HECTOR MACDONALD'S RECEPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 259, 9 November 1901, Page 3

HECTOR MACDONALD'S RECEPTION.

ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND

AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME.

General Sir Hector Macdonald arrived in Auckland by the Rotorua express at five o'clock last eveniug, and was received with loud cheers from the crowds of citizens assembled at the railway station to do honour to the distinguished visitor. A guard of honour was formed by the veterans, who, to the number of over seventy, mustered in Commerce-street halt' an hour before the train was clue, Captain Mitchell and Captain Grant, late District Adjutant, drawlny up the parade. The company was marched to the platform, and was drawn up in a treble line on the arrival platform. The station area was reserved for prominent citizen.-;, among those gathered there being Mr Alfred Kidd (the Mayor) and the Scotchmen's Committee, His Lordship the Primate, (Bishop Cowie), Captain Boscawen (hon. A.D.C. to His Excellency the Governor), Messrs H. Wilson (Town Cierk), D. Sutherland (Mayor of Onehunga), H. Campbell (Mayor of Parneil) ,J. McLeod, J. Sticbbury, G. W. S. Patterson, T. W. Leys, J. Savage, T. Finayson, Murdoch McLean, J. Arnt-il, J. M .Shera, Dr. J. Logan Campbell, Dr. Sharman, Rev. W. E. Gillam, Rev. Rl Sommerville, and Rev. Dr. Purchas. Lieut.-Colonel Davies was also present, and Parakau, of Tuakau, was present in full native costume, .vith mere v.nd taiaha. Outside the station a large crowd ,anxious to catch a glimpse of the famous visitor, had assembled. As the train drew into the station four pipers, dressed in full Highland costume, struck up "The Cock o' the North." The Mayor and Captain Boscawen boarded the train as it came to a stop, and greeted the visitor, whose appearance on the platform was the signal for a loud and long outburst of cheering. After a series of introductions had been gone through, the General inspected the guard of honour, conversing and shaking- hands with each of the aged warriors. This over, the General was conducted to his carriage, which he entered accompanied by His Worship the Mayor, Captain Boscawen, and Mr D. B. McDonald (chairman of the Scottish Committee). The horses were then taken out of the carriage, which, by means of ropes, was drawn by about twenty enthusiasts. Queen-street was lined throughout with crowds of people, and from the station to the Library the General was drawn through cheering crowds. "Good Old Mac," "Well done. Hector," and similar approving phrases were shouted continuously as Ihe General drove along, while several bouciuets were thrown in!-) the cab. Hsivdkerchiefs were waved, and hats thrown up by welcoming enthusiasts until the illustrious General disappeared within the doors of the municipal chambers.

RECEPTION BY THE MAYOR.

1 The formal reception to the General , | took place at the Municipal Chambers, . where His Worship the Mayor (Mr i iUfrecl Kidd) received and welcomed I the distinguished visitor. On arrival fat the Council Chambers a guard of 'honour of Wellesley-street School Cadets presented arms, and amid a final burst of cheering- Sir Hector passed into the building, proceedingto the Mayor's Ftoom. The Council Chamber was Hlled with itmteu guests, including: a number of ladies, and here the welcoming' took place. The General was ushered into the room by the Mayor, Dr. J. Logan Campbell Lieut-Colonel Davies .Captain Boscawen, A.D.C., Mr D. B McDonald ,and other members of the Scottish Committee, Messrs D. Crawford, and J. Dickson. pipers, leading the way. playing "Highland Laddie. A.s the General entered the room the assembly rose and gave three hearty cheers, followed by another three. The visitor was accommodated with a seat on the right of the Mayoral chair. The Mayor, in extending a welcome to Sir Hector, said they had met to meet one whose deeds were known to them long before his arrival hereone whom they honoured for the deeds j executed on behalf of the Empire,! and he was sure it was the wish of , everyone to give him a right royal . ' welcome. (Cheers.) He had no doubt ; that the General hnd met that welcome through New Zealand, the cities having vied one with the other to welcome him. Tn this city there wns no one who did not entertain the j kindliest feelings towards Sir Hector Macdonaid. (Loud cheers.) By his own actions, and with his own sword, he had carved a niche in the history of the world which the speaker wns sure would remain there for ever. He had endeared himself to all clashes of people, more especially to the young and to the aged. Everyone who saw him talking to the veterans would feel tliat in the old soldier he had the greatest interest, loving him for his deeds in the past. So also with the cadets, who could not find a better object lesson than himself, and if the young men would strive to emulate him in any detail, then they themselves would do good dee3s. (Applause.) He was only expressing the sentiments and feelings of the people when he said they gave the General the warmest welcome to the city, and their only regret was that he had tot longer time to stay. He wished the General God-speed on his Jourtifiv, ana trusted that he would have health and happiness for all time. Each one felt that they had in him a friend, and the fact of New Zealand sending many of her best men to South Africa was alone sufficient to mark the deep interest in his career. The war had knit the English-speaking peoples more closely together than they had been before, and another link in the chain of empire would be forged by the visit of General Sir Hector Msicdonald to New Zealand. (Cheers.) He had taken a deep interest in New Zealanders at the war, and for that every : father who had a son there felt deeply grateful. He was only echoing the wishes of everyone there when he offered a hearty greeting, and expressed the hope that the visit would be an enjoyable one. Dr. J. Logan Campbell was then called on, and, rising amid hearty ', cheering, he welcomed his brother . countryman to this the land of his ? adoption, and wished him every happiness.

Lieut.-Colonel Davies welcomed Sir* Hector on behalf of the local forces. He had the greatest pleasure in doing so for several reasons. One was that he might welcome him. and wish him a good time in return for the exceed-1 ing great kindness and consideration that all colonial troops received at his ( hands in South .Africa. (Cheers.) He' hoped the General would carry pleasant memories of New Zealand, and he also hoped that there would be many opportunities of welcoming British officers and helping to make them enjoy themselves in return for the kindness received by the contingents who had been well treated as fellow soldiers throughout the campaign. Mr D. B. McDonald, chairman of the Scottish Committee, thoiight that so many pleasant things had been so eloquently said that the vocabulary of adjectives was pretty well exhausted. That afternoon two words had struck him as being peculiarly appropriate to the occasion, "Empire Builder." Here they had two Empire builders, both of a different eminent type, and he was sure General Maedonald would not feel that he was wrong in mentioning first the peaceful Empire builder, their revered and esteemed fellow-townsman, Dr. J. Logan Campbell. It was known to them all how some 60 years ago Dr. Campbell landed on the shores of the Waitemata, and pitched his tent amidst a horde of hostile cannibals, but by his tact and sense of justice he had converted them from hostile, foes to the most cordial friends. The 'man who had the courage to take his life in his hands and subdue a savage people, not by the sword, but by the power of justice—that luan built the Empire. They had another Empire builder, who on many a wellfought field had defended the rights of the Empire, now so protid to claim him one oj her greatest men. In all ports o{ His Majesty's dominions where work more than ordinarily dangerous was to be done, Sir Hector had carried this triumph, and that triumph was one of the British. Empire. As citizens of Auckland they were proud to have in their midst two Empire builders, equally gTeat in their respective spheres. The whirligig- of time might bring about a time when the pomp and circumstance of war should come to an end, and he hoped that their visitor would then think of the smiling waters of the Waitemata, and of the green slopes that surrounded it, and say, "I will go back among those kindly people, in that genial climate, and build me an house and dwell therein." (Cheers.) THE GENERAL'S REPLY. General Macdonald rose to reply amid continued cheering. He said they had done him an exceeding great i honour in welcoming him with such | flattering words, none of which he had deserved, and in receiving those words in such a nice manner. One would think from the closing words j of Mr Macdonald that he wished to '■ dispose of some property —(laughter) } —otherwise he could not see why he j should wish him to come to Auckland. In being received by the veterans of Auckland—he might say of New Zealand—he had been highly I honoured. He had been honoured by |the applause of the people. But why? i Simply because he was a feeble re- ! presentative of the British Army. When they sent their young men to form part of the Army in South Africa they sounded a note of Empire, and the young men were received as comrades in arms. There.was only one thing he might say in relation to the young men, and that was that finding that regular soldiers were not all-in-all, they would not stop short till every man of the nation was trained to amp. Had that been the case before the contingents were sent from the colonies, they would have been more useful, useful and resourceful as they were, but they wanted that drastic (discipline from which alone good results would ensue. He concluded by again thanking the assembly for their kindly welcome. After three hearty cheers had been given the gathering- dispersed. PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL. After the public reception Sir Hector was conducted to the Mayor's room, where he again met the members of the City Council, the Scottish Committee, and others. After introiductions all round, Mr Kidd asked ithe visitor's acceptance of something ! tangible to carry away as a remembrance. He then presented him with an inlaid table-top, saying that if the gift would be accepted, on behalf of j himself and the Council, they would j deem it a great honour. General Macdonald accepted the gift with ; warm thanks, expressing his admiration at the beauty of the work. The | inlaying was done by Messrs. Winks ar,d" Hall, and a silver plate was affixed, with the inscription, "From Alfred Kidd. Esq.. Mayor of Auckland, j New Zealand, to Sir Hector Macdon-! < aid, November 8, 1901." The health \ . of the guest was then honoured, and the General drove off to the Northern Club, amid the renewed cheers of the , crowd, outside the building. i DINNER AT THE CLUB. : Sir Hector Macdonald dined at the 1 Northern Club last evening, Dr. J. ' j Logan Campbell presiding-, where | * there were about 80 members present, j • After the toast of the King, that of! ■ the guest was proposed by Dr. Camp- ! bell, and was honoured with ringing ! cheers. The General briefly replied, I thanking Dr. Campbell for the brevity I of his remarks, and the members for ; the volume of their applause.