WELLINGTON'S WELCOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14304, 25 February 1910, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S WELCOME.

LORD KITCHENER'S VISIT.

I GREAT CIVIC RECEPTION.

.ENTHUSIASM. FOR DEFENCE.. I

THE MARSHAL IMPRESSED.

[BT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS -ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, ' Thursday. Lord Kitchener.landed at Wellington this morning with little ceremony. Under easy steam the Encounter came up the harbour, and was quietly berthed. The Field-Mar-shal was welcomed by Sir Joseph Ward, by whom he was introduced to the Mayor (Dr. Newman), the city ; councillors, members of the Ministry,' members of Parliament, and prominent citizens; 1 \ C

. A squad of the Permanent Artillery under Major Hume'.formed a guard of honour, and the approaches to the wharf were guarded by strong detachments of the Post arid Telegraph Rifles under Captain Harton,'and the Civil Service' Rifles under Captain Marshall, together with a strong body of police under Inspector Ellison. The Heretaiinga Mounted. Rifles under Captain Samuels furnished the escort: v A few veterans, wearing their war medals, were among those on the wharf when the landing took place. ,' '. .- For .days past the authorities , had been planning an "order of procession," but the Field-Marshal is obviously a man of • action, arid- the actual order of the procession, 'if such .it'could,be called, was very different from that officially laid down. After being introduced to those assembled on the wharf, Lord Kitchener, accompanied by the Prime ■Minister, made his way,to his carriage. The Heretaiinga Mounted Rifles formed the escort and almost before the hundreds of people realised it visitor had passed.,-He was driven briskly-, along Jervois Quay,:. Greystreet and'Lambton Quay,.and Bo wen-street to the Wellington Club. J : •" '• • '.-•< -Soon after his arrival the Field-Marshal paid v-a^ formal visit to His Excellency the Governor at ■ the Molesworth-street residence,': and the/visit was., returned.- by His Excellency; later. in the '. day. '■'■•' ■-.'• < . • ; ..This afternoon a. luncheon..in Lord Kitchener's honour was given ;. by? the Prime Minister.'(Sir Joseph Wa:<-d) at the ■ Ministerial residence, Tinakbi'i Road. .His Excellency. the Governor and members of the Ministry were present. i THE MAYOR'S PLEASANTRY. . The civic reception to Lord 'Kitchener was : : aV brief, /.enthusiastic ■ tribute, '-'which lasted only half ,an hour; but the citizens I started to : assemble' three" hours' beforehand, 4 ; and 'nearlyv4ooo/found places in the big Town Hall' 1 building/ Thus, by three o'clock" the : late ' comers, ;.numbering ; many- hundreds, had -to-be;.content with a street view of the 1 Field-Marshal.'.•'-' More I than half the audience consisted of ladies, and the arrangements '"? were so * well '■- planned that ■■~ no ■'unseemly /rushes• • Occurred at the doors : or in the building. Perhaps i the arrangements for " admission ;: were- too | rigorously ;. controlled, - - for ; v many :':' official j visitors, ;. and some of 'the. press representatives, who ' arrived nearly i; an ' hour before •■' the ; time 'of "welcome, ■ found ; unyielding guardians on the door. The veterans made a brave show on the platform,, and were an ; appropriate*' and • splendid ■'background for the' ceremony. ; There were 200 of them, and" they had &11 seen active service. " Even a lady in" the scarlet' uniform of .a ; Queen. Alexandra nurse, who was brought out of.'; the audience by " Mr. Thomas Irwin, R.A. (president o? the Veterans' Association), was given a -prominent seat on v the platform, to the immense .satisfaction of the audience. Some' of the old soldiers had come distances of :~. 200 miles to see ?• the great military ,' chief. Punctually ..to the minute lof half-past the guest of honour appeared •on the * platform, accompanied by the Governor, the Prime Minister, Lady Ward, * Miss Eileen Ward) * and the Mayor (Dr. Newman) and the Mayoress. •

; " The 'Mayor expressed his (pleasure v at - seeing Lord ~ Kitchener,..; present :■ as .;'■. the guest of J the City of j- Wellington.;. "May I have the honour of introducing to you . some': of ■ the/citizens-,"., continued -His • Worship..' "Ladies and gentlemen —Lord Kitchener.- X: (Laughter.) r Now you "are" properly arid formally introduced." (Laughter.) This «-' little -pleasantry provoked hearty laughter, and the audience' caught a passing glimpse of that reputedly, rare quality—"the (^Kitchener '% smile.'? • v Dr. Newman- said the introduction, no ; doubt,' '•■ was: 'unnecessary, ;* because ■■■; I he .whole.. of ; New -Zealand had known Lord Kitchener . for years' and years, and there was not, he thought, anyone who was more welcome. (Applause.) He only regretted -that" the hall held only 3500 people of ■ the 80,000? of.;' Wellington's ■■.■citizens,,. who would like to be ,r there : to.welcome him as one of their own friends. (Applause.) They were present . not out of: curiosity, ': but to welcome -a great man,' of whose deeds in ■ Egypt; and " South:' Africa' they had read. : New // Zealand i desired - Lord - Kitchener to give of (j his (best. in '■■, regard to advice(• on :organisation';so" that the . Dominion would be in a position to help herself.. New Zealand •■ was ; prepared to adopt a self-reliant policy, and we were• prepared to ; defend• our own territory. -(Applause.) . ', ' - ' THE GOVERNOR'S WELCOME. The Governor, who was cordially received, said: "It lias often been;my good fortune, :, from: Auckland to » the - Bluff, . to '".-, join with ■ the 'people of New Zealand in: mutual ;congratulation; upon our proud position as fellow subjects of an honoured and wise King, and as fellow members of the greatest Empire the world has ever known. (Applause.) .-But I doubt, ladies and gentlemen, that if i any *;' occasion (has : ever arisen Muring ■' my term of office when the direct, concrete evidence of (the value of that ".'Empire.'- to , this remote portion has (been so definitely presented. ; For : to-day this ; young - country is entering :■ upon a . serious 7 step * in the direction (of making itself strong in bur main defence;''"'and- making the : Empire strong by being able to ' help other portions : of it if menaced. Just at this, moment,: when the intricacies, the difficulties, and the pitfalls of a more ; rigid": military system fall upon you, the Empire presents to you Lord; Kitchener. (: (Loud (applause.) /(So, Lord Kitchener, this country, and this vast audience are not( only endeavouring- to pay (you ,due honour'as the hero of Omdurman, not only, due 'honour as the man who. saved . such pain, "suffering, and misery by so rapidly terminating 'the South' African • war, not only as the man who has made the great Indian armv greater than it ever was bofore, but also as one of the* greatest, military organisers of the whole world, who ■ has so kindly and 'promptly answered the (call of New Zealand, and come here to give lis your .invaluable help and advice." (Loud 'cheers.)' {'•{| ■£ PRIME (MINISTER'S. SPEECH. • Sir Joseph Ward said: "To-day will be remembered ,'as a i history-making ~ day, not .only. in the city of Wellington.hut throughout' the Dominion, of New Zealand, for the reason that we have in our midst a distinguished ; soldier,; who ■; has no i one . to thank ■but himself for the pre-eminent position lie occupies not only, in the' British - army but ■ in the eyes of the world.", (Loud applause.) The Prime Minister then made some- very interesting 'remarks' on the chief points of •Lord Kitcheners-career, He was recognised now '.as the first in his profession in 'the' world. Had-it. not been for Lord Kitchener's great virtues, for his courage and (patience _ some of the victories accomplished under his direction would probably never have been achieved.':: History showed that no man had taken fewer chances. - Lord Kitchener had 'a mind naturally gifted 'in : the art of war, and New Zealand welcomedhim as the greatest scientific soldier of the [age; (Applause.) To him war was not a game, but a science. Ho had crowned, his victories : as a . great soldier by showing that- -ho was a man who could admire a .worthy and a beaten foe. " This is evidenced "i ho concluded, " by the fact.that,he sought" to obtain for the Boers 'on their.: submission the best: terms England could honourably grant. ■ ■•'•-, No ''.doubt ho will add: freeh; laurels to his crown and '■ viy'A •

that ;■ r great ■ general ' whoso,-; ■ \ countrymen proudly declare him to be first in war,•• first in '•: peace, and fir/st in : the hearts of Ins fellow / countrymen." '■■ (Loud applause.) :

, ,'A ; CHARACTERISTIC , REPLY. ;' : .; The Mayor then called upon Lord Kitchener to reply, whereupon the distinguished soldier rose amidst deafening applause and made a characteristically brief speech. ." It is a very great satisfaction to me," ho said, "to bo able to visit this beautifully-situated capitiV. of New Zealand, and. I am very grateful to you, Mr. Mayor, for the cordial welcome ■ you ' have given me on behalf of the citizens- as well .aft to His Excellency the Governor and the Prime Minister, for the very .kind. and too flattering terms of the speeches they have just, made. r Wherever I have been in the Dominion I- have boen impressed by the enthusiasm displayed on the' question '"of maintaining an efficient defence force, and it seems to,me only appropriate that a. city named after the most illustrious field-marshal our country;has ever produced—(applause)—should take the lead in a.'s! that pertains to military proficiency. I sincerely trust that the measures about to be undertaken by ; the Government .with, this object in view will fulfil the national requirements, and ijEAble New Zeala'nders.to feel not only secure {it home, but also prepared to take a Share in tho responsibilities .of ; our great Empire. (Applause.) No one who has visited this country., can . doubt the i. deep-seated, and warm-hearted loyalty of its inhabitants, which has been so practically demonstrated by tho excellent contingents sent, to South Africa, and by the recent gift of a Dreadnought to the navy. (Renewed applause.) These. are substantial proofs of. the readiness of New Zealanders to do all in their power to support Imperial interests and the Motherland. ; I sincerely thank you, Mr. Mayor, as well as this: great,assembly, for the. kind reception you have given mo on this occasion."; (Applause.) :; • -' ■ ' The closing SCENES. ■ , ■ At the invitation of the Mayor,'"the vast ai:#ienco rose as one body, and gave three ringing cheers for Lord Kitchener. The proceedings* concluded with the singing of the National Anthem by Mr. E. J. Hill, the audience joining iii'tho" last verso in a very hearty manner. . Just as .Lord Kitchener was 'leaving the platform, Dr. Newman "introduced him to the veterans, who 1 occupied a.position at the back of the stage. lie exchanged a. few words with Colonel Newall, glanced at th men, and- then loft the hall, while once again ;.the audience cheered. : ' -