GENERAL RUSSELL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 4

GENERAL RUSSELL

HASTINGS WELCOME

AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION

Press Association

HASTINGS, May 19.

General Sir Andrew and Lady Russell were given a great reception at Hastings to-day. Owing to the heavy rain during the morning the military parade and other features in the opeilair programme were cancelled, but at the moment of the arrival of the special train the clouds lifted, and in bright sunshine the General was given an cnthuiastic welcome by town and country people. The civic reception was held at the Municipal Theatre, where addresses were given •by the Mayor, the president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, and representatives of the New Zealand Veterans, the Maori race, and the old Hawke's Bav Mounted Rifles.

In reply, General Russell said: When I think of tho receptions I have received at Christchurch, Wellington, and at places along the line, and now here at Hastings, I realise that tho welcome is not to myself alone, but to all who had gone to tho war, thoso who had returned, and, in a spirit, those who had not come back. In paying a tribute to his old command, •the Hawko's Bay Mounted Rifles, ho said ho owed his present position to them and the territorials, in which branch of the service he had gained much of his training, lie spoko highly of the services rendered by tho Maori Battalion on Gallipoli and in France. Speaking of tho English, ho said it had been stated' that Britain is decadent. His experience was that the British people had shown themselves great and steadfast, accepting with common-senso the great burdens and restrictions placed upon them, which proved that tho heart of England is as sound as ever.

Speaking of New Zealand defence, the General said he did not think they could abandon military training, but ho was sure that if they brought up good citizens to twenty years of age, after that there would-be no need for woekly or fortnightly drills. He would do whati he could to help returned soldiers. Referring to the possibility of his entry into politics, he said that very few men who had succeeded in the field had succeeded in the House, bo they had better be careful. •He concluded by saying that by working together instead of looking for differences and quarrelling over them, the people could make this country as good as any country in the world, so that every man, woman, and child should be happy. "It is no good calling on God to help us in the war," said General Russell, "if when the war is over we are going to put the Almighty by, and His teachings on the shelf. God has helped us to win tho war, and now we have won we must not banish Him from our lives."