CITY'S WELCOME

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1940, Page 9

CITY'S WELCOME

By Telegraph—Press Association.

MINISTERS SEE PARTY informal teatime chat

Wellington, Last Night. Hardly had the shore folk boarded the vessel than a bell rang for dinner — high tea they called it. They stood, eyes tightly shut, to chant a very charming grace and then stood at Miss Johnson's word to greet their visitors. The Mayor's baby daughter, Susan, attending her first official reception, had tea with them. The babies, half a dozen five-year-olds, shared a spccial low table furnished with diminutive chairs. The children were welcomed to New Zealand by the Mayor, who addressed them briefly as they had tea. As the mouthpiece of the citizens of Wellington he assured them how pleased everyone was to see them here safe and j well. With all their bearts everyone i wishes to give them a new and happy ! home in New Zealand as long as the war | should last. | Many Scottish Friends. He noticed they were from Scotland. He could hear a Scottish burr in their voices. Well, his own ancestors and those of many New Zealanders came from Scotland so they would find them- | sclves among fellow country men. "God bless you all and we are very glad to see you," said the Mayor. I hope we • shall see a lot more of you after this." The children applauded vociferously and thanked him for his welcome with more cheers. Afterwards they swarmed round their visitors, very friendly and anxious to learn what they could of their new homeland. They were eager to see I New Zealand coins and keen to swop their own for the new sort until told they would be losers by the deal. N"w arrivals were greeted with "Have vou got a New Zealand threepence, mister? Let's have a look at it. What are ! those things on the tail's side? Look this 'un has a bird on it. That's a kiwi, and there's a Maori crouching d°wn with his spear."

All Wearing Discs. All children wore identification discs round their necks and some evacuation labels in their lapels, like parcels for post. Kilts and tartan skirts were numerous. They were a brown. jolly, healthy and happy-looking lot of youngsters— very friendly, not at all shy, but extremely thrilled at arriving in a new country and extremely excited at all the important people who had come to meet them, for soon after tea there came on board the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, and his associate-Minister, the Hon. D. Wilson, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, a member of the War Cabinet, Mr. S. G Holland, MP„ and .Mr. J. W. Heenan, UnderSecretary of the Internal Affairs DepartmeI1^ TtU The occaslon was quite informal. Ihe Ministers chatted with the children and were photographed in happy groups with them.

Wliere Was His Gun? "Is that the Prime Minister?" asked one little boy. "Coo, Jimmy, there's the Prime Minister! Say, who's the big fair man next to him? Is he really a detective? Hey, Jimmy, there's a real detective. Look, Bill, there s a detective. I say, where's his gun? Oh don't they have guns in New Zealand? ' It was obvious who stood highest in childhood's scale of hero worship. The Wellington contingent and those for the rest of the North Island slept on board the ship last night. South Island children were to have left for the south to-night. Palmerston North, Masterton and Hamilton parties will be sent up-country to-morrow and it is hoped many of the children will reach their new homes to-morrow. Those who cannot will he taken to children's institutions which are to be used as clearing stations.