AUSTRALIA WAITING

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 123, 25 May 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIA WAITING

MOST CORDIAL WELCOME

ASSURED,

(FKOU OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

SYDNEY, 18th May./ It will be found, when the Prince of "Wales arrives in the Commonwealth, that all sections of the Australian community will be ready to give him th_» cordial welcome' that his personal qualities deserve. The indications are that the Prince will have a very flattering reception in Australia generally, and, if that proves ih be the case, it may lie taken .as a great personal triumph for the young man.. The majority of the people in this somewhat advanced democracy will accept the Prince ac a man. There is not the least doubt that had the Prince lacked his cha-mihg personal qualities, and Australia been asked to do homage to him simply as a future King, he might have been received with much leas enthusiasm. But the present occasion is: not at all likely to be marred by anything unpleasant. The Prince,. by his behaviour in Canada and New Zealand, is already knov.'n and liked, and his progress through this Continent should .be a particularly happy one. THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET. The Australian Fleet's departure on Monday to meet the Prince of Wales,at Melbourne was a most imposing affair. The war vessels went down the harbour, and. out to sea, in three long lines, and they went through some striking manoeuvres outside the Heads before proceeding south. Thousands -of people crowded on to South Head to watch the fleet go. We of Australia, are supposed to hate all things, militaristic, and to loathe gold lace and war machines; but there were few who did not thrill to the thought that that fine display of some 26 modern warships was the symbol of the naval strength of this young southernnation. . '' SOLDIERS TO GREET THE PRINCE. The returned soldierl is alvraya an unknown quantity, politically speaking, but the returned men are evidently going to greet the Prince cordially. He is to attend a. Soldiers' Reunion in Melbourne on the 31st instant, and ticket* are on sale to returned men at 3s 6d. The rush for them when the sale opened tho other day was so great that a loiig queue had to be formed, leading out into the street and some distance down th» thoroughfare. - • THE DEMAND FOR. DOUBLE PAY. The Melbourne tram men want doublo pay for tho whole period of the Prince's visit; and threaten, if they don't get it, to tie up the tramway service. The Sydney men are making a similar demand,, without the strike threat. The mcii's leaders counsel tolerance, and the matter will probably be satisfactorily adjusted. The authorities, in each case, promise at least two days on double pay. DECORATIONS BY CHINESE. The Chinese are erecting a special decoration of their nwn in ttourke-stre'et, Melbourne. 'Die Sydney' Chinese are also erecting an arch. Other foreign, communities' in Sydney to make a similar demonstration 'include the Americans, the'ltalians, and the' Greeks. A USE FOR PIGEONS. When the Prince arrives in Bendigb on 4th June five hundred pigeons, gathered ' from all over the country, will be r»» le-Kieti, carrying the news.