"DIGGERS" AND MR. HUGHES.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 92

"DIGGERS" AND MR. HUGHES.

A REMARKABLE TRIBUTE. A remarkable scene was witnessed in London prior to the departure of the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth on his return journey to Australia. Bills posted about the place calling attention to a "Diggers' Lunch to Billy Hughes," a Tommy in the chair, and a V.C. to lead the cheering—such were some of the features of the lunch given to Mr Hughes by the non-commissioned officers and men of the Australian Imperial Force at the War Chest Club.

A close personal interest was taken by those looking down from the balcony immediately : overhead in the Prime Minister's progress through the Is lunch.

"Let him eat his dinner." they shouted when autograph hunters approached him.

Gunner E. H. Stirling presided, and Private P. E. Coleman proposed the health of Mr Hughes in a very welldelivered speech. Jugs of water provided the only liquid refreshment on the tables, and there was great merriment on the exhortation to "Charge your glasses."

The fare was the ordinary—but remarkable at the price—shilling lunch, such as is provided at the club, so that if a soldier happened to be having lunch in the large room at the time—well, he lunched with the Prime Minister. Balconies were crowded, and the whole affair was as free and easy and jolly as if Mr Hughes had been a "digger" himself.

"Stand on the table, Billy," shouted the "diggers," when Mr Hughes rose to speak—and he did, amid great enthusiasm.

"We have come out of the wilderness," he said in the course of his speech, "and out of the valley of the shadow of death." Referring to his own record in Labor questions he declared: "I was not a man to cling to Labor when it was in office and batten on it when it was in power." Only by weakness could their hold be lost on what they had won. They iiad now the policy of a white Australia firmly established. (Cheers). They could never hold tbeir country except by the same means as they had achieved victory. He was not going to say anything about the League of Nations- He had earned the condemnation of those gentlemen in Australia who knew no more about the thing than a paralysed beetle. (Laughter and cheers). , They were all about to return to their, own country. He had never had in his life a quiet and uneventful time. If his friends in Australia wanted a fight they could have it. (Cheers). Five millions of people in Australia owed £850,000,000 of debt; and yet meu went about preaching to the credulous that there is some way of saving Australia other than by work. (Laughter).

Cheers were given for Mr Hughes on the call of Sergeant Statton, the Australian V.C., who won his decoration by taking four machine-gun posts. Amid a scene of boisterous enthusiasm, Mr Hughes was then photographed, surrounded by "Aussies," and wearing the jjlumed hat of the Australian Light j Horse.