"ANZACS" AT THE CAPE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2678, 26 January 1916, Page 6

"ANZACS" AT THE CAPE

SOUTH AFRICA'S WELCOME. When the s.s. Ruahine—which recently arrived in New Zealand with returned wounded on board from Gallipoli— called at Cape Town on the.way out, the men of Anzao were accorded a hearty welcome. Tho Mayor (Mr. H. Hands) and other leading citizens arrived, followed by General Thompson, and later His Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Lord Buxton, who was accompanied by Lady Buxton, the Hon. Doreen Buxton, and Lord Carlton, greeted the men', and subsequently Lord Buxton inspected them, greeting each soldier personally and making sympathetic inquiries as to the nature of the wounds and the circumstances under which they were received. Lady Buxton and her daughter also took a great interest in the wounded men, commiserating with them on their misfortune and gratefully acknowledging their services. Lady Buxton had shown great interest in the threo wounded Maoris on board, and in,honour nf her visit a company of the wounded men, headed ! by a -powerfully-built Maori, gave a reprcsenation of the Maori war dance, such as was performed when tho contingent of aboriginals went into action against tho Turks. The vice-regal party were not a little entertained by the weird noises, curious gyrations, and wild war whoops which they saw and heard before leaving. Fruit, flowers, cigarettos, nvd newspapers were liberally provided for the soldiers, who were profuse in their acknowledgments of tho generosity of the Cape Town public. Shortly after 10 o'clock a fleet of motor-cars, provided b.v the members of the Royal Automobile Club, bore the wounded soldiers j of? for a trip round the mountain, and on returning were entertained by the I Mayor to lnnclicon on the pier.

The wounded soldiers were presented by Messrs. Hermann and Canard, Ltd., through the Gifts ancl Comforts Committee, with a parcel of tobacco and cigarottos.