CIVIC RECEPTION AT AUCKLAND

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 31, 6 August 1919, Page 3

CIVIC RECEPTION AT AUCKLAND

A MIXED GREETING

AFTER-WAR PROBLEMS.

(BI TMEfIRAPII.— PRBSB ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, sth August.

Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were tendered a civic reception to-day. When Mr. Massey arose there was loud applause, mingled with booing from a hostile section of the audience. The Deputy-Mayor thereupon appealed for order, at which the Dooing burst out afresh. Mr. Entrican then announced that he would ask the police to remove further interrupters. (Applause, and uproar.) Mr. Massey was then able to make himself heard. He thanked the citizens of Auckland for their hearty welcome. Sir Joseph Ward and himself had just returned from representing New Zealand at the most momentour gathering^ tlie world had ever seen. "We have given our best in your interests," he declared, "and not unsuccessfully." He spoke of the pleasure that he and his colleague felt in being back to share the anxieties of the people and to do their level best to get conditions back to normal. "Our anxieties have been lessened by the coming of peace," he continued, "but our responsibilities have not been lessened, and our first duty is to make this peace worthy of what it has oo«t—worthy of British citizenship and worthy of the sacrifices made by our soldiers, and worthy of the brave men who died for us." In conclusion, Mr. Massey said he had beon working to put down the enemies of Great Britain, and he would not stop now. He believed there were some enemies of King and Empire in New Zealand, and amid a good deal of noise he indicated that he would give his attention to disloyalists.

Sir Joseph Ward was given a very cordial reception. He emphasised the importance of the Peace Conference, and said that although there were many varied opinions as to the value of the decisions of the Conference, a vast amount of valuable work had beon done, especially considering tbe different countries represented. In New Zealand, as in all other countries in the world, great afterwar problems had arisen. The time had arrived when all right-thinking people in the community should assist the authorities in finding solutions for these postwar problems and in framing measures for the development of the country's resources, so that the welfare of the whole community would be assured. The people of New, Zealand would_ surely have tho commonsense to recognise the fact that problems needing attention were too urgent to permit of petty bickerings. New Zealand should go on from one prosperous condition to another, and be a home for free men and free women for generations to come.