HORORATA ARRIVES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 146, 15 March 1919, Page 8

HORORATA ARRIVES

■- - ® FORTS SALUTE HER AS SHE ENTERS TO BERTH AT 2. P.M. TO-DAY "The best-kid plans of mice and men gang oft agley." Wellington was prepared to go the limit in giving the Hororatft's men a great welcome, but time and the elements worked against it. Had the big transport arrived four hours before 6he did, "she would lmve been escorted into the inner harbour by a ilo- - tilla of crowded craft, but a gale ahead stopped her, and it was 7.30 p.m. beforo the guns from the forts at the entrance informed expectant cira that die transport was sliding up lo her anchorage. In answer:to the artillery, a couple of brilliant rockets were-senl: up from the Hororata, whose jug bulk loomed up ' darkly across the •noniiiit waters of (lie harbour. The Maori, bound for Lyttelton, winked a welcome, e.ud her passengers gave a clieer .13 they passed the troopship, otherwise there was 110 demonstration. Even Ihe screnailers wero deprived of their chance of singing joy songs to the returned men. They Were to have been accommodated 011 the .Tanio Seddon, but the little steamer had to work for the Defence Department, which has 110 reverence for serenading songsters when there i.io 1500 men to attend to. Owing to- the upsj>t in the arrangements, the proceedings have now resolved themselves intri "giving 'the returned Main Body men a hearty welcome 011 their arrival at the wharf at 2 o'cloelc this afternoon. Tlio arrangements made at yesterday's meeting for the shore welcome will not' in nny way be allowed to interfere with the disembarkation of the troops. The Defence authorities are firm on that point. The young ladies of the ■•. Civil Service are to.'ssemhlent the Town Hall, and, headed bv the Wellington ■ -Pipe Band and the Wellington Patriotic ■ Society's Band, will march" down to the . wharf, and will take up a position where tliey will be seen and heard. They have practised several choruses, and will sing them as tho ship comes alongside and r whilst the men are. disembarking. The next-of-kin will be accommodated in the . usual enclosure entrance, to which they will only bo permitted 011 presentation of tickets. Tho band stations have been allocated as follow:—O11 the wharf, Wellington Patriotic Society's Band; opposite Levin and Co.'s wnjeiiouse, iVew Zealand Natives' Association's Band; opposite Union .. S.S. Company's offices, Mission Band; opposite Government Life Insurance building, Salvation Army Hand; in Post Office Square, Wellington Watersiders' Band and the Wellington Pipe Band. V; This arrangement his been made in ' order that the general public may be afforded ' the opportunity of welcoming tho men as they are motored to their various destinations. All cars are to proceed from the wharf up Waterloo Quay, Customhouse Quay, and through tho G.P.O. Square to their destination. l !. In tho evening the Mayor and Mayoress, will entertain all returned soldiers at a social to be given in the Town * Hall.