RETURNING TROOPS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10272, 6 May 1919, Page 4

RETURNING TROOPS

REMUERA DRAFT ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME AT AUCKLAND. / Frees Association. AUCKLAND, May 5The transport Remuera arrived early this morning with 30 officers, 9 nurfces, 431 non-commissioned officers and men,, 104 wives, ’ and 58 children. Thirtyfour R.A.F. men who‘left New Zealand shortly before the Armistice was signed, and received their commission in England also returned, together with seven naval ratings, and besides these there are fourteen Imperial officers, who are included in tho ship’s roll, with 250 civilian passengers.. The ship received tho usual enthusiastic welcome, a seaplane dropping messages of welcome and confetti aboard as she steamed up the harbour. - ’ The Remuera left Plymouth, _on March 17th, and the voyage was without incident. Coming across tho Atlantic the boat ran into' a very heavy storm, and had a lifeboat swept away while she was lying-to for thirty-six hours. After that the ■weather was rail that could be desired, and at three ports of call the troops were given great receptions. For three days the townspeople of Newport News entertained them lavishly. During their day at Jamaica the ranks were Welcomed and refreshed at Hope Gardens, while the officers were received at the Ligniana Military and Naval Officers’ Club. At Colon they only stayed a night before coming through the Panama Canal, and a brief halt was made at Pitcairn Island to hand out papers, literature and writing materials, also a gramophone presented (by the Y.M-C.A. to the inhabitants. ,

Auckland accorded a cordial welcome home to General G. 8. Richardson/who was on board the Remuera.. He was met on landing by Major-General Robin, the Mayor of Auckland (Mr Gunson), the Mayor of Wellington (Mr J. P. Luke), Colonel Potter, officer commanding the. district, and the chairman of . the Harbour Board. Returned soldiers paraded at the l -'wharf, and wore drawn up in platoons. . On behalf of the returned soldiers, the president of- the Auckland Association presented General Richardson with an address of welcome, after which a procession was formed, and amid .dense crowds General Richardson proceeded to the Town Hall, where he was accorded a civic reception. In his reply-to the returned soldiers, General Richardson said ha .felt really that praise was due only to ■ those who had sacrificed their lives in the war, and second to these men came those ■who had been permanently disabled. He .was sure he and every, other officer would do their utmost on their behalf. He hoped that when Sir Andrew Russell and others returned .they would be given an equally cordial welcome. As a soldier he had nothing to do with politics, and he deplored the. fa.ct that discharged soldiers in, Britain had split themselves up into a number of political organisations. He disapproved of political activities of this Continuing, he said that the rest of the New Zealand force would be out of England in September. An inquiry had shown that 50 -'per cent, of .those in England “had not been guaranteed employment. On their ■ return to the Dominion he hoped that the men would “be assisted to settle into oml 'life! 1

A special troop train will reach Thorndon at 3.6 to-morrow afternoon from Auckland,, with troops from the Remuera.