WELCOME TO CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1941, Page 8

WELCOME TO CITY

LUNCHEON AT TOWN HALL

MESSAGE FROM ADMIRALTY

After the march through the city, officers and men were entertained at luncheon at vthe Town Hall, jointly arranged by the City Council and the Wellington Harbour Board. It was semi-formal rather than formal, but the,very large gathering wanted nothing in spontaneity and the atmosohere of warmest welcome and congratulation upon the record of war service buili by officers and men overseas.

The Government was represented by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash) and the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones); the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, by Wing Commander Humphrey Bevan, A:D.C; and MajorGeneral Puttick, by Brigadier N. W. McD. Weir, Officer Commanding Central Military Forces.

Representatives of the Navy Office were Commodore W. E. Parry, C.8., Chief of Naval Staff and First Naval Member of the New Zealand Naval Board; Captain A. B. Fanshawe, A.D.C., Second Naval Member; Paymaster Captain N. H. Beall, 0.8. E., Naval Secretary; and Paymaster Captain N. T. P. Cooper.

Other guests were Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand; the, Leader of the Opposition (Mr. S..G. Holland), the Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, Mr. J. W. Heenan; the Hon. Vincent Ward, hon. secretary of the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee; and Mr. R. Darroch, secretary of the Wei-' lington branch of the Navy League. All members of the City Council and Harbour Board and their executive officers attended.

The gathering was a very happy one, with brief addresses of welcome and commendation by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, the chairman of the Harbour Board, Mr. W. H. Price, the Acting Prime Minister, and Mr. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, reaching a climax of enthusiasm when Mr. Nash read from the First Lord of the Admiralty a message of high congratulation to officers and men upon their gallantry and achievements against forces in action. Captain Bevan was greeted .when he rose to reply with a great ovation from his men, as also from those representing at the gathering all citizens of Wellington.