HONOURING THE BRAVE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 113, 6 February 1919, Page 6

HONOURING THE BRAVE

RETURNING MAIN BODY MEN

BIG RECEPTION PROPOSED

His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P.' Luke) drew attention yesterday to the cabled news of Tuesday to the effect that 1500 of tho Main Body had left England for New Zealand by the Hororala, which Should be here about the middle of next month. Mr. Luke said that if tho steamer made Wellington her first port of call—and he hoped she would-no-thing should stand in the way of giving these men a reception fitting tho great work they had done for King and country. It 'would be his duty to interest tho citizens in according the boys who answered the first call so nobly and so cheerfully a brilliant and cordial reception on their arrival. His Worship expressed the hope that other soldiers who had returned would not feel disgruntled at the proposal. It would be the last thing in .the world to occur to him to offend any man who had honourably worn the King's uniform, but those of tho Main Body, who had won right through from tho first landing at Gallipoli to the taking of Le Quesnoy (in France) or the round-up of the Turkish Army in the Valley of the Jordan, deserved the honour of a special -reception, and it would be given them. Speaking on the subject of receptions to soldiers generally, the Mayor said that it was not his fault if the men were not received better than was' the uise. He asked the public to cast their minds bad: to 1915, when royal receptions were given the returned wounded. Amid the admiring throngs the men and their- friends and relatives were conveyed in motorcars to the Town Hall, where they we.ro received with the utmost enthusiasm. Refreshments were provided, . and brief speeches of a eulogistic character were made by the Ministers and himself. These receptions were kept up with each draft of returned wounded, but the attendance dropped off, and finally the men themselves made it quite 'clear that they wanted nothing of the kind. Finally there came a time when the same cardial welcome was prepared for a draft and only half a dozen turned up. Under those circumstances the Town Hall functions simply had to 'be called off, and thereafter it became the practice of the Mayor and Mayoress, with other lady helpers, to visit the transports as soon as they arrived, and distribute fruit and cigarettes among the mem, while he always made a point of cordially welcoming them on behalf of the city. Whenever possible he had obtained tho services of a band to play on the wharf as the transport drew in. This, however, cost .£lO, approximately, every time the band turned out. Extra men had to bo paid 7s. fid.—the equivalent to half a day's pay. That made considerable demands upon their funds, but in that matter he thought the citizens would not see him stuck. , It was suggested that for .the proper welcome home to be accorded to the Main Body application for a grant of money might bo made to the National War Funds Council, which has some ,£35,000 in hand, subscribed "for patriotic purposes." It.is just possible that the arrival of the Main Body may coincide with the date of the peace celebrations.