to enlist. To, all who are here to-day I also extend hiy greetings. Kiaorai" Captain Raines, who came hack in charge of the men, returned thanks on their behalf. Tea was served to the men, and to the ladies who helped to servo it cheers were given by the soldiers, who also honoured the people of Wellington similarly. " For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.*