DR. MORRISON

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 112, 29 January 1918, Page 3

DR. MORRISON

A CIVIC RECEPTION. ttamnrrturmT i. ..m — ■ .■■T-miwa* A civic reception was accorded yesterday to Dr. G. E. Morrison, who holds the position of Political Adviser to the Government of China, and who is travelling in this country on holiday. A representative body of citizeni* were present to honour the guest. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) spoke first of the career of Dr. Morrison as a journalist, and later as an important figure in the politics of. tho Far East. He mentioned specially the part_ that Dr. Morrison had played in putting a stop to tho traffic in black labour in Australia, which was not-in those Jays quite free from reproach. There vas a certain amount of kidnapping of kanakas for the Queensland plantations, and the Queensland Government., was more or less to blame. Dr.' Morrison was commissioned by the Melbourne "Age" newspaper to investigate _ the matter, and in order to do so he visited the.islands from which the kanakas were brought. Tlie result of the report which Dr.. Morrison gave to liis paper was that kidnapping was stopped, and the indenturing of black labour was put on a verv different footing. Tlie Mayor said that the people of Wellington were honoured by Dr. Morrison's visit to the city, and on behalf of the citizons lie. tendered a very cordiai welcome. Dr. Morrison said that lie was very proud to be the guest of tho Mayor, and to be welcomed by such a gathering. Ever since lie liad been ill Australia and New Zealand he had had to listen to words of praise, quite unexpected by him. - He hoped to_ have an opporfcun'ti.v while here of seeing some of the beauties of the country, which had played such a noble part in the great world war. Tlie name of the New Zealander was honoured throughout tho world. Never had the name stood so high as now in the estimation of the peonies of the Empire and of the whole .world. Ho would say a few words onlv about China. China come into the war in full sympathy with the Allied cause. The Government had been prepared to come in when the v/ar began, and again in 1915, but 011 those two occasions the Allies said that they did not require assistance from China. Now that the people of the great country were in the war, they would render material help to the Allies. Tlie Chinese were, he said, a reasonable people, humane, and a people who must'one day hold a great position in the world. A people numbering three liundred and twenty-five millions musttake a distinguished position in the world, so soon as they were well educated, and they awakened—as they were beginning to do—to consciousness of nationality. \ Dr. Morrison thanked the Mayor for | his kindly welcome, and 110 thanked tho company for doing him the honour of voming to meet him. Sir Joseph Ward was invited by the Mayor to speak. Ho offered an ppology first 011 behalf of the Prime Minister, who was unable to be present. He extended, 011 behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, a very cordial welcome to the visitor. It was very important to hear from Dr. Morrison that tlie Chinese people were likely to take an important part in the fight for civilisation in which practically the whole world was arrayed against Germany, , a fight which all hoped would bring peace to tho world for generations to come. Ho hoped that in his future service with tho • Chinese Government Dr. Morrison would add to tho already great reputation which he had made. A welcome was extended also by the Hon. T. 1 W. Hislop, an ex-Ma \or of tho eitv, who was asked by the Mayor to sneak. Dr. Morrison briefly . acknowledged these added compliments, and then tho company took ten as guests of the Mayoress.