WELCOME TO MAIN BODY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17101, 5 March 1919, Page 6

WELCOME TO MAIN BODY.

Citizens will very generally agree with the Mayor that a , reception should be given to the men of the Main Body who are returning by the Hororata. It has always been felt that returned ' soldiers should be welcomed in a manner expressive i of the public appreciation of their services, but the wishes of the men themselves have steadily operated to reduce these 'demonstrations almost to the vanishing point. The strongest desire of. the soldier on returning home is to see his relatives and intimate friends; relatives and friends are very naturally anxious to see the returning soldiers. To both welcomes and speeches ' have in the past been something of an irritation. So much has this affected reception arrangements that men in recent drafts have commented on what appeared to them to be lack of interest in their home-coming. They had been feted at Panama ports, but 'when they reached- Auckland there was no sign of public enthusiasm. The return of the Main Body men is an occasion worthy of a new departure. A. programme may be arranged which will give the public the opportunity, they seek of doing honour to the soldiers, and which at the same time will hot unduly postpone; the ; meeting of mother and son, of wife and husband.. So far little use has l been made of the harbour on such occasions. To-morrow it .intended to drop a message on board the Port Melbourne by aeroplane. This idea of : a harbour reception might be extended in the case of the Hororata-. Since > the vessel is to call first -at Wellington there will be no quarantine period at Auckland. The day of arrival will be- the day of landing, and /j if opportunities are given the public would . gladly s gr;eet the re-, turned, meh: On "the water from steamers and* launches./ ~ Probably no form'' of demonstration' ! Would* be more acceptable .to Ancklanders re- 1 turning home 'than 4 a'cheerful wel-' come on the Waitemata. ' l