COLONIALS AT HOME

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7445, 20 May 1911, Page 4

COLONIALS AT HOME

AT CROSSHOIRE FEDERAL PREMIER VISITS SCENES OF HIS YOUTH. Br Telcsrauh- Press Association—Copyright LONDON, May 18. Mr Andrew Fishor, accompanied by his wife and son, Sir George Reid, Mr D. Bowman (leader of the Queensland Labour party), and Mr Keir-Hardie, 31. p visited Scotland, and was accorded an enthusiastic home-coming. At Glasgow the Federal Premier was welcomed by the Lord Provost and councillors, the miners’ executive, and leading citizens. The party motored through the Burns country to Ayr, visited Mosgiel, 1 and inspected the Burns manusciipt. They took luncheon at the Auld Brig of Doon.

On thoir return there was a great demonstration at Crosshouse, the ■village in Ayrshire where Mr Fisher was born in 1862, and lived and worked till reaching man’s estate. Mind's fresh from the pit, villagers, arid school children welcomed the Labour Prime Minister. . Old miners, comrades of . Mr Fisher’s colliery days, and old women wrung his hand effusively, the school children singing “ A Man’s a Man for a’ That.” ;

Mr Fisher, who was much moved, returned thanks for his reception. The Federal Premier will be entertained at a public dinner to-night. . ' THE BANQUET. MB KEIB HAIMHE CONTRASTS TWO ARRIVALS. (Received May 19, 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, May 19. The Ayrshire Minors’ Union entertajnod Mr Fisher last evening at a banquet, Mr . Keir Hardie presiding. ... Mr Keir Hartjie said he was "unable to help contrasting the arrival of the Kaiser and Mr. Fisher: one representing the dominance of class while the other represented the coming; force—the rule of the common people, Mr Fisher was without the adventitious aids of the .tongue, of the ready speaker, but hy honesty and strong convictions had reached the Prime Ministership. He had done much to raise the human race (o. a higher plane. 'ME'FISHER ON DEFENCE',", Mr Fisher, - replying, saad that, whatever. the Labour leaders in Britain might say about defence, ho would ask them not to prescribe for .’the condition obtaining in Australia. If he stood by and saw Australia undefended he, would ,be. guilty of criminal neglect of one of. bis first duties. . ■,. ,' ‘ - OPPORTUNITIES. Opportunities, Mr Fisher, said, existed in Australia and New Zealand equal to, ■and probably better. than, those in some closer dominions. . • After the banquet a public meeting was held. Mr Keir Hardie declared t"ha( what Labour, bad done in Australia it. could do in Britain. It was good for "Australia to deplete Scotland of her men; but it was bad for Scotland. He would ,be no party to a policy which deluded, men to, go away when they . were needed to rescue their own country., ME MCGOWEN DOINGS IN LONDON INCLUDE UNDERGROUND TOUR. : LONDON, May 18.. ■ Mr McGowon, Labour Premier, of New- South Wales, interviewed Mr Lewis Haroourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies,! and discussed several questions of importance to New South Wales. Afterwards Mr McGowon dined with Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald and several Labour members of the House of Commons.' ~ . Mr McGowen walked a mile and a half through the low-level sewer in South London, with a diamoter of which is being tunnelled by machinery operated by compressed'.air through water-hearing strata at a depth of forty feet. He was favourably. impressed with the method of construction. SENATOR PEARCE ENTERTAINED AT ' JUNIOR UNITED SERVICE CLUB. LONDON, May 18. Major P. N. Buckley, Commonwealth Military Adviser in London, entertained Senator Pea'rce, Minister for Defence, at dinner at the Junior United Service Club.' Sir Reginald Talbot, General Nicholson, Admirals Sir, Reginald Henderson, Sir Charles Ottley, ■ and many military officers, were present. GATHERING AT ST. PAUL’S CEREMONY OF AFFIXING A BANNER. LONDON, May 18. A religious function was celebrated in the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George in St. Paul’s Cathedral, when a banner presented by Sir John Forrest was affixed. Among those present were Bishop Montgomery (formerly Bishop of Tasmania), Lady Forrest, Lord and Lady Denman, Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford (ex-Governor of West Australia), Sir Joseph Ward, Sir John Downer, Sir John and Lady Haokett (West Australia), Sir Pope Cooper' (Queensland), and Sir Elliott and Lady Lewis (Tasmania),