POLITICAL LEADERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 8

POLITICAL LEADERS

WELCOME AT' : WELL'INSTQ|i; 4 MR. MASSEY'S WARDING.' ■ GERMAN TRADE MENACE.* " [BY TELEGRAPH.—-PRESS ASiOCIATIojf.] WELLINGTON, Friday/' £ The Prime Minister, the Right; Hon W. F. Massey, and Sir Joseph Ward' were accorded a hearty civic reception at the Town Hall to-day. There -was a ; large attendance of citizens. j; The Mayor, Mr. J. P. Luke, said that ' all would agree that the work of the leaders would appeal to the peop'.g throughout the Dominion as honourable effective, and creditable to New Zealand, Sir James Allen, who was received ■with loud cheers, said the leaders had represented New Zealand well. Xhs* came back as harbingers of peace. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald ala? spoke. Mr. Massey was received with loud a*, plause. He expressed high appreciation of the manner in which his colleagues had carried on the work during hi absence. Only that morning he had seen the papers proving that New Zealand's administrators were determined to do their duty towards returned soldiers. As to the peace conference, he did not think there would he much difficulty with regard to the remaining details.' f> ai . anxieties were lessened, but our responsibilities were not lessened. The Germans "'■ ■ had intended to smash tthe Empire. It was easy to he wise after the event, bat j if it had to be done over again the war j should be carried into German territory. I Germany was getting daily into a strorigej j position militarily and industrially. tj we did not mind, Germany would get in, first and flood the markets of ti» world with German goods. We must. bo prepared to meet that very serious cospetition. Sir Joseph Ward was cordially p&. ceived. He stressed the necessity for and the work done by the New" Zealand National Government during the past four years, buit reminded the people of what he had repeatedly said, namely that the troubles after the war would be as great as those during the war. The formation of the League of Nations, in his opinion, was the most important worfc done at the Peace Conference.