WELCOME HOME

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 98, 18 January 1918, Page 6

WELCOME HOME

PETONE GREETS ITS SOLDIERS AN ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING A very cordial welcome to their soldiers who have returned from the war was tendered by the people of i'etono in tho Palace Theatre last night. Tho first part of the programme consisted of speeches and some music, and later the hall was cleared for dancing. Tho Mayor of Petone (Mr. J. AV. M'liwan), on behalf of the citizens, offered to the returned men a very cordial welcome. He said that from iimo to time 700 men had left Petone, r,nd of these 10 per cent, had paid the supreme sacrifice. About thirty had returned, and this entertainment hud been arranged to do them honour. He asked the audience to give cheers, and. the cheers were given right lustily. Men to be proud of. The Prime Minister said that he was very glad to be present to join with the' citizens of Petone in welcoming home the lads who had so gallantly and ably represented them on tl-e different fighting fronts. He thought all New Zealanders were proud of tho fact that this little Dominion had in proportion to population led all the other Dominions of the Empire in the struggle ill which the Empire was low engaged. He believed that as New Zealand had commenced, so she would go on, and that she would lead the other Dominions until the chapter was ended and the book was closed. A year ago he had had opportunities of seeing New Zealanders m France, and in some forty centres of the United Kingdom, and he wished to say without exaggeration or flattery that we had reason to be proud of our boys. (Applause.) We had reason to be proud first of their fighting capacity, by which they had made the name of New Zealand known all over<.the world and respected and honoured among the nations. "My experience of New Zealanders was this/' lis said 3 and 1 have seen them in almost every centre of the United Kingdom—l want to tell you that they are brave soldiers in the face of the enemy and gentlemen when on leave or furlough." Must Carry On. Whatever differences of opinion there might be on other questions, ho continued, the people wero all agreed on this —that they wished to see this war over as soon as possible. They would all like to see it end in this year.l9lß, but they were also agreed that they would have it go on for ten years rather than have :t ended by a peace unworthy of the great sacrifices made, a peace that would not bo brought about by a decisive victory. They required a peace that would give security from wars to the nations of the world for centuries to come. A hundred thousand of the pick" of our manhood had donned tho King's uniform. Some, had come back, some were still fignting, and some of them would conio hack. Tho names of those who had nil id the sunremo sacrifice fighting for their King and Empire would never bo forgotten whilo the world endured Store sacrifices wero yet to be required of Great Britain and her Allies, but he believed that those sacrifices would be made so lons as they were required. He recrrf ted to say that there were men in Britain who were saving that we had already paid a prico big enough, and that we should make a peace which would allow the Germans to carry 011 the' r trifle ns +bey did before the war. He hoped that nothing of the sort would ever bo agreed to by the British penolc. (Applause.) He hoped that, in the peace settlement :,he crimes committed by the Germans would not he forgotten. When all the sarrifioos made by our soldiers and our s".ib r s. and not only bv the smlors of the "Royal Nnw, but also by the men of the mercantile marine, wero rememwe wouM be the veriest crnvntis if we accented a peace such as that ?o"'e 'if fi™ 'eadin." men nt Home seemed inclined to offer. (Applause.)

No Fsaro for the Future. In carrying on this war we in this country bad taken on our shoulders very heavy responsibilities, and tlio burden of dobfc was increasing day by day. For long years to como we would have to go 011 paying interest and sinking fund 011 those heavy loans. Wo should also have to find pensions for the men who came back incapacitated and for the dependants of the men who had fallen. But 110 firmly believed that in this country there was 110 reason to be pessimistic about the prospect. We had a splendid country with an industrious and enterprising imputation. Our soldiers had done their duty by 11s. and it would be for the country to do its duty by them. And lie believed that the country would do it. (Applause.) There were numbers of married men at the front, and in their proportion they had laid down their lives in the fight, leaviiitr behind them widows and orphans. He held the opinion that the children of these men should be. the wards of the State, and that, every one of those children should l)o given proper training in a tnvTn or hr-forr- b<"'r.f asked to Pnh' t.hr bMUe of life. T!efoiv> resuming hi? seat he team wlronwl the boys back homo., and wisM 'ben nianv hapny and. prosr.eroui venrsnf life with their own jw.plp. 'A;ipl<ii;«t.O Mr. Wilforti Speaks. The Hon. T. M. \\ iliorti, first as meinbe;- lor tile district, oiierod a- welcome to tiiu Prime Minister. lie joined'with the people of Petone in giving this small honour to the uojs who iiu>.• come back from the war. The name New Zealand, lie said, stood l;igii iii the world to-day, and the men "■ ho had gone from here hud by straight lighting and dealing made this Lnud known as a jewel ol the i'lrapire, uhJ a jewel worthy of its setting. He deprecated the chronicling in the i-ews-papers, when a soldier was led astr.iy, of the fact that the man '.vas a :e----turned soldier. One thing he had noted with pleasure about returned •••tii-diers--oflicers of men—was that therewas 110 ".swank" about them, "if 1 * he said, ''you see a man putting on a iot of frill and swank, you can bet your lite he has never been to the front." ■ (Laughter.) One of the things the war had brought out, .vas a new meaning of loyalty <inii fealty to one's country. He was glad to say "Welcome, heme!" to the boys. Nothing the country could do for them Would be too great, and he believed the country would do fairly hi the boys. (Applause.)

Sergeant-Major Evans returned thanks on heinilf of the soldier? f.-.-.r the. welcomo accorded to tlieni.

An excellent and elocutionary programme was provided by Miss lidy, Miss Cotton, Mr. Ciioinlj-.M lajiij and the Pollock boys.

The bad weather of the past few weeks ha.s adversely a/fected the local harvest, says the "Dannevirke News." Cereal crops as well as hay crops are .still out, and have had littic chance to dry. Given about a fortnight's line weather what remains of i.lio harvest in this district, should bo safely stacked or thrashed. The shortage of labour and the unseasonable weather of lato have kept the. fanners in tho Waimea Plains behind with their operations. The work is accumulating and in U'any instances shearing is only half completed. Grass harvesting has been commencod and with the prospects of an early harvest the outlook in the direction of overtoiling arrears is none too good for ihn farmer.