POLITICAL LEADERS BACK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2012, 7 August 1919, Page 3

POLITICAL LEADERS BACK.

RECEPTION IN AUCKLAND. A HOSTILE DISPLAY. MASSEY’S THREAT TO DISLOYALISTS. Auckland, Aug. 5. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were tendered a civic reception today. When Mr Massey arose there was loud applause mingled with boohooing from a hostile section. The deputy-Mayor (Mr Entrican) thereupon appealed for order, at which the demonstration burst out afresh. Mr Entrican then announced that he would ask the police to remove further interrupters. (Ap--plause and uproar)., Mr Massey was then able to make himself heard. He thanked the xcitizens of Auckland for their hearty welcome to Sir Joseph Ward and himself. He stated that he had ijust returned from representing New Zealand at the most momentous gathering the world had ever seen. “We have given our best in your interests,” he declared, “and not ffinsuecessfully.” The Prime Minister spoke of the pleasure he and his colleague felt in being back to share the anxieties of the people, and to do their level best to get conditions back to normal. “Our anxieties have been lessened by the coming of peace,” he continued, “but our responsibilities have not been lessened, and our first duty is to make this peace worthy of what it has cost, worthy of British citizenship, and worthy of the sacrifices made by our soldiers, worthy of the brave men who have died for us.” In conclusion, Mr Massey said that he had been at work to put down the enemies of Britain, and ho would not slop now. He believed there were some enemies of the King and Empire in New Zealand, and, amid a good deal'of noise, he indicated that he would give his attention to disloyalists. KIR JOSEPH WARD. Sir Joseph Ward was also given a very cordial reception. He emphasised the importance of the Peace Conference, and said that although there were many varied opinions as to the value of the decisions of the Conference, a vast amount of valuable work had been done, especially considering the different countries represented. In New Zealand, as in all other countries of the world, great after-war problems bad arisen. We were now in a new era, and conditions prevailing five years ago had gone for ever as the result of the war, and the time had arrived when all rightthinking people in the community should assist the authorities in finding solutions for these post-war problems, and in framing measures for the development of the country’s resources, so that the welfare of the whole community would be assured. The people of New Zealand would surely have the commonsense to recognise the fact that the problems needing attention . were too urgent to permit of petty bickerings. New Zealand should go on from one prosperous condition to another, the home for free men and free women for generations to come, TROUBLES TO BE FACED.

The Prime Minister had something to say about the tremendous amount of industrial (rouble to-day. Tic remarked: “Coming through Canada only recently, we saw what had been happening there, and the serious state of affairs-that had existed for some months. I am glad to say, however, that matters were steadily improving when we were coming through,” Speaking of industrial matters nearer home, Mr Massey admitted that'New Zealand, in common with other countries, was feeling the effects of the wave of. industrial unrest, lint he expressed himself confident in the opinion that Few Zealanders were too levelheaded to lie carried away by outside inlinenees. “I have (he utmost confidence in the good sense of the majority of the citizens of Now Zealand. They will do the right tiling when the time comes, both in the industrial and political issues. In brief, I have no very grave fears about the political aspect of things, so far as they will he affected by the great sane section of Labour.” BLESSED IS HE WHO EXPECTETH NOTHING. Asked whether he expected that Now Zealand, under the indemnity and reparation proposals in the Peace Treaty, would receive any repayment for the expenditure incurred in connection with the pan she had taken in the war, Sir Joseph Ward said that it was excoed- , ingly difficult to forecast the outcome in this respect. He was quite firm in his view that the enemy should pay the whole cost of the war, and also bear the burden of restoration of the ruined cities, towns and villages in Belgium and France, where much of the destruction had been wilfully carried out by the enemy forces, but no definite estimate of the result of the financial proposals of the Treaty could, in his opinion, be made at present. It was necessary to wait and see. In the meantime the only safe course for New Zealand to pursue, from a financial standpoint, was not to count upon anything coming to her, at all events'at present, under this heading. Indeed, he thought that all the other parts of the British Empire, as well as our Allies, except in the ease of the restoration work la France and Belgium, were in a similar position in this respect.

cussing the terms of Peace. The Prime Minister stated that a motion to-approve of it would be introduced, and that the carrying of this motion would embody the ratification of the terms by the Dominion, WitKregard to the question of the re-establishment of trade with Germany, the Prime Minister pointed out that under the terms of the Treaty the Germans must be supplied with material, and this would necessarily lead to the re-establish-ment of commercial relations to that extent, , On the matter of the treatment of enemy aliens already jiving in Britain and the various Dominions, toegthor with the policy towards immigration from those countries with which peace has already been concluded, he stated that no uniform policy had been adopted. Each Government was left absolutely free to make its own arrangements. Passing to the question of the government of the Empire, Mr Massey characterised the statement cabled" from America recently declaring that a Bill would be introduced into the British Parliament to set up a scheme of government for the whole Empire, as being without authority. Nothing had yet been done, and nothing would be done hurriedly or without mature consideration. A conference of the parties affected would be held to delude on the steps to be taken, and to formulate whatever plans were held to be necessary. The Dominion, as a part of the Empire, he said, was a party to the Anglo-American-French Treaty, and certainly had obligations under it. These obligations, however, were by implication only.