THE SAME IDEALS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 108, 8 May 1923, Page 10

THE SAME IDEALS

BRITISH AND AMERICAN RACES

CIVIC RECEPTION TO CAPTAIN POLLOCK.

Captain E. T. Pollock, Governor of American Samoa, who was accompanied by his staff officei'B, was accorded a civic reception at the Town HaS yesterday. The Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) presided, and among those present were Sir Francis Bell, Sir Heaton Rhodes, the Hon. C. J. Parr, and several City Councillors.

The Mayor accorded to Captain Pollock a warm welcome. The natives of New Zealand, he said, always believed that blood was thicker than water; therefore they were glad to be associated with Americans, who came from the same stock as they did. The ideals of the American nation were largely the ideals of the British race, and he hoped that sooner or later there would be a thorough understanding between the two nations. Such an understanding might even prevent war, for no other nation would commence war against such a powerful combination. Good feeling between the two peoples had prevailed in the past, and he hoped it would continue in the future. _ He trusted that Captain Pollock's stay in New Zealand would be pleasurable and profitable. Sir Francis Bell spoke on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. W. F. Ma-ssey, who was unable to meet Captain, Pollock. The Government of Now Zealand, he said, appreciated the friendly aid of America in the matter of administering Western Samoa. In that connection the Government of New Zealand owed a great deal to Captain Pollock. New Zealand was peculiarly associated with America, but was the first to apply to Samoa the Volstead amendment. Any friendly rivalry in that direction had now disappeared since America had adopted the law jf Prihition. H« was pleased to join with the Mayor in welcoming the distinguished visitors to the Capital City, and he hoped that they would carry away with them a pleasanter recollection of the capital than of the Heavens above it.

Councillor W. H. Bennett spoke on behalf of the City Councillors. . Captain Pollock said that the welcome to" New Zealand had greatly impressed him and his staff. The Administration of Samoa had brought America i and New Zealand very close together. The cordial nature of the welcome had been almost embarrassing. "We really think we are undeserving of it," he said. "But as the Mayor stated, blood is thicker than water. There are binding us together the blood tie and the language tie. Referring more particularly to Samoa, he expressed the opinion that what New Zealand did in 1914 should have been done 14 years earlier.