THE FAREWELL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 31, 5 February 1916, Page 6

THE FAREWELL.

GOVERNOR'S ADVICE TO CIVIL POPULATION. REBUKE TO PESSIMISTS. THE "LYING JADE" AT WORK. Shortly after half-past three o'clock" yesterday afternoon, at the conclusion of the Queen Street march of the soldiers in Auckland, the first of tbe troops filed into shed No. 18, Queen's wharf, where arrangements bad been made for the vice-regal and civic reception, ln the middle of one side a platform had been erected, and on this the vice-regal party, which was a large one, assembled shortly before the last of the troops took up their positions. The Mayor (Mr. J. 11. Gunson) presided, and in addition to their Excellencies Lord and Lady Liverpool, there were present, the Rt. Hon. W, F. Massey, lions. James Allen, A. M. Myers, Dr. Pomare, Colonel R. Logan Col. J. R. Purdy, Messrß. C. J. Parr, C. H. Poole, A. E. Glover, J. S. Dickson, and A. Harris, M.P., together with moat of the members of the City Council, and a large number of leading citizens and ladies. A detachment of veterans, many in uniform, was given a place i within good hearing distance of the speakers. ,

The 4th Battalion of the Rifles 'Brigade was the first body of troops to arrive, and after an interval, the Maori reinforcements, who had piled arms in another shed, entered to the accompaniment of thunderous applause (rifle butts on concrete) by their white comrades. Last came the No. 2 Field Ambulance, which was heartily applauded by the civilians present. Speeches were delivered, as briefly roported in our last issue, by the chairman and tho Minister for Munitions. GOVERNOR'S FAREWELL. nis Excellency tho Governor, in addressing the troops, said that tho riflemen of the 4th Battalion were privileged for the second occasion only, to participate in the joining of all four battalions in one brigade. Addressing the native troops, his Excellency reminded them that they wore going to fight alongside the other representatives of the welded races of the British Empire They had a great name to uphold, and be knew they would unr° ] i tl, Tl 'l Go ™™* BPoke of the task before tho Ambulance Brigade, and wished them success and honour in their great work. REBUKE TO PESSIMISM. Sometimes it had been aaked, continued his Excellency, whether tbe Dominion was doing all it could do. and in other respects the wisdom of tho authorities *as questioned. He asked tho civilian British Empiro by doing all they could to stop a very bad habit which was developing universally, the habit of allowing wrong and unjust rumours to bo fi£_. r a* bCC " ox P"i«nced In Australia, Canada and every part of the trusted tha the P roßß throughout the Empire would exorcise their great pow' ami unjuat.fied rumours. That was one VALUE OF CON'I'TDENCE and - the peo " ,c W thfafnirif c ** ""'« stamping out affairs, and not he wowl '" t%l ° f and God M_ wo «- Good-byo, Governor '"" y ° U ' COn <- lu *-<-<- the

PREMIER'S ENCOURAGEMENT ■A £Ts_Btt *»>* »■ ,■«*, reminded them that" 0 prC " Boing voluntarily to fl'f **f wcro s%r f FrvC^^s Re ivor'hy TZy th 'AJa% W •traditions. Comrades ot W * h tisin of fire in Egypt, and it -was I°, hope that they would prove in evert way as worthy. To the Native Continent regarded them exactly as they din tnl white soldiers of the Kimr (LT w «■„,, „ i. liJn g. (Applause.) It Has an honour to the Maori race that some of its members had be™ among the first -to volunteer for service in this war. The size of the army Tha New Zealand had sent to the' f 0 „ showed that the Dominion was in earnest, as was the whole Empire, and he felt sure that before the war wai over tho Germans would be sent back to Germany sadder and wiser men (Applause.) The British Empire wu fighting, not 06 the Germans, for territory, and power, but for right, liberty and justice. J '

"I desire to emphasise what his Excellency has said regarding basclc-s rumours," concluded the Premier "I can state what I know, and 1 say that rumours which have been circulated in tha country and throughout the Empire without a particle of foundation, have done a tremendous amount of mischief What I say to soldiers and citizens is 'While facing the enemy, present * united front.' 1 wish you God-speed, every success, and a safe return to your homes." (Loud applause.) TUNNELLING CORPS LANDED. The Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen) said that the men of the Rifle Brigade, who had gone before -them, ! had created a reputation already, and he bade them join them and equal it. Speaking to the native troops, he said he trusted they realised how closely the war had brought the races of the British Empire together in a way that had never been experienced before. The men of the ambulance section were going away probably better trained than any previous one, and yet their task was a tremendous one, because of the noble example of those who had gone before. It was not long ago since Auckland had the honour of sending away the Tunnelling Corps, concluded Mr. Alien, and Auckland people would be interested to know that within tbe last two hours he had received information that" they had landed safely. FOUR LANGUAGES. Dr. Pomarc, who delivered the last 6peeeh, gave "greetings and farewell" to the troops, and in doing 60 delivered a message to each of the four races represented in the ranks. "You are going out to fight," he said. "I say to you pakehas, 'Fight like the devil, but like Christian devils.'" To the Niue his [message was "Eke tana!' {"Be brave!");

to the Rarotongans, "Mata te pekapeka!" ("Be strong in the fight"); to the Maoris, "Remember the Gate Pa and Orakau, and the words of Rewi, 'Mc whauwhai tonu tatou, ake! ake! ake!"

The Mayor then called for three cheers for the troops, and the latter, at the call of Lord Liverpool, gave three in return for the citizens of Auckland. The troops were then provided with a generous afternoon tea, served by a large committee of ladies.