Civic Reception to Men of 2nd N.Z.E.F.

Northland Age, Volume XII, Issue 43, 5 August 1943, Page 1

Civic Reception to Men of 2nd N.Z.E.F.

i The combined civic reception to the j Mangonui County members of 'the I 2nd N.Z.E.F. by the Mangonui County Coupled and the Kaitaia Town Board koi Satw day. i—-q». an undoubted -suc•cess and reflects credit on all the organise; s, particularly the ladies responsible for the catering arrangements. 1 Funding at the Post Oifice at 1.30 | p.in. the boys from overseas, number- ' ing close on fifty, marched to the Pijncess Theatre, both sides of the ~ti a being lined «ith a guard of n isting of school children,

n Tt ' r?'irned servicemen from I previous wars who formed a double i iine at the Theatre entrance. As the i boys marched past the cheering spec- | tutors with a perfect swinging stride, i they looked fit representatives of their j gallant division. Inside the theatre ■ they were seated on the stage togethI er with representatives of the Church, j local bodies, the Maori race,, the W.W. I S.A. and the K.S.A., and the body and j balcony of the building was packed ! with next of kin, relatives and friends. Following the singing of the Na- ■ tional Anthem, the Rev. A. F. Col- | lard-Scruby offered up a short prayer and Mr. J. W. .Hoskin, representing ihe Mangonui County Council, welcomed the guests on behalf of the people of the county, saying that he was very glad to have the privilege I of taking part in the ceremony and ■ that with all New Zealanders he was I proud of the imperishable name which j the second N.Z.E.F. had made for I themselves in all their actions over- | seas, and he made special reference to the deeds of the Maori battalion. Mr. J. T. B. Taaffe, on behalf of the Kaitaia Town Board, paid a similar tribute to the servicemen and said he hoped that it would not be long before the whole division could be welcomed home in like manner at the victorious conclusion of hostilities. Capt. J. W. Dawson, President of the Mangonui Returned Services Association, requested all present to stand in silence for a few momen in respect to the memory of the boys j who would not come home. He quoted | the well-known lines, “At the down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them”, and skid that it was the. duty of all to im»' nment that quotation by the ensuring that the men who returned were given a fairer deal than they had received after the last war, and every opportunity to make a decent livelihood when they returned to civilian life. Mr. Jesse Robson, a returned soldier of the last war, representing the Maoris of the county, said for years the people of his race had striven towards one goal, that of equality between Maoris and Pakehas, and he thought that the record of the Maori battalion overseas had now achieved that end. Mrs. A. W. Bird, President of the W.W.S.A., extended a welcome on behalf of her organisation and the women of the county, and said that what the women had been able to do had been done gladly. They .would continue to do all that was in their power and she hoped the boys would enjoy their furlough and have a restful and happy time. Replying on behalf of the 2nd N.Z. E.F., 2 Lieut. Beasley thanked everyone for the welcome they had received, and said how gratbful they all were for the comforts which had been made available to them while on active seri vice, and he paid a warm tribute to i the fine work of the women serving | overseas and the way they maintained i :i cheerful spirit in the face of cliffij eulties and discomforts. Capt. D. Urlich, speaking for the I sick and wounded men, said that those ! who had relatives in hospital overseas i had no cause to worry because whereever he had been he found that the best possible care and comfort was j given to everyone either in hospital ; or while travelling in hospital ships. Private Sam Larkins, replying for the boys of the Maori battalion, said lhat a lot had been said about his battalion but he considered they had only done their duty as a unit alongside tile other units of the division. At the conclusion of the official : function the school children assembled i in the theatre and were given a short I address by 2/Lieut. Beasley before being entertained at a matinee. Afternoon tea was then served to the returned men, their relatives and members of the public in the A.N.A. club room, followed by a football match between teams representing Awanui and Air Force against Kaitaia and Home Guard. After the match the teams were enteitaincd to dinner by the reception committee at Linton House. At 6.30 p.m. the 2nd N.Z.E.F. members were the guests of the Mangonui R.S.A. at a dinner held in the Mason- ; ic Social hall when about 140 returned servicemen from the present and previous wars sat down to a repast which

for variety and excellence was deserving of the highest praise. The gratitude of the R.S.A. members and the reception committee to the ladies who had worked so hard to provide both the dinner and the refreshments in the A.N.A. club room, was expressed by a number of speakers during the evening, and the ladies’ efforts were enthusiastically applauded by everyone. Capt. Dawson in welcoming the guests urged them and their comrades still overseas to become members of the R.S.A. on their return as by so doing they would build up a powerful organisation to look after their interests and, as he put it, help us to help you. His request to members of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., to tell something of. their experiences overseas met with a ready response, and the remarks of one speaker, who was in England during the “blitz”, are worthy of special mention. He said that we should take off our hats to the women of England for their conduct under heavy air bombardment and that he considered them the finest fighters in the world. The days festivities closed with a public dance in the A. and P. Hall to which the returned men and their friends adjourned after dinner, and at which supper was served by the ladies during the evening.