JAPANESE SQUADRON

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1924, Page 1

JAPANESE SQUADRON

A' 181 TOILS ENTERTAINEI). SPEECHES AT WELLINGTON. [by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Lehman A. Admiral Saito and hi.s officers were entertained at luncheon to-day. by the 1 iovernment. The Ministers present were, Air A 1 assay , Sir F. Dell, Hons. AY. No.sworthy, and J. G. Coates, Sir R. IL Rhodes, JTon Air Bollard and Sir M. Pomarc. A number of local AL's P. and ex-ADs.D. "ere also present, including Air AYil-l-ord and Sir J. G. Ward, as well as the Speakers of both Houses. Tile speeches were confined lo the I time Minister and the Admiral.

Tin* former spoke in eulogistic terms ei tin* assistance given by the Japanese during ti c* war. and referred especially to the convoy work of the Tbuki and tin* great de-ire to her connnandi'i to he allowed m deal with Hie Emden. a desire which, regretfully, could not be adhered to. Tin* Ibuki, lie said, "as now to .-hare the fate of many other warships, and be broken up, hut a memento of her had been promised, and accepted for New Zealand. He alluded to the Japanese earthquakes, and

.-aid that like San Francisco. Tukio and Yokobnnin, would .soon rise irom their ruins. The pre-wnt political agitation in Japan, he said, would pass away lor that sort of thing was always happening in all count i ies. Admiral Saito spoke in Japanese, which was interpreted. He alluded to the many reseinhlanceis between Japan am.* New Zealand, even in the matter of earthquakes, and said that it was a particular pleasure to come to a country presided over by so distinguish e 1 a sailor as Lord JellicoO. He had also been struck by the way in which the white people and the Mauris lived in amity here and worked together. The Japanese would not forget the sympathy and practical help extended by New Zealand, not only after the recent calamity, but also at the time of the famine twenty years ago. The British and the .Japanese were allies, and the latter could he depended upon to stand by ’ any treaty they .signed. Although the Anglo-.lapane.se Alliance had been replaced by the Four-Dower Treaty, he ie'i thill it would become a step towards a real League of Nations.