AUCKLAND RECEPTION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 129, 5 June 1929, Page 10

AUCKLAND RECEPTION

SPIRIT OF GOODWILL

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post") AUCKLAND, This Day. Committees to arrange for entertaining the ofucers and crew of the German cruiser Emden, which is due at Auckland on 26th June, were formed at a meeting convened yesterday by Mr. E. Eangguth, formerly Consul at Auckland for the Austrian Empire. The meeting had been called by advertisement. About 30 people were present, the majority being ladies. Three representing the Auckland branch of the League of Nations Union—the Eev. A. W M'Millan, Mrs. Eeilly, and Mr. Bernard Martin—attended. After a number of introductions had been made, the proceedings became most.. enthusiastic. The Emden is coming here on a mission of peace, and all feelings of bitterness due to the war should be forgotten and forgiven if the League of Nations is to be a success, said Mr. Langguth. He had noted that the German Consul for New Zealand had requested the Auckland City Council not to hold a civic reception. This had come as a surprise to him, and he believed to many Aucklanders. It might be inferred that the officers and crew of the Emden did not desire a public reception, but this was notthe case. The Consul had said the desire was to avoid controversy, but personally he had seen- none in the Auckland newspapers, and none had come to his personal knowledge. The Consul's action, he considered, had been a mistake, and even deserving of censure.