“ARIKI-TOA”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10283, 19 May 1919, Page 6

“ARIKI-TOA”

FIGHTING CHIEF’S RETURN

GOVERNMENT RECEPTION TO GENERAL RUSSELL.

We have met to welcome a tilslanguished soldier —tho Ariki-toa of New Zealand, tho fighting chief wuona we had sent forward to lead our men. —Hon. G. W. Russell at General Russell's reception. It is no use individuals thinking they did anything much. Tho beach of humanity is a very big one, and thoro are a great many pebbles on it- . . It was in no sense a one-man show,—General Russell in reply. ,

With a "digger” on the bos seat of his carriage, “diggers” at the traces, mounted “diggers” ahead, and “diggers” afoot behind, Major-General Sii A. H. Russell, K.C.8., K.C.M.G., tra\ versed tho chief streets of the city on Saturday morning. He was afterwards accorded a Government reception in the Town Hall. Large crowds lined the route of procession, and the Town Hall was filled to the doors. 1 The General's welcome home was warm indeed. LEADER OF OTJE DIVISION.

General Russell, who was accompanied by Lady Russell, was cheered when he entered the hall. The Acting-Prime Minister delivered the first formal words of welcome. After reading apologies for absence from the Hons. W. 1). is. MacDonald, Sir William Fraser, and T. M. Wit ford, Sir James Allen said that tho people of New Zealand welcomed General Russell back as a distinguished leader of our Division and as 'asuccessful general. All hoped that he had returned in good health. Supreme moments came to every man, and no thought the supreme moment for General Russell was just then. He had returned distinguished, recognised by his King, for on his breast ho wore the marks of two great honours. Ho returned successful, representing all there is, was, and could be in otir Expeditionary Force, and all those connected with it. General Bussell had been tho sympathetic friend of those young Now Zealanders who would not return, who had given their lives on the altar of duty—a sacrifice that had not been made in vain. Ho camo back as a victor, or as a leader of a section of the victorious army. He returned with a message of peace, and wo wore longing for tho day when we would know that peace was an accomplished fact. Sad though our losses were, they had their compensation. The fallen were lost in the body, but their memories remained with us. They were lost to New Zealand, and it would take more than a generation to replace them. However, we knew that they had done their duty. Sacrifices had been made also by the kith and kin of the soldiers. Unless these sacrifices had been made it would have been impossible to fulfil the promise that for every man who fell out of the ranks there would be ■ another to fill his place. That promise had been fulfilled. THE NEW ZEALANDERS NEVER ; FAILED.

General Bussell brou'ght back memories of Gallipoli, and both in Egypt and on Gallipoli ho had been connected with those mounted men who left their horses and went to join their brother infantry because men were wanted, and who subsequently rejoined their horses and went to Palestine, where they won an imperishable record. He felt that the Division had come out of it all the more in the limelight than those who had gone through the shadow of death with General Allenhy in the valley of the Jordan. He regretted that General Russell, after four and a half years of service, was not as well as all would wish him to be, and was not abe to relate the story of the Division. Well Jed, well supported, well officered, well trained, when the war came to an end tbo Division was as strong as at the start, and he did not think that could bo said of any other Division of any army in the world. The New Zealanders had had an assurance behind them that the blanks in their ranks would be filled, and they bad never failed when called on to do a job. One of the most pleasing things he had come across was than though the Now Zealanders knew what they had done, they did not come hack to boast about it. . Sir James Allen, for the people of New Zealand, extended to General Russell a hearty welcome homo. All would bo glad when we got the last man of tho Division hack and settled in life again. General Russell had earned tho esteem of tho soldiers, and it might bo reckoned that tho success of tho Division had not heon due to tho men alone, hut partly to tho leadership, which had led our men to do things some people might have thought impracticable or Impossible. “General Russell, we are heartily glad to see you hack. . . . Wo look to you now ns it returned citizen, come back full of honour, and wo hope that when you settle down in life wo may have tho benefit of your past experience, and wo hope the men who have been your caro at tbo front will bo happily settled in tho future.” Cheers were then given at tho call of Sir James Allen, for General Bussell, the Expeditlonny Force, and Lady Russell and tho women of Now Zealand who helped during the war. “We have met, said tho Hon. G. W. Russell, “to welcome a distinguished soldier—tho Ariki-toa of New Zealand, tho fighting chief whom we had sent forward to lead our men.’* It was sufficient to snv that tho work of General Russell and h'a men had gone into world history and stood ns a record of what could be done by a country after less than 80 years of colonisation. In his early life General Russell had been for a little while in the Imperial Army, but finding this was not his sphere, he came out hero to ho a farmer, and it was from his sheep run that he wont to lead tho armies ,of New Zealand. Ho agreed with General Russell that everv soldier should get hack to civil life as soon ns possible, and h“lp the country to carry its war burdens.

ADVISABILITY OF GENERAL RUSSELL ENTERING PUBLIC LIFE.

There wore many problems before ns ns a result of our port in the war. First and foremost there ires the problem of rnpntrintion. Already under the Government scheme nearly 130(1 soldiers had been settled on the land. Tie honed the number would enormously increase and Ji« looked for the, advice, Hv> —irri'l a’’d the a«.« , .’’etanee of General Ku" Sell, not, only as a soldier, but ns a farmer to help the Government to

work out tho schemes of repatriation so that wo might gat tens ot thousands oi oar brave boys put on farms and so mcrease the productivity of the country and help us to carry the burdens of tho future. General Russell bad seen our men in the most trying circumstances, Ho knew their courage and thoir qualities of strength and endurance, and he would agree that no liner career could be opened to them than that of the land. , Another problem was the handing ot our patriotic funds. There was .to be dealt with the sum of £1,730,000 raised .• tho patriotic people of this country for the soldiers and their dependents. Ho hoped that General Russell would consent to join tho National War bunds Council to represent ' the brave men under him and- to insist that these funds would be spent for the purposes they were subscribed for, and that not one penny would be spent for any other purpose than on the soldiers and their dependents. Wq lived in a time when the very ground on which wo trod seemed uncertain and all our old ideas were in tho mel»ing-pot, and changes wore taking place in everything. “In our political, economic, and industrial ideals, may 1 express the hope that our distinguished guest, after the magnificent sendee he has rendered in tne field, will consider tho advisability of bringing those qualities of organisation, courage, and resource into the national life of this country by agreeing to take part, in tho public life of this Dominion. Tho qualities he possesses were never more needed than they are to-day. And he has learned the true value of tho boys of Nciy Zealand. He has seen class feelings disappear. Ho has seen the son of tho squatter marching side by side with tho ploughman, the university professor marching along with' tho waterside worker, and the minor and tho professional man going over the top together to face and chase the enemy.” Tho world must bo ruled by democracy. . Any constituency in New Zealand, even Avon, would be proud to bo represented by General Russell, WHAT DOBS THE KAISER THINK OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS?

“May I congratulate you,” concluded the Minister, “on the splendid services you have rendered to our Dominion and to our Empire throughout this war, and upon tho affection with which you are regarded, not only by your soldiers, but by the women of New Zealand, because of the way you treated tho boys. The great tests by which a soldier is to he known are, first of all, the opinion of tho Government under whom ho serves. The Acting-Prime Minister has 'indicated to-day what this opinion is. The next test is the opinion of the men under him. Here you have it in the cheers of the returned soldiers. Last, you have what is thought of him by the enemy. I would just like to see William Hohenzollern to-day and ask him what ho thinks of the New Zealanders and a man named Russell. May I say, on behalf of the Government and the people of the entire country, that wo heartily welcome you back here as a soldier and a fanner. I heartily congratulate you on the honours you have received, and trust that you may long; bo spared to wear those honours which have been nobly won and worthily bestowed.” The Mayor of Wellington (Mr J, P. Luke), on behalf of tho citizens, welcomed the General. JUST ABOUT THE HIGHEST PRAISE. When General Russell rose to reply ho was cheered and honoured with “For He’s a Jolly Good Follow.” “You have said this is one of tho supreme moments of my life,” ho began, “and 'I "don’t suppose anyone could receive a welcome such as this and the one given me in Christchurch without feeling what I may term a certain amount of justifiable pride that I have been able, with God’s grace, to go through successfully with your forces and return knowing the fine reputation the Division has won.” They had been called the “Silent Division,” but he could say now that tho Division bore a very high reputation. He would not he able to speak at any length, because his health was not of tho i best. He had hoped that tho voyage out would put him straight, but tbe warmth of tho welcome in Christchurch had got away with what little reserve he had had. With a nation that produced fine horsemen and bred fine , horsos, good cavalry was looked for, but tho question was; “What about tho infantry?” The infantry absolutely represented tho nation. and ax the nation was, so also was tho infantry. Judged by that standard, the mothers of New Zealand had reason to be proud of their sons and also of their country. An officer who occupied a high position had said: “I think you can always claim that tho British Army would as soon light with the New Zealand Division alongside of it, or take over from it, oi hand over to it. as to any other division in Franco.” That was just about the highest praise. It was only the opinion of one man. hut of ono well qualified to form it. THE GRAND SPIRIT OF COLONEL MALONE.

Results like that were not obtained without a certain amount of handwork. Ho reckoned tho Division owed General Godley an enormous debt for tbo way ho taught the men a strict sense of duty. Combined with that, General Godley had a strong sense of justice. It was easy to give oifenoo in those matters, but ho never know a man who was actuated by a stronger sens© of justice than General Godley was. Latterly they iiad not seen much of him, and for tho last year thoy had had nothing to do with ,him at all. Rut with him they got credit for everything they had done. The New Zealanders had another very good chief— General Birdwood—(applause)—with whoso reputation all wore familiar. Long after General Birdwood had Jett them, General Russell continued to get letters from anxious fathers and mothers, ’ who thought that General Birdwood was the only man who could tell them about their boys. Ho would like to say a word about tho Wellington troops. They had had tho good luck to take away a firstclass commanding officer —Colonel Malone —(applause)—who had impressed those under him with his personality. Colonel Malone reached the highest point on Gallipoli (Chunuk Bahr) reached by any New Zealander, and there he had fallen. General Russell remembered saying after Bapaumo: “Old Malone’s spirit is liwfrig still.” Before Bapaumo foil ho asked for volunteers for tho undertaking, and a voluntary battalion was right there ready to stop off the mark, (Applause.) The Germans evacuated Bapaumo that night. THE BIG BEACH OF HUMANITY AND ITS PEBBLES.

" While the soldiers were being praised for their work at tile war, he thought of how magnificently the people at homo in Now Zealand had behaved during the influenza epidemic, when the-spirit of self-sacrifice had been very evident and many bad laid down their lives

for otiers. All through the war New Zealand had given the troops their host support, and that did make a difference. Thoir generosity had known no stint. Good work had been done by the Y.M.C.A. He was happy and proud to think that lie did a part that the people were satisfied with. . The credit belonged to thu Expeditionary Force as a whole and to thoSe who remained behind and saw that tho reinforcements went along steadily. It was no use individuals thinking, they dia anything much. The beach of humanity was a very big one, and there were a great many pebbles on it. ■ Everybody was imbued with the same spirit; it was in no sense a one-man show. Whatever officer dropped out, they were able to carry on. Tho history of the British Army in Franco convoyed to a certain extent a message of courage as well as a message of hope to meet the problems which lay in front of us. Vo, as all the other peoples of the world, lay in tho .Valley of Indecision, but we night yet win our way to tho ridges if wo worked togetnor. Human sympathy would help us far along the road. “I thank you both for myself and Lady Russell, and, above all, for the Division and those fine fellows I had the honour to know. I. thank you very heartily.’' General Russell resumed his seat amidst applause, and, before Hie gathering dispersed, the National Anthem was played-