MAORI BATTALION
THE EAST COAST WELCOME (P.A.) GISBORNE, January 24. Crowds at Gisborne gave a warm welcome to-day to the Gisborne and East Coast members of the Maori Battalion when they paraded through the streets to the Poho-o-rawiri meeting house, where a celebration was held and speeches were delivered. The Mayor, Mr N. H. Bull, said the occasion was a most important one in tho history of the Maori people as a whole. It was a day of rejoicing for the return of the warriors of the tribes and sorrow for those who did not return. "We grieve with you," he said, " for the comrades who lie in the fields of Crete, Greece, the Western Desert, and Italy. The deeds of the battalion will remain a part of history so long as Maori is spoken in the land." Mr D. W. Coleman, M.P., and tribal representatives, Judge H. Carr, and Lieutenant-colonel Awatere joined in the tributes. The speakers for the battalion were Major J. H. Waititi. Captain W. Reedy, and Sergeant 11. IRuru.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 25700, 25 January 1946, Page 7
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173MAORI BATTALION Evening Star, Issue 25700, 25 January 1946, Page 7
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