HANDING OVER THE REINS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1911, Page 9

HANDING OVER THE REINS.

SIR JAMES CARROLL'S WELCOME. "Home, Sweet Home" was sung in Maori by Sir James Carroll, who then made a brief speerh. "We have thought of yon," he said, "many days, many months, during the time you have been absent from us. We havfe scanned with avidity every line of every cablegram that has come out from the Old Country. We have watched jour movements, we have read your, utterances. Both of you have done great deeds and doughty deeds for our country. We have realised that and appreciated it; and I can assure you that the feelings of this country have been with you all the time. ( (Applause.) No matter what your critics may say— you will always have critics, they distort and misrepresent everything you say, everything you do, every little movement} they are on the watch to disparage your work, but those who are true, those who know and are sensible of the Imperial spirit, and the national spirit, and of tho great party epirit of which you are the head, they have followed it all along and measured it carefully, arid have arrived at a true assessment of its value. We have sailed the ship during your absence. ' We have kept within calm Waters while we could. We have carefully charted all the sunken rocks— (laughter)— in order that on your 'teturn you might be encouraged. Local criticism is not to be thought of at all. We have been the intermediate targets. They have fired at you at a long distance; they have miseed the mark for the time— (laughter)— and they have fired in Vain. They have exhausted their ammunition, and, in a practical sense, they are really in a bankruptcy court. (Laughter and applause.) NO WORRY. "So we needn't worry' about that at all. But what has been cultivated is thisj Absence makes the heart grow fonder. (Applause.} There has been a cultivation of cehtimeht in the of the people against the a.rray of criticism from the other side, which tried to seize the opportunity and make the most of it." There had, he Went on to say, been a. strong feeling of resentment against that criticism. "Let it grow," he said, "you will have the benefit of it at the General Election. There is nothing to perturb your mind at all. We are satisfied with your great work across the sea. You and Sir John Findlay have done noble work. CRITICS NECESSARY. "You must have somebody against y£2>", continued Sir James Carroll. "We have to fight the foe next election. What are they worth, after all? Look to your party ; look to those all around here. These are the people, not your critics, spurn them from the end of your toe! Welcome here, Sir Joseph, and you, Sir John Findlay." THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL " He's a Jolly Good Fellow " Was sung with emphasis, and Sir John Findlay made a few remarks in reply. His leader, he said, had intimated' that he (Sir John) intended to make a departure in his public life. Since he nad entered the Ministry he had done the best that was in his power for the good of the Dominion, and he did not wish to be in public life one hour longer than the public desired him to be there. But he wanted to tell his critics that he and those associated with him were in pub»' lie life from motives which Were ac high and pure as those which could be laid claim to by those opposed to them, and who would characterise their motives as those of- self-seekers. They had for their motives the good of the people of New Zealand, and they did not desire to remain in public life one moment longer tha.n the people desired them to remain. At the next election he would either go out of public life, or take hie seat in the Lower House alongside his leader, doing what he could for the good of the country. If he was not wanted he would go cheerfully back to private life that he left some five yeans ago. The proceedings concluded with further demonstrations of welcome from the pakeha and Maori on board, and, before transhipping to the Hinemoa, Sir Joseph Ward, on behalf of himself and party, expressed full appreciation of the kind and considerate treatment accorded them by Captain Clifford and the staff of the Ruapehu during the trip out from Home. The party landed about midnight, and Sir Joseph Ward and Sir John Findlay were subsequently entertained by Government ' members in the Parliament Buildings.