"WELCOME HOME."

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 52

" WELCOME HOME."

RETURNED PRESS DELEGATE HONOURED. In th.? most e\.teTi-i\e and most highly developed language in the world there are no two words more expressive, more touching, or more comprehensive in range cf feeling, than the. limpid words '" welcome home." This fact amply shows that pimple speech suffices to express sincere sentiment To afford an opportunity for the expression of this sentiment of ''welcome home" to the returned editor and managing directo the returned ot the Da'lv Times and managing dhc-eior of the Otago Daily Times and Witness Ccmpaiiv, Mr Gcoi^e. j Fenwick, from attendance a f the Impsrial Prcs- Conferci.ee, a large munl>pr of th.3 Daily Tur.Cs and Witness employees a c senibhd on .Saturday evening -t the Wai at ah Tea Rooms, under tho pro--pidency of Mr Charle- Fra«er. editor of tho Otago Witness. Apologies were made for the absence of the Hon. J. R. Sinclair, M.L.C.. Dr T. M. Hceken. and Mr Robert Hay (directors of the company), Mr J. j Hutchison (a^^ciate editor), and Mr C. N. Manning. Th.3 evening- opened with brief »peechfs e\pre=sive of rhe plea.-ure felt at a safe return, and gratification at the position occupied by Mr Fenwick at the conference, from ihe chairman, and Mr J. A. M-jrthcws. on bohalf of t.he assembled coinjunv. and Mr U. L. Dennision on lie- | _ half of the directorate Songs then having , been sung, Mr Fpnw;ek rose to favour the j gathering wir.h .<ome of his. impression*. He prefaced Ins- remarks by s-ayiny that nothing during the tour ]u->f completed had , siv.-n him greater pleasure tl.an had tho ; hearty " welcome home" accoided him that ni t^lit. Nor..? *>f rhe dolc-gutas, lie continued, wh?n they loft th« oxersea |K>rtions of ihp Empire }.s<! a:.y idea of the importance thai the conference was pom? to assume. In if-, original conoept:on j it was rrainly de*ijjr.'»d to bo a gioat gathering of journalists of the Empire. But, as events moved forward, the controlling committee at Home, found that th° id,. a wa.s- icoeiving- such substantial support from the public men of the coun-trj, as well as from the Imo-erbl Government, that it beca-inc clear tßat the conference would niako his- ; iorv by rfta^on of it« dimension*, it- calibre, ■ and its design, especially in relation io Imperial tooics Wnli the- work of r'»" con-f.-reno it-elf,- <=.iil Mr Fenwok, Iv d:-l not l.rrpos" to doal. but rath-r with th" lighter <'\o o' the tour. -^marking, however. that although the c ocial -4" ha<l be.-Mi v:r\- full «*nd compile. the ' bi--in~~s- r( ih 1 conference hnd Pot Itvii r»ffl^"lp'l a- e\tra time had I) "n devoted to it. Thr> speaker th-m entered r-ion a fitio ('c-crmtive account of some <-f the eights of England. Fir* I (am. 1 a iieatnent of the initial fum.rion — the openu g dinner at .Sh-»|iheid's Bu-h— r-^nde'-ed famous hv Loid Ro-*fb<-M-v '< hapny speech of w -"lfoinp. in winch he ca'-ri.d lii- R')\\<n% ili-etiiic to tho rr>T^t el¥fCU\o f'lii.u.v c lit.uned in rho-p f.<.,ld»>i ! .-frrl* " Wei'"'' !.! ■» TToni j " Xc\r w.i- d"-scril--1 tho r«\. •- (.A pru-i o f B-i' iin's iri- % ineibV .li'iai'j ••t Sjntiuad. This, uiil do-.b'-'dh. -u'd the -i?.,k»v. va, t'"-^ s,>rc-tjc-I» .J rh' t'i 'i \ l hi h had ino-t 'in J urci-^d h:*n. After thiir i -^\i-w of th^ j Eti'ii'ie'* ii'i«!ii -'(i -> r>ri wh:'h lnadf tli? ! ,!--'leirnte- i •'■< picu.l that ih.\\ \\-*ri- sub-j'-'ts of an E'ripire v,l')" \j> -t in, I" r>°- , r.i7:.-^cl rhe lu-otxhon < f .itch a fl"c— they | j had v,if !.">!-. 'd j n.n.iif en^agrcin «nt on i j Whale I-iand. Tin-. •-. a* nic-t ualui c. j 1 'liiA >ii\ ,iler« f.i'ii-" from the upu^i | ' ewer of th" fuc of n -upiA)it:ng ciinsfr. ueie .T>et on the b&a<-h by the iritllant dcfend.'r*. and engajrerl in sn:i<;u.!iai \ con ilicr. (Juti> roared, sheli-5 shrieked, i iH« 3 1 la?e 1 ; d ad and dying fell in p\oiy diroc- ! tiun, «he at.ibulanc;? corj>s loieiontiy r» | ip.o\ed the d^ad and carefully tended the d>ing It >vas all most impre%M\e — and ic\ .'iitosretiic-r spoiled, but rhe primness . merely itlhar relieved, by the delegates

observing one of the '" d^ad " v-.-'n furtively puffing at his pipe ' Tho ' jjrovincial four was the uext topic — sweepi ing through rural England in 20 automo- ! bile=. visiting famous towns, famous ..nj dustries, r^nd hisioiic spots, such as SlratJ ford. Oxford, Coventry. After this, in the i presence of the King- and Oue?n at Wind- ' sor Castle, there was the presentation of coloui'S to tlie T-erritorials by th-s Kirg: ther 1 tho maarnificGiit «pocfacl? of tin " a' - iny mar.oe - !vre« — -a =ham fight ard march past — at Aldei«hot. Here was j such cavalry, such artillery, and j such inf iitry as pride. It was j impossible, of course, to deal in any degree j adequately with ths numerous social f urn • j tions tetfdorsd the delegates, nut in concluding his very intcrest'ng hour's talk , tl-.-» speak ?i- gave a brief glimpse of the magnificence of th.^o gatheungs by de scribing w'th effective vord pictures the Sfardep p<irt> at Mjilborough Hou r ». -.iliere the o.'e.'s^a rlclogatcs wera presented io the I King and Queen, the reception given by I tho Dtiko d.-id Huchesc o f Sutherland ar ' Stafford Hou«o. in London — supposed to bs th-e finest house in the great metropolis, — .°.nd ihe garden party civen by the Duke and Duchess of Wellington at Ap^hn House On the conclusion of the address, tho pleasure experienced by the membeis of the company was pi\en evpression to, on the call of Mr B. Provo. in thres hearty cheat's-, rounded oft with a musical tribute, iroms wore gi^etl during the evening by Messrs \V. C. Calverley and R. N Reed (.solos), and Mr Thon-as J. Pemberton (re citation), and were much enjoyed Supper having; been partaken of, a most onjojable evening- was terminated with i he s'niring of a verse of the National Anthem.