Auckland’s Friendly Welcome To Mrs. Roosevelt

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 208, 2 September 1943, Page 4

Auckland’s Friendly Welcome To Mrs. Roosevelt

(Per Press tsociation.) AUCKLAND, Hept. 1. A friendlier welcome could hardly have been given to Mrs. Roosevelt tha* the one she reccivod from 3000 Aucklanders, mostly women, who attended | the civic reception in the Town Kail at midday and from thousands more who gathered outside to see her arrive and depart. A platoon of soldiers helped the police and trallic officer* to control the crowds which lined the street after the last available seat in the hall had been occupied and no more people were admitted. The invited guests, who entered later and were accommodated behind the stage, included members and officials of local and public bodies, Government officials, foreign consuls and representatives of many civic, patriotic and social organisations. Applause and waving of handkerchiefs greeted Mr*. Roosevelt as she entered the hall with the Mayor (Mr. J. A. C. Allum) at the head of the official party. The latter included the Minister of Defence (Hou. F. Jones) representing the Govern* rnent. Mrs. Roosevelt received loud and long applause when she rose to reply. .Speaking of New Zealand's hospitality to American servicemen she said those who were sent down from the islands were happy and glad to be here. It was after they left the hospitals that their gratitude had a personal touchior she had been told that people had been taking them into their homes and keeping them for as much as two weeks which was a long time to take in. strangers, but the boys did not feel strangers at all. Hhe added: “They are very far from home and some of | them have never bven far from home before. You think of America no doubt as a land ol’ big cities, but it is also a great agricultural country. Home of the boys have never been out of their homes for a single night until they joined the Army or Navy. They are apt to be homesick and they are very young. ’ ’ Expressing her own confidence that the tide was now flowing to victory Mrs. Roosevelt said formerly she had thought that when Mr. Churchill made a “ V ? 7 with his fingers he w as merely doing it to bolster other people’s courage. Now she was sure he did it front inuer conviction. Mrs. Roosevelt v.as loudly applauded at the close of her address and smiling faces greeted her at every turn. As the official party left the hall crowds lining the street lor nearly 200 yards watched he* drive away.