MR HUGHES'S RETURN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17730, 15 September 1919, Page 3

MR HUGHES'S RETURN

TRIUMPHAL PROGRESS TO MELBOURNE. ' (From Oub Own Correspondent.) SYDKEY, September 4. The circumstance of the return to Melbourne of Mr Hughes after an absence of 16 months at the Peace Conference and elsoprovide another example of tho fickbnces of public opinion. Ho wont away soon aiter his second referendum on conscription had been taken, and with such popularity cs ho retained rapidly oil tho down grade- Somo of the things lie did abroad were not approved of hero, particularly his somewhat querulous attitude on soma of tho Peace Conference questions, and for a time public and press were shrieking at him. It was generally believed that Australia had seen the end of Hughes, ,-ind epeculativo eyrs were turned to that rcnllv brilliant modern politician, Mr W. A. Watt. Mr Watt, however, broke down in health, ' and has had to give up all hope of a political oarcor. Australia, suffering the post-war reaction, began to ask for a strong moderate leader and could find none in Australia. And then, quite suddenly, it eecmed, Mr Hughes came back into favour. Everyone admitted his faults, but no one could see anyone to put in his pltieo. Then tho voice of the returned soldi r rs was heard—a remarkably insistent and unanimous voice—and it. cried, "Hufrhes for U3." The crowd followed the soldiers, and to-day Mr Hucrhe? st.inds higher in popular favour tlirn ever before. Tho Prime Minister's progress across Australia from Fremantle to Melbourne during the past week has been of an unprecedented ' kind. lie was welcomed tumultuonsly everywhere, and whrrcvor the "diggers" could get their hands upon him they carried him shoulder high. They dragged his motor car through Melbourne streets through den.y? mosses of cheering people. Nowhere was there a discordant not". _ It is obvious tint the whole country is, locking to "Billy" to heln it out. of tile thousand troubles with whicli it ir; fa"ed. and which demand a mm of canacity. Mr Hughes is fared nt once with the Greatest opoo-tunity and the most difficult task of his life.