PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8473, 19 December 1923, Page 7

PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR

Sydney Sun Cable. Rcc, Dec. 19, 9.35 a.m. London, Dec. 18

• Hoi'- W. F. Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand, on the ev e of his departure, issued an expression ■ of appreciation, on behalf of New Zealand and himself, of the warm vitality shown everywhere'. He ajso thanks the Government _ Departments, which had done their utmost to facilitate his work. Although was compelled to return Tome, ■leaving a situation of uncertainty the fate of the Conferee's work, he hoped 1 before he reached New Zealand to receive encouraging the belief that the Conference’s decisions would not be jeopardised. He felt confident that much had been domj to strengthen the bonds of Empire. H© anticipat- ' ed quicker mails after the New Year. He had been urged to increase' the number of immigrants, but ten ‘thousand yearly was the maximum economically absorbable. "I don’t think Londoners will ever adopt the Continental Sunday,” continued Mr Massey ‘‘and lam glad of that. London is a gay city, but Londoners know how to keep the Sabbath. They are orderly. There isi not levity. So long as I live I will remember 1 how Armistice Sunday was observed. It was an object lesson to tbe world. I never saw anything like it. The jiuge orderly crowd’s quietude, and the entire absence of loud voices. Tne spirit behind it all was something to be felt rather than seen. ' there is something in it characterise tic of the British 1 race the world