ATHENIC'S DRAFT ASHORE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 151, 21 March 1919, Page 5

ATHENIC'S DRAFT ASHORE

A HEARTY WELCOME

TO SOLDIERS AND WAR BRIDES

Tho hour was too early o mi I J Inpublic yesterday when this At lien ic * id alongside the King's A\ hurl •«>' sUaiglivway coiuinenccd the disembarkation ot her draft of returned men, a natch ol I,S-t war brides, and a lew passenger. Still, the welcome given was a ven hearty one, and ihe number ot people who turned out soon after , a.m. o see the White Star liner pull along Mdi w.s surprising. As on las , tho Civil Service Ladies Choir vvas disposal in the balcony ot tho bie « In< opposite tho vessels berth, and tunu II at Doint of vantage sang choruses aml cheered the men and the wai biiili. again and again. The choir again had tho valued assistance ol the la I riotic,Society's Band, and the Wellington hpe Band was again in attendance lo gie a blaw" in honour ot the fignlei» i<>m over Ihe sea. As Ihe men passed ol tho wharf in motor-cars the.* Imd to run the gauntlet of tho Lost and lui.graph Department's girls, who put up a tinted barrage of confetti, which spot led the khaki with the gladness ot home. There were not suUicient ears lo do tho work of transferring tho men lo their various destinations as: dpccillly as it might have been done. Viil'li ten more cars all would have gone as smoothlv as on Saturday, but without theni tlieie were waits here and there which could not lie helped. The Wellington \ oluiiteer Motor Corps was present in tairlv full strength, and under Captain Wills and Mr. L. R. Partridge did sound work. Tho cars all proceeded by way of the General Post Office, where a crowtl ot people assembled to see the soldieis l ■.» through and to give them greeting in the passing. The Salvation Array s Band was stationed in the Post Office Squaie, and kept the fun eoing with stirring marches and patriotic airs. There was also a glad welcome awaitin"- overy returned soldier at the Returned' Soldiers Club, which proved to be a pivotal base for the r.ewlj-returned men throughout the day. at the town hall.

The civic deception to the returned me. ■, and the newly-arrived un€B 1 returned men at the Town Hall was quite ( a success. The mea with their relate? and friends drifted along to then. 11 in twos and threes, and each inoup as it entered was gveeted with a "f' round of applause from .the crowds in the galleries. Not that they were an aio that the applause was for them ( tlu-j simply imagined that it was the bis following a speech or a turn, foi not : one of' the bronzed "Diggers turned a t hair as tho crowd clapped and stamped ; enthusiastically in their particular hon- : our. Small tables were arranged in cate 1 chantant style, and the men and their wives were given theTieartiest welcome by the Wellington ladies in attendance as they were escorted to their seats. There was nothing stiff or formal—it was all free and easv. come and go. i'or a brief ten minutes or so Mr. Bernard F. Page toyed with the grand organ. The Acting-Prime Minister (fair James Allen) put in an appearance towards noon, and, on the call of the Mayor, wa, given a round of applause by way of welcome. The Mayor ascended the platform accompanied by -Mrs. Luke and Sir. James Allen. Mr. Luke said he only wished to sav u fow wards of Velcoino to the men who had returned by the Athenic and to Hie wives of soldiers who had come by the same vessel. All ho wished to say to the boys jvus that lie was very proud of them and the heroic deeds they had performed in the great war now happily at an end. He called on the Mayoress. Mrs. Luke said that she did not wish to mako a speech. She would far rather be down amongst the tables helping to make things comfortable for the men. [ iLowever, on this occasion there must be some departure, as some of the men had brought wives from Hngland to make a new home for them here. They heartily ' welcomed thorn. (Applause.) The loca girls must not be jealous. They, could console themselves with tho thought of ' I the great number of boys who went away I who are coming back without wives. It 1 1 was her wish that tho women might be | given good homes, and that they would I be made to feel at home in the Domin- ' ion. Sho called on tho women present I to give threo ,cheers for the J'lnglish wives. . ' ' .Sir James Allen gave flattering testi- ' mony to Mrs. Luke's ivai'-tinio work. ! During the last four or five years, he ' said, Mrs. Luke had been a real irieiul" ; to every soldier who went away, and i every soldier who came back, and not ' onlv that, but a friend their wives and children, too. (Appiauso.) He !, joined in extending a most hearty welcomo to tho men who had returned by , tho Atlienic. As to then; deeds—well, tliev knew better', what tliev had done than anyone, and they had every right to feel proud of their share in tho war. I Ho was not there to i-raiso them or pat- . ronise—he would sooner talk to them .J. individually, and by personal contact get , to know what each man thought pi the i world now hio vision had been expanded ,i by travel experience. Sir James said „ that in walking down from his office c I that morning he had met. several groups i.; of soldiers. Among them were four ov five carrying babies, aud he thought that

thev looked the happiest of tiio lot'. (Applause.) He hoped that tlioso children would find happy homes, and would grow up to be a snurco of pride and honour to their parents. To the. younger men ho said that lio hoped that the experience of the last four or live years would moke them better men than they were before. Ho called lor cheers tor tiie 'hoys who had returned ami the girls they had brought back as their wives, and the. cheers were heartily given. As the men passed out of the hall young lailies handed each man a packet of cigarettes, which were gratefully received. DINNER AT THE PEOPLE'S PALACE.

Some eighty of the newly-married couples who arrived by tho Athonic. were tho guests at dinner yesterday of misionor and Mrs. Hodder (of tho (salvation Army) at the People's Palace. An especially good "spread" was put on in honour of tho occasion, and tho guests from overseas expressed their extreme gratification at tho thoughtful hospitality extended to them. During (linnet an orchestra played selections, and there wero two or three vocai solos niccly rendered, as a musical trimming to the first dinner ashore of the soldiers' wives. Littlo girls to the number of forty from the Salvation Army's Orphanage, NewImvn, went out to tin; Athenic_on tan Janio Seddon on Wednesday evening, and gave the returned draft a very delightful concert at closo tange.