AFTER YEARS OF WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 66, 18 March 1919, Page 5

AFTER YEARS OF WAR.

MAIN BODY SOLDIERS RETURN.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME.

ARRIVAL OF THE HORORATA,

The history of Auckland, when it comes to be written, will contain mention of at least two occasions when the citizens spontaneously threw off their attitude of irreproachable decorum and commercial staidness. to besome insieal unmistagably enthusiastic. One of these was the unprecedented outburst of noisy joyousnes sthat occurred on false Peace Day; the other happened yesterday when a draft of returned soldiers, including a number of Main Body men, who arrived by the transport Hororsta, were given a rousing reception. If the amount of noise made on these occasions is to be taken as a gauge in measuring the degree of warmth in the festivities, yesterday's welcome was rowdy enough to "be reckoned thoroughly hot-point. Tho firing of guns from the forts at Devonport, the shrieking and blaring of all the whistles and sirens on trains and steamers, and the cheers—real cheers—of the thousands of people that lined the waterfront, created enough noise to be really impressive. As the big steamer rounded the heads, the guns at the forts fired a welcoming salvo, and in response, the transport ran up her flags until colour was streaming from every mast-iine. The organised parte of the welcome were on an unusually elaborate scale. A ferry steamer crowded with eager-eyed next-of-kin went out to meet the bigsteamejs in the channel and escort her up to the wharves. There was a special welcome sent to the steamer by seaplane from the flying school at Kohimarama. It was the huge crowds of people, however, on every vantage point of the foreshore of Devonport and the city that gave the welcome its real soul-kindling value. For once there was a puentitude of flags, from shipping and buildings alike fluttered flags and bunting, and there was much flag-wagging by the waiting crowd itself. When the big transport arrived off tho end of King's wharf, the whistles and sirens of the steaifiers at the wharves began their vociferous serenade of welcome, vying with the ehouts and cheers of the crowd in striving to make a noise that would adequately express the joy and pride of the folks at 'home in their soldier-sona. As the ship came nearer the wharf, the excitement of the waiting next-of-kin knew no bounds. Prodigious efforts of eye-s-ight were achieved in endeavouring to discern the beloved one among the mass of khaki that swarmed on the ship's 6ide. Shouts of "There he is," and eager welcoming cries grew more frequent, but never had a steamer seemed so long in completing her berthing operations. When at last this was completed, and the soldiers were able to join their overjoyed relativ»s, the scene was one that could not adequately be described.

As usual the ministering committee of the Women's Patriotic League attended to the work of providing refreshments, and those of the soldiers who were not at once carried off by their friends and relations were lavishly served. Motor oars, provided by the voluntary motor corps, under Mr. A. A. Martin, each decorated .with a Union Jack, did excellent work in carrying the men with their next-of-kin to their homes. The crowds that lined Quay Street and Queen Street 'kept up a whole-hearted welcome as the motors carrying the eoldiers passed along.

The Hororata brought 450 men for the Auckland district, including those who had gone away with the Main Body. They looked well and fit for the most part, despite their long period of service. The men speak highly of the reception that was accorded them at ■Panama, where American citizens and the V.'M.C.A. tendered them a banquet, and did everything impossible to make their short visit an enjoyable one. The voyage to New Zealand was made in good weather conditions with the exception of one week of strong winds and heaw seas.