WELCOME HOME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 October 1941, Page 4

WELCOME HOME

SOLDIERS INVALIDED FROM MIDDLE EAST SPEECHES BY PRIME MINISTER & OTHERS. APPRECIATION OF WAR SERVICE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An official welcome was extended yesterday to a number of New Zealand soldiers who have been invalided home from the Middle East, and who are now in Wellington. “Those'\who are speaking to you today are speaking not only from theirp. own hearts, but from the hearts the people of the Dominion,” said Prime Minister (Mr Fraser). “We know and appreciate what you have done in Greece, Crete, and Egypt. We are glad to see you restored to your loved ones, and we hope that before long we will be able to welcome all the boys back home again.” Other speakers in similar vein were Mr T. C. A. Hislop. Mayor of Wellington, Mr S. G. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, Mr W. H.' Price, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board. Mr P. K. Paikea, representative of the Maori, race on the Executive Council, the Hon W. Perry, Dominion president of the R.S.A., and the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones). Typical of the speeches was Mi’ Holland’s assurance that New Zealand was proud of the men and would do everything possible to reinstate them in- civil life. Mr Paikea led a haka by the Maori members of the 1 party, and cheers were ■ given for all the men by the next-of-kin and others present.