NEW ZEALAND'S LEADERS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 6 August 1919, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND'S LEADERS

CIVIC WELCOME AT AUCKLAND

MR MASSEY WILL DEAL WITH DISLOYALTY.

SIR JOSEPH WARD AND POST-

WAR PROBLEMS

(BY TELEGHAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 5. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were tendered a civic reception to-day. I When Mr Massey arcse there was loud applause, mingled with hooting from a hostile section. Th e Deputy-Mayor thereupon appealed for order, at which the booing burst out afresh. Mr Entrican then announced that he would ask the police to remove further interruptors. (Applause and uproar.) Mr Massey was then able to make himself heard. He thanked the citizens of Auckland for their hearty welcome. Sir Joseph Ward and himself had just returned from representing New Zealand at the most momentous gathering the world had ever seen. "We have given our best in your interests," he declared, "and not unsuccessfully." The Prime Minister spoke of the pleasure that he and his colleague felt in being back to share the anxieties of thejDeople and to do their level best to g-et conditions back io normal. "Our anxieties have been lessened by the coming or peace," he continued, "but our responsibilities have not been lessened, and our first duty i s to make this peace worthy of what it has cost, worthy of British citizenship, worthy of the sacrifices made by our soldiers, and worthy of the brave men who died for us." ■

In conclusion, Mr Massey said he haa been working to put down the enemies of Britain, and he would not stop now. IHe believed there were ■•some enemies of the King and Empire in New Zealand, and, afliid a good deal of noise, he indicated that he would give his attention to the disloyalists. Sir Joseph Ward was also given « very cordial reception. He emphasised the importance of the Peac« Conference, and said that, although there were many varied opinions as to the value of the decisions of the conference, a vast amount of valuable work had been done, especially considering the different countries represented. In New Zealand, as in all other countries in the world, great after-war problems had arisen. AYe were now in a different era. The conditions prevailing five years ago had gone for ever as a result of the war, and the time had arrived when all right-thinking people in the community should assist the authorities in finding solutions for these post-war problems and in forming measures for the development of the country's resources, so that the welfare of the whole community would ,be assured The people of New Zealand would surely have the common sense to recognise the fact that the problems needing attention were too urgent to permit of , petty bickerings. New Zealand should go from one prosperous condition to another—a home for free men and free women for generations to come. I