DISTINGUISHED SOLDIERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14986, 13 August 1919, Page 7

DISTINGUISHED SOLDIERS.

; WELCOME IN CHRISTCHURCH. , 1 A civic reception was tendered 'at Christchurch to Brigadier-General A. W. Andrew, of the Indian army, a native of Clu'istchurch, as chief guest of honor, and Lieutenants. Fricldeton, V,C, Other guests were Private- W. L. Bennett, quo of the youngest soldiers m New Zealand, who wears the 1914-15 ribbon and three foreign decorations, and Mrs, Nicholas, mother of Sergeant JL J, Nicholas, V.C., of St. Albans, who' did not live to return to his native city. i In the course of his. response, General }■ Andrew said he thanked the Mayor for • drawing the attention, of. those present to I India and Mesopotamia. *T often wish," ho said, "that the people of this Dominion would take more interest m Asiatio affairs and peoples. All that the Japanese or Hindoo or Chinaman or Mahnmmedaiii asks of us is that we should know bin*.. How many of us aro. honestly trying to do 30? We hear too much of the so-called barbarism of the peoples of Asia and too littfe of the widely-diffused happiness and contentment-, the univer- 1 sal respect for law and order, and the . all-pervading spiritual life of the people of that continent." Tn his speech Lieutenant Fricldeton said civilians were doing their best, to help the returned soldier back into civil life, and while cases would.be met with, m which soldiers thought they wey© not being fairly treated, he lhot*.ght it was as much thoir own fault as anybody else's, for if they brought their oases bofore the proper authorities they would reoelvo sympathetic) consideration.