PRIME MINISTER SAILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1060, 26 August 1930, Page 1

PRIME MINISTER SAILS

Off to Imperial Conference STRONG PARTY FROM DOMINION Auckland Crowds Bid Farewell SURROUNDED by one of the strongest administrative teams ever selected to transact the business of New Zealand overseas, the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, sailed from Auckland on the liner Aorangi at 11.30 a.m. today. A crowd of at least 2,000 witnessed his departure, which was preceded by official functions at the Town Hall and on Prince's Wharf. The stay of the Ministerial party in Auckland was a brief and busy one. Its members arrived on the Limited Express, were welcomed and entertained by the City Council and were driven to the wharf in time for a brief function before the y Aorangi sailed.

'•lt is a very nice feeling indeed to step off a railway train and be greeted like this,” said Mr. Forbes after shaking a wide circle of hands at the Auckland railway station.

He stood with bared head while the assembled crowd cheered him and Mrs. Forbes.

Within a few minutes of schedule time, the express steamed into the station this morning, the official car at the rear. The waiting crowd included representatives of the United Party and local bodies. The Prime Minister, who was the first to step from the express, seemed unfatigued and lost no time in hastening with his party to the Town Hall, where rooms had been placed at his disposal and where morning tea was waiting. IMPORTANT MISSION "I realise that I am about to depart on a very important mission," he said, in the course of a brief speech at thanks. “We must face the difficulties ahead and they are many. •Vew Zealand, however, is in a more fortunate position than are other countries and we have our troubles, but by sticking together we can put them to rights in. I hope, a little while.”

At the Town Hall the party was welcomed by the acting-Mayor. Councillor A. J. Eutrican. Sir Thomas Sidey and Lady Sidey arrived a little later and, before the official reception began, many old friends were greeted. The party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Forbes, Sir Thomas and Lady Sidey, Mr. F. D. Thomson, permanent head of the Prime Minister’s Department, Mr. C. A. Berendsen, secretary of the Department of External Affairs, and Mrs. Berendsen, Mr. C. A. Jeffery, chief private secretary to the Prime Minister, and Dr. C. Craig, Controller of Customs.

“This will be one of the strongest parties that has left New Zealand for such a purpose,” Mr. Thomson told THE SUN. “The Prime Minister will have the benefit of the services of the excellent officers in the party, in addition to which he will be joined by Dr. E. Msrsden, head of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, who is already oversea.”

After he has concluded his conferCanada, Dr. Craig will follow , Prime Minister to the Imperial onterenc, where his services will he “railable.

Sir Thomas Sidey will be at Mr. orbes’s right hand during the confer“ttce sessions although it is recognised 'hat one of the reasons for his trip is 10 regain health and strength after his recent illness.

This morning Sir Thomas obviously * as not in the best of health, but he Played his full part in the functions arranged by citizens. At the close of the reception in the w n Hall the party motored to the Mrs. Forbes and Lady Sidey r >rried bouquets of violets, daffodils and irises. CROWD ON WHARF At Prince's Wharf the approaches and j tage points were crowded. The ■ h or nP*i w as timed to leave at 11 a.m., there was a delay of half an hour Permit of final leave-taking, and the tk ® In * >ers of the party were ushered to upper floor of an adjacent shed. J“®ing through an avenue of grain sna t * ley were greeted in an open Mce by the Auckland provincial Mecutive of the United Party. fie regret exceedingly that time is said Mr - F - H - Burbush, ” e Fn ßed Party and your friends ans £o assure you of their affection Do- ki £eeem ’ a nd speed you with all ~° 3 ’ We good wishes for your success “w n ?P el ’i a l Conference, j., " e w ill watch your progress with win rest and w *th confidence that it amt » rove °*- benefit to New Zealand Pthe.Empire as a whole. We feel Drat Q your policy of Imperial j M , ence '"Bl assure you of a very Soil v,e loome at Home. We wish a au revoir, a pleasant voyage, and ® af e return.” 0 ® lr Thomas, Mr. Burbush ext* le bope that the voyage soon\ prove o£ benefit and that very ae would be restored to health. .... appreciate a last-minute Ml of this kind,” said the Prime ,. lth i3ter in reply. “We shall carry o or . Ua very pleasant memories of My £ew minu tes in New Zealand. Cay,, goes back to the very early y,/ r l . £ be party when our battles re fought . . .

• burst of booing and catcalls tion « * nto the ®bed from a sectbe crowd below. Beyond barriers was a party of un- . P'<>yed men carrying a banner ".cr,b ed: .. one Bjg of Un . "’Ployed and Casual Workers.” Primo w ay of cheering.” said the gu a . Minister jovially. “The lanthe j. 18 different, but it comes from Vrvati a , n ’" Lau Shter greeted this obl

There was no question of party politics in the trip, continued Mr. Forbes. All New Zealand was united in wishing him to represent the country at the Conference, and it had been remarkable the way party warfare had been set aside for the occasion. He felt that he carried the goodwill of New Zealand to the Homeland. Ties of blood, affection and race were stronger than any agreements or treaties that the human mind could devise, and because, of this Empire unity was assured.

“I have had a fairly difficult task to perform in the last few months,” he added. A Voice: You’ve done it well. “ . . . When taxation came along I wondered how the parties would take it, but it had to be done—we had to face the facts.” Sir Thomas replied briefly and, amid cheers, the Prime Minister and Mrs. Forbes, followed by the others, descended trom the shed and mounted the gangway, afterward reaxjpearing at the main deck railing. The crowd as a whole was cordial, though undemonstrative. As the moorings were being cast off Mr. and Mrs. Forbes, plainly excited at the prospect of their first trip oversea, called final messages to their friends at the edge of the wharf. STREAMERS EXCHANGED A small party of officials and Government representatives exchanged coloured streamers. In its midst was the Hon. A. ,T. Stallworthy, who leaped gaily for the twisting coils and handed them to girls standing near by. Finally he was left without a paper token, but the Prime Minister hurled his last streamer and supplied the deficiency. Mrs. Forbes called excitedly to the crowd and made impromptu spears out of iris blooms. These she cast to her friends, and there were vigorous scrambles for the trophies. Three deep * blasts from the Aorangi’s siren and the liner began to move.

Three cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Forbes—three cheers for Sir Thomas and Lady Sidey—three cheers for the others.

’Another one for Honest George!” ’For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

At the rear of the crowd behind the broad backs of policemen the banner of the unemployed fluttered. The Aorangi was under way.