GREAT WELCOME

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24826, 24 February 1944, Page 6

GREAT WELCOME

PARADE IN CITY RETURNED SERVICEMEN ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS A very large Crowd gathered in the city yesterday and gave an enthusiastic welcome to u parade of all ranks of the second furlough draft from the Middle East and other servicemen and service women who have returned to New Zealand since July of last year. Then, the city took to it.s heart the veteran soldiers of the first furlough draft and returned members of other services; yesterday it gave an equally warm and sincere welcome to their comrades.

The parade preceded a civic welcome which was given by the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, at the apex in front of the Town Hall. The weather was perfect. At 11.15 the servicemen and service women fell in at the assembly area in Princes and Alfred Streets, where they were " cheered as they marched off down Lower Symonds Street anil Anzac Avenue. Flags and Confetti All the way along this route there wore more waving and cheering groups and -clusters of men, women and children. The welcome grew and grew until finally the parade turned from Quay Street into Queen Street, which was lined by enthusiastic crowds. Flags of all the nations hung from poles and windows, limp in the oppressive heat, but adding patches of colour to the general scene. From many of the windows and verandahs came showers of confetti and gay streamers, so that when they arrived at the Town Hall many iof the soldiers, seamen and airmen looked as if they had been to their own weddings., There were only a few hundred on parade, but what they lacked in numbers they marie up for in smartness of bearing. Heading them were two bands, tho.se of the Northern Military District Artillery Regiment and of the Papakura Mobilisation Camp. Then came men of the Navy and merchant navy. After them, given an honoured place, were six women members of (be New Zealand Army Nursing Service and Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. There followed men of the furlough party and other soldiers who had returned during the interval between the first and second drafts. At the end of the parade were men of the R.N.Z.A.F., members of air and ground crows who have served on a variety of fronts. Welcome and Luncheon In front of the apex of the Town Hall the parade was split into groups and placed in a half-circle around the platform, where were grouped the Mayor and other representative citizens who were the official guests. A special place was provided for men of the various services whose wounds prevented them from marching. Speeches of welcome were given by Mr. Allum and by Major-General P. H. Bell, C.8., D.5.0., officer commanding tho Northern Military District, who represented the Navy, Army and Air Force commands. Because of the opening of Parliament General Bell was specially asked to represent the Government and both he and Mr. Allum read messages from the Prime Minister, who expressed the Government's good wishes for the welcome and the hope that all those on parade would enjoy their period in New Zealand.

After the civic welcome, all ranks on parade were entertained by the City Council at a luncheon in the Town Hall. No further speeches were made. THE GLASS INDUSTRY OUTPUT IN AUCKLAND The manufacture of beer, wine and spirits bottles accounted for IS per cent of the total output of New Zealand Glass Manufacturers Company, Proprietary, Limited, said the manpower officer's representative, -Mr. W. A. Leggett, before the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee yesterday, when Mrs. A. V. Gargan appealed against the direction of an employee, a shop assistant, to the glass works. During the 10 months ended January last, said Mr. Leggett, the glass works manufactured 61.000 beer, wine and spirits bottles, 150,000 medicine bottles, 30,000 preserving jars, 5000 tumblers, 7000 milk bottles. 31,000 condiment bottles and .')0,000 aerated water bottles. About IS per cent of the breweries' output of beer went to the armed forces, said Mr. Leggett. In addition, condiments and aerated water were supplied in large quantities to the forces. The supply of beer played quite an important part in the general welfare of the troops in the islands. Xo female labour was engaged on manufacturing beer bottles, women being required only to pack preserving jnrs.

Mr. Leggett said that preserving jars were still in short supply. Their manufacture had now been linked with the making of rubber rings, so that there would be no question of jars on the market without the necessary sealing rings.

The appeal was dismissed, the employee to remain with Mrs. Gargan for two months to enable a replacement to be obtained.

MENTION IN DESPATCHES

Advice has been received by Mr. and Mrs. C. Smithies, of Hobsonville. that their son, Lance-Corporal E. Smithies, aged 26, has been mentioned in despatches. One of the early volunteers, Lance-Corporal Smithies left New Zealand with the Third Echelon and saw service with the engineers in Libya, Greece and Crete.