TERROR OF TURKS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11013, 28 January 1926, Page 5

TERROR OF TURKS

. ALLENBY IN AUCKLAND. . A ROUSING WELCOME. ECHOES OF ALLENBY’S VIO- ' ' TORIES. AVANTS TO SEE: THE COUNTRY. • -AUCKLAND, Jan. 27, “Tell the officers and men who were with me in Palestine that I am ( very pleased to be ih their-country. I am looking forward to • seeing . them again”, was the- message given to the press by Field-Marshal the count Allenby on arrival by the Uli" maroa to-day. _ 7 “Lady Allenby and I are simply tourists—what' the Americans call ‘rubber necks’. W© want to see your country-merely as holiday-makers.” " They were met by Colonel J. H. Whyte, and Lord Allenby's response was in a deep voice that could be heard along the deck: It was easy to imagine the memorable occasion when he roared out his intention “to get the whole Turkish army.” He remarked that he did not want social functions; he wanted to see the country;—P.A.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 27. The scene at the civic reception was memorable, the Town Hall concert chamber being packed. As Viscoijnt and Viscountess Allenby appeared on the platform, they were accorded loud and prolonged applause. In introducing Lord and Lady Allenby to the audience and welcoming them to Auckland, the Alayor (Air G. Baildon) said the City of Auckland had, on occasions, been privileged to welcome within its gates illustrious representatives of the Empire’s navy and army amongst whom-, in this connection, occurred to him the names of Viscount Jellicoe and Earl Kitchener. But it was the first time he thought Auckland had had the pleasure to extend a most cordial welcome to”a Field Marshal of the British Army.—(Applause.) Air Austin Carr, president of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association, also extended a warm welcome.

Lieut.-Colonel J. W. MeCarroll, representing the Auckland Mounted Rifle Brigade, who served under Lord Allenby in Palestine, said the morale of any force depended upon the man at its head. When Lord Allenby went, to Palestine, the army sas sadly in need of many necessary things, chiefly aeroplanes and artillery, but they soon came after the visitor took command. (Applause.) “I well remember the feeling of confidence that went throng l ', our ranks when Lord Allenby came to inspect us,” said Colonel-Mc-Oarroll, “but-I can tell you that, while he came to inspect, he was very much insuected himself” (laughter). Lord Allenby’s vish rccnuca vne glcnt YiStcries of Palestine, nights of hard riding aftfl times of worry, hut all hardships were forgotten in the splendid results that were the crowning feature of the campaign.—P.A.

TRIBUTE BY JEWISH COMMUNITY.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 27. Lord Allenby’s stay of eleven hours in Auckland was extremely busy. From his arrival on the Ulimaroa he was engaged with official calls and receiving private visitors at Government House. Representatives of the Jewish community of Auckland waited upon him and paid their tribute to the “Liberator of Palestine.” The Rev. S. A. Goldstein said that as the minister to the Auckland Hebrew Congregation and in the name of Zionists in the Dominion, he deemed it a great pleasure to offer personally their tribute of respect and admiration to Lord Allenby, who had composed the prelude to the Balfour Declaration. His association with the Hebrew University, both at the laying of the foundation stone and at the opening, and his sympathetic interest in the movement, had endeared him to Zionists thruoghout the world. In a new* chapter of Jewish history which the declaration had opened, his name would shine with distinction. Airs David Nathan, on behalf of the Jewish women of New Zealand, also voiced a tribute. She referred particularly to tho establishment by New Zealand women of infant welfare centres in Palestine on the Plunket system.

Lord Allenby, in reply, stated that it gave him pleasure to he of service to the British Empire, hut it was a greater privilege to have been the* 5 “Liberator of Jerusalem.” He knew personally, and was a great admirer of, the leader of the Zionist movement, Dr. O. Weizmann. After the capture of Jerusalem, Dr. Weizmann had unfolded to him his plans for the development of Palestine following the issue of the Balfour Declaration. He had remarked at the time that he considered Dr. Weizmann’s plans were somewhat idealistic and visionary, but at the opening of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, at which he and Lady Allenby were present, he had the pleasure and privilege of renewing his friendship with Dr 'Weizmann and had congratulated him on the fact that not only had his original plans been realised, but even exceeded. He referred in detail to the wonderful development of Palestine and particularly to the amazing growth of the Jewish city of Tel Aviv. Where, formerly, had existed only a few sand dunes, there had grown up in the space of a few years a city of 32,009 inhabitants with modern buildings that would compare more than favorably with those of older cities. .The progress of the past six years would be doubled and even trebled in the next lew years. The Balfour Declaration, which was now part of the policy of the British Empire, had been endorsed by all the world powers. The future of Zionism was absolutely assured.—P.A.

TERRORS OP JORDAN VALLEY. WHAT THE ENZEDS ENDURED. “THIS MONTH FLIES DIE, NEXT MONTH, MEN”. AUCKLAND, Jan. 27. Loud applause and cheers greeted Lord Allenby as he rose to reply at the civic reception: “I never felt how wide and united is the British Empire till to-day”, began Lord Allenby. “My Wife and I have travelled over 12,000 miles, and, to-day, we find ourselves received as citizens of the Empire and I find myself amongst, old friends. 1 want to thank you in every way for the welcome you have extended - to myself and also to niy wife. You cannot know how much 1 value the privilege of meeting, again, New Zealanders who helped in the War and I value the services they rendered With the greatest given. It is probable that the New Zealanders in Palestine endured some of the most trying conditions of all who took part in the Great War! The heat and dust cannot be understood, except by those who were there- The heat was teirible. This month, the flies died; the next, the men died. I believe that the pride of the race and the selfcontrol of the New Zealanders in the Jordan Valley were almost without parallel.” (Applause). Lord Allenby referred to the worn derful work of our troops on the three occasions that they were sent into the Jordan Valley and also to the first occasion when he made their acquaintance. On that occasion, bo was inspecting the troops and, from what he could gather from the remarks of Colonel McCarroll, the troops were inspecting him. was quite in ignorance, he sjiid, that, instead of being the inspector, I was being inspected) but I think the reports were not unfavorable.” (Laught * : • ’ |V * ■ . v *•~ r .. £ jieferrmg again to the Jordatn ley 'the visitor- said troops were withdrawn on two occa , sions, it was by his orders,, but; he felt confident that the men would have held the ground had.such been the .men and : they.; in him. ' On . dim third' occasion, iti the autumn oi lJlo ;■ when* the New Zealanders were sent

over the top of the mountains, once more -it was a brilliant performance and he ; did not think the men ever recived full recognition by the public at large. No better action wa*s recorded during the war than that or the New Zealanders on the mountains; of •Gilead;. ’ V i-; : A Since the great \var had ; ended, there had beeil many smaller .wars in Europe, but, he believed the; action of our troops in Palestine and - in Syria had done much to make war on a large sc ale'.in the East impossible. v ' i. ■ , WHEN THE EMPIRE IS AT WAR “SHE PLOUGHS A STRAIGHT FURROW” “I did not come out here to preach militarism’!, continued tho speaker, “and none of those who had any experience of the last war will want to have it repeated. We came out of the fight in the only way we could have come out of it: as victors. When the Empire takes up a job, she goes through with it. We plough a straight furrow and go straight on. “Though we paid great sacrifices the result was worth it, not only for our own future, but fot that of the whole world. If wie had lost, the future would have been too dreadful to contemplate. I hope we never have another war. But should we be unable to avoid it, I never want a better army undei me than the New Zealanders I had in Palestine and Syria. It was a great triumph for us, for nothing has so consolidated our Empire. Though the sacrifice was dear, justice, liberty, truth and honor make the Empire and we are bound together by the mutual sympathies of Dominion to Dominion and all Dominions to the Mother Country. (Applause). “When you get your huge countries occupied, you will be a greater power and more wealthy than England is nqwj, but you will stand bound together by the bonds of Empire, that feeling that we are of one family. (Applause). Naught can touch us, or, as the saying is—- “ Naught can make’ us rue If England to her self doth prove true,”

SOLIDITY OF THE EMPIM “LET US GO FORWARD”

“I am not going to say I am an optimist, but I am convinced of the absolute solidity of the Empire to which we belong,” proceeded Lord Allenby. “When the Napoleonic wars ended a hundred years ago, _ we had bread, agrarian and other rises and all aftermaths of great wars. If we had them then, we can expect to have them now. We cannot look for deliverance from all our troubles in a few- minutes, or a few years. But the spirit of Empire must go far to attain that end. (Applause). We must hitch our wagon to a star and go forward. Marvellous have been made in New Zealand. You are opening up a wilderness and 1 cannot conceive any check you can make to this beautiful land. I am very certain that with the present understanding between England and her Dominions we shall he bound together by a bond of common sj'mpathy”, concluded Lord Allenby. “It gives me great pleasure to he here, thousands of miles from Home, standing among friends and, shall 1 say? relations.” Lord Allenby resumed his seat amidst thunderous applause. When it had subsided, three rousing cheers were given for Lord and Ltuly Allenby and the gathering concluded with the singing of “‘For They are .flolly Good Fellows” and tho National Anthem. Lord and Lady Allenby left for Wellington by the train to-night.— P.A.