CABLEGRAMS FROM MR CHURCHILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 3 December 1940, Page 5

CABLEGRAMS FROM MR CHURCHILL

READ AT AUCKLAND MEETING REPLIES TO BIRTHDAY GREETINGS [United Press Association] AUCKLAND, 2nd December. A tribute to Mr Winston Churchill on the occasion of his 66th birthday was paid o" Saturday night at a public meeting in the Town Hall from which cablegrams of greeting were sent to tho British Prtme Minister in Maori and English. Special arrangement* enabled replies from Mr Churchill to be received and read before the meeting dijpersed. At 9 p.m. a telegraph messenger was conducted to the platform and delivered two cabled replies from Mr Churchill. One cablegram to citizens was in the following terms:— “Pray convey to the people of Auckland my warm thanks for their message on my birthday. The future of the whole world depends upon our victory, and if we all stand together in loyalty and courage I feel sure it will be won.” Mr Churchill’s reply to the message from the Maori people was as follows: “My warmest thanks to the people of the Maori race. I am touched and honoured by the kindness and encouragement of the message they have sent me on my birthday from their far-off island home. I also saw a few weeks ago splendid Maori soldiers marching past on English soil and eagerly awaiting a chance to strike at the invader should he dare to come. The Treaty of Waitan # 3i shows that justice and peace can be made to reign under the flag of freedom.” The reading of tl e cablegrams was received with loud applause.