“HARD LINES”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10278, 13 May 1919, Page 4

“HARD LINES”

A GENERAL'S RETURN

MAYOR AND ACTING-PEEMIBiB AT VARIANCE. “We have given civic receptions tf all the other officers and men as they have come out,” said the Mayor of the city to a “Times” representative yesterday, “and 1 think it is ypry hard lines if we cannot give a reception;'to the General when he comes out,” . This \\£s apropos of the return to Now Zealand of Major-General Sir A. H. Bussell, who is due in Lyttelton by the transport Arawa to-day or to-morrow, and is expected to arrive in Wellington on Thursday or Friday morning. Mr Luke said that it was only fit and proper that a civic reception ehould 'be extended to General Bussell, so that the citizens of Wellington might, have an opportunity of honouring an officer whose war record was of such a sterling character. Before, however, lie could publicly announce his intention of extending a reception to the General, he received an invitation to take. part in a Government reception! to be held at the Town Hall. So that the public might be seized of the position, he handed to the reporter, without further comment, the following letters, which, he said, spoke for themselves. In view of the attitude of the Acting-Prime Minister, stated the Mayor, he had summoned a special meeting of the City Council for 4 o’clock this afternoon, to decide upon the action to he taken by the council The opening letter, dated 3VTay Bth, from Sir James Allen to Mr Luke,

reads: —“Dear Mr Luke, —In connection with the expected arrival of MajorGeneral Sir A. H. Russell in Wellington from the south about the loth inst., I desire to inform you that _it

is tli© intention of Government to give' the General a reception, on behalf of the Government and the people, in the Town Hall at noon on the day of hie arrival here. I hope that' you and Mrs Luke, together with the city councillors and officer's of the corporation, will attend at the Town Hall,, and .that you will take part in the proceedings. . . In connection with the (function, I ? ’ shall be glad if you can arrange for the services of the city organist (Mr Page) to he placed at our disposal.” To this, Mr Luke replied as under:— “Dear Sir James Allen, —I am in. receipt of your letter of the Bth inst., relative to the proposed reception oi General Sir A. H. Husseli. You place me in a very awkward position in asking me, as Mayor of this city, to take a subordinate position in.. an, official, function to be held, in- the ,Town Hall,,

at which the citizens are to he asked , to attend. It seems to me , that such a . proceeding is contrary to all precedent. The Mayor of the. city is by custom, the chief citizen, and must preside, over any assemblage of citizens, and to ask liim to play second fiddle in his own Town Hall seems to be a reflection upon the office. I feel great pain in writing to you in this strain, but I trust that you will recognise that if I" were to do anything which savoured ‘of belittling'the honour' which" has'been':, conferred upon me by my fellow-citi-zens, I would be quite unworthy of that honour.” ' s

Under date May 9th, Sir James Allen replied;—“Dear Mr Luke,—l am in receipt of your letter of even date, and am sorry indeed at the tone adopted 6y you. v The arrangement in connection with the proposed reception to General Sir A. H. Russell was not intended in any way as a. slight ron i you ns Mayor or Wellington'/ or on 'the citizens of Wellington; but the Government desire to give a reception to General Russell, and the only suitable place for the function' is the Town Hall. I had already arranged to hire the Town Hall, and have booked it for that purpose. I trust you will recognise that it is a 'proper thing for the Government themselves, as representing the whole of the people of New Zealand, to publicly welcome the officer who has commanded the New Zealand Division with such success.; It is proposed that the function in the Town Hall shall be held at noon on the day of General Russsell’s arrival in Wellington, and the Government aie proposing that the public servants dial! be allowed an opportunity to -ake part in the welcome by granting them leave for an hour frour 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. I should be glad if you,_ as Mayor of the city, would invite citizens to close their nremlsos, .or, to allow their staffs to witness the procession, and to take part In the function at the Town Hall. I shall also be pleased if you can accede to my request for the services of the city organist to be jsl.icwrt at our disposal.”