A CORDIAL WELCOME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 3

A CORDIAL WELCOME

SOLDIERS' CLUB RECEPTION TO MRS. MASSEY AND LADY WARD The reception which was arranged by tlio comniitteo of tho Soldiers' Club in Sydney Street as a welcome to the proeiclont, Mrs. W. 1 ,, . Massoy, and Lady Ward upon their Teturn to New, Zealand from their visit to England was a very pleasant and cordial affair. The main hall of the cliib, in which it was held, was quite filled by a largo gather, ing of hostesses and their helpers as well as the members of the committee, and the two travellers had further op. portunities of greeting many friends whom they had not till then met sinco ■their return.

Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool attended the welcome, and Mrs. Coleridge (acting-president during Mrs. absence) and Miss Coates (vicepresident) received. 1 Shortly after afternoon tea had been handed around by tho committee and their helpers, Mrs. Coleridge expressed the pleasure which they aIL felt in welcoming Mrs. Massey and Lady Ward back among them, and said she was sure that they had many interesting thingß to tell of what they had seen while they were at Home. During the time the club had' been in existence many thousands of soldiers had passed through it, and one of the things which Mrs. Mnssey and Lady Ward would havo valued so greatly was the fact that they were able to visit many of them when they were in the hospitals in England. Her Excellency Lady Liverpool also added her welcome to that given by Mrs. Coleridge, and. said how glad she was of •their safe return to this country and. how much they had been missed during their absence. In thanking the previous speakers for the pleasant things, that had-been said, Mre. Massey told her hearers that no one was more glad than she was when the end of their voyage was safely reached. Referring to some of- her experiences in England she said that she regarded as one of the greatest privileges that ooukl have, befallen her the fact that she was able to go and visit our New Zealand soldiers in the different hospitals and do anything she could to add to thoir comfort. They had visfcred all the hospitals in which New Zealand soldiers were lying, and had iounii tho men wonderfully bright and cheerful. The Now Zealaud soldiers, as was well known now, had won for themselves an excellent Tβputation for the way in which they behaved, and she told the gathering that a New Zealander was always known at once by his peaked hat, which was different to that worn by the other, troops ana. which, of couree, made him a>- marked man.

Mrs.-Massey further told, her hearers that ehe had visited the clubs for soldiers, and she found that they, were run on slightly different lines to the Wellington Club. All of them made a small charge • for.refrcslimente. The New Zealand women at Home were doing a'great work for our men, but so too were the Englishwomen. They could not do too much for them. Entertainments were provided for them, and all thoir wants in the hospitals were attended to. Mrs. ■Massey ended bv saying that she was quite sure that there was very little that was fresh that she could tell them, as so much had been in the papers from time to time of all that was being done for our inen.

Lady Ward,'in'replying to the speeches of welcome, also spoke of all that was being done for our men at Home, and mentioned the different'hospitals which she had visited. She described the Convalescent Home at Brighton for officers, which had been given by Mr. Knight, and said' that everywhere the men were ..thoroughly well cared for. Among the many beautiful homes which had thrown open their hospitality to the soldiers was that of Sir Inn and Lady Hamilton, where every week about, threes hundred soldiers were entertained at afternoflii tea, after they had been taken for drives, and a concert or some kind, of outertaiumeiit provided them. The Soldiers' Club in Kuesell's Square was briefly \touched upon and the splendid work that was being done by New Zealand women as well «Vs Englishwomen in regard , to the comfort and well-being of the New Zealand soldiers. Lady Ward concluded by saying that to come back to New Zealand was to realise how pleasant it was to come home and once more bo among old friends. ■ • . Following the speeches came a brief but excellent musical programme, to which. Airs'. P. Myers contributed musical nionolo"iies, Miss Moron.-, (from .Adelaide) a song- and some delightful recitations, Mr Harcourt a song..aml Mrs. Af. Myers a violin solo. Miss Esther Fisher; Miss Shirtcliffe, and Mrs. Jlirnms played the accomnaniments. The singing of the National Anthem brought to an end a very enjoyable occasion. Mrs. Massey was accompanied by Miss Massey, and with Lady' Ward-was her-daughter,-Mrs. Bernard Wood.