WELCOME IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 101, 23 January 1919, Page 5

WELCOME IN LONDON

, TO NEW ZEALAND MINISTERS

WORE OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE I

DELEGATES GOING, TO PARIS IMMEDIATELY

! By, TeleiraDh—Pre js. Association— Gopyrieht.

London,, January 20. Sir Thomas Mrs. Maodonald, Sir James Mills, General ltichardson; Colonel. Willoughby (represent--ing: the King), Colonel.Store (representing the War Cabinet), ami'. Major Thornton (representing the. Colonial Office), Mi-. T. E. Donnej. Mr. Mobs Davis, Lieutenant-Colonel 8,. H , . Rhodes,' and Mr. J , . H. B. Coates were among those who welcomed Mr. W. ¥. Massey' and: Sir Joseph Ward' at Pad--dington. A guards of honour, under Colbnel Hall, .included representatives of every unit in the New Zealand Force, and , also a craek band from Sling Camp. Mounted New Zealand artillerymen' escorted the , motor-cars to the Hotel l Savoy. ' • . . ,

• The Ministers' were' delighted with the military reception, which General Richardson and. Colonel Hall had arranged,. The band marched ahead , of the motor-cars' through' the- streets, which were'crowded 1 with Sunday even-, iing promenad'ers between Paddiiigton and the Savoy. The band drew up iiv the- forecourt of : the- Savoy and r played' , for half an'hour. , ■ Lieutenant L. W. Andrews, T.C. (Wellington Infantry); was presented: to-Mr. Massey and l Sir Joseph Ward;

Mr. Massey, in an , interview; said lie was. particularly touched' by the fact that-the' King, in. spite of his domestic trouble, had sent a< special representative to' greet the- New Zealand delegates to the Peace- Conference.

"The party,," Mi , . Massey said, "had been out of touch with the English wireless service-during the voyage, and had only had A'meriean news, so that they had! no idea of ; the. position, of affairs- at the: conference , ; but they intended tor go> to- Baris- directly , they had consulted with the ,. Imperial, authoritiesl in ILondon , .. They werer very disappointed at the- arrangement rega'rdl- - New Zealand's representation; but a- satisfactory arrangement was still possible , ." •

Kew Zealand, said Mr. Massey,. was. as strong as- ever regarding the> future: of the. Germau colonies in the- Pacific: New Zealand's-motto is: "Never a gain , ;■ no , more Germans in the Pacific." TliOi conference , had' its most difficult problem in tlie future- of the Continental! arinie'B im Europe , . This might well. Ire settled by the adopfion. of. : tiro New Zealandl system , - of compulsory, training, which' l was- worth having on physical: grounds' albire', apart, from' the defence' system. '~.,'

Sir Joseph Ward: gave , a very interesting account of tlkv journey _■ via. Pamu;*. A.special train was waiting; for the- party 'and; ,carried' them; ' to Colon, where , the auxiliary cruiser Qphiir had stenm upi Owing to the Government's 1 special. arrangeiiTants, rile New Zealand , delegates will only miss.! the: formal opening of the' conference , , 'llhc passage , ' would 1 have been, quicker bub for bad weather in. the-Atlantic.

Sir Joseph Ward said; lie was interested to learn, that Lord Jellicoe was going to Australia. He hoped it would; be possible to arrange an extension' of the trip to New Zealand 1 , which was naturally desirous to the; victor of the Battle-'of Jutland;, especially as he was making tlie voyage on hoard tho' New Zealand'. —Aus.-N.Z. Gable , Assnv