SOLDIERS’ WELCOME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16871, 28 October 1925, Page 2

SOLDIERS’ WELCOME.

PRIME MINISTER AT TE KUITI. “A-MAN THROUGH AND .?* THROUGH.” Tho “digger” Prime Minister has a comrade, up in the King Country, and r although he has risen to the high command, and his pal holds a not very exalted position in the railway service, the affection which grew out of their long association in the war zone is as . fresh and splendidly sincere to-day as it was when each had opportunities of • realising the real stuff in the other. As ' Major Contes* tho Prime Minister had, a batman who served . him through ; thick and thin, and in his own words, "was us faithful and loyal, n phi as one could wish.” It is sffflicieftt to know that his Christian name is f. Laurie, for he is a in odes 1 young man. The Prime Minister spent,n joyous two hours with the relffrhod. soldiers of the King Country,at To Kuiti on Saturday night, when the men entertained him at a, complimentary social after his political address. Soldiers . came in from all parts of the district, Laurie among them, and when the •• gathering Was called to order by the chairman, Mr. H. T. (Morton, president of the To Kuiti Returned Soldiers’ Asi soeiation, there were almost 200 men i' ■presenti The utmost good-fellowship and camaraderie prevailed, as was to be expected from men who had en- ■ dumb hardships and faced death toll gethor. 7 There is nothing stereotyped about, these To* Kuiti gatherings, and oh Sat- , unlay the formal toasts, except those of "The King” and "Our Guests,” wore dispensed with, and others such ns "Army Nuisances” (bugs, adjutants, mud, and ‘brass hats’) and ‘‘Paris Leave,” gave scope for many ■ a witty story. Nothing dreary or objectionable was possible, any likely offender being drowned out by the well-known chorus: ‘ ‘Old Soldiers Iff Never Die, They Simply Fade Away. ’ ’ '= A HERO TO HIS BATMAN.

; All ranks paid tribute to the Prime I Minister’s qualities as a leader, but it was Laurie ’s meed of praise that appealed to all. “I want 'to say that although ho is Prime Minister, and I hope he will remain that fofr manly years, I wish him the best, of Itifefc, for lie is a ‘man through and through.’ ” This was instantly endorsed by the gathering, and Laurie went on to tell the fellows that if any 'man in the room liad a genuine complaint, f he ' cbuld go right to the top of the tree, and he w'ould get the same treatment £as tho biggest squatter in tho land. . Ho recalled many Incidents in his as- \ sociation with his major, but one of

1 them was eloquent. They were march-ing-up to Passelicmdhcle, about three ..miles ahead, he said, and he was packing rations on his back. At tho end of the first mile tho pack seemed like . a ton, and be exclaimed, the rations,” as he threw them down. His chief undertook to carry them, "and he did for the other two miles,” added the former batman, with a fond grin at the guest. Lieutenant-Colonel C. Dick, who sat on the Prime Minister’s right, remarked that an officer was never a hero to his batman, and he believed that Mr. Coates would never receive a better tribute than that just paid to him. “I didn’t know I was half the bloke you say I am,” was the Prime Minister’s opening to his reply, and ho went on to say how much he appreciated his welcome, although lie had. hot deserved half of it. “Laurie and I have been particular personal friends from the day we met. I 'think the term should be comrades, and long may it bo so.” He retailed many stories of cnfnpaig'ning days, and invariably appealed to Laurie, for ebnlirma'tibh. Support was always forthcomings always briefly, such as "Right, sir,” or "Too trtie, ’’ and in a manner that- dlm'iieriged contradiction. Mr, Coates spoke of tho ( quality of the men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, and said that' it was entirely due to them that somuch had been accomplished, for it Was impossible to get anywhere without tho good will and co-opcration of the men. It was to those men that we owed dur presefit freedom, Md 'the. spirit that siftPmftticd those men would . finable New Zealand to maintain the 'highest ideals. Tile Prime Minister made a brief reference to the late Genera! MMvi'lU who, he said, seemed to miiieWfahd’ men and got the best out of them. "I think we have lost a man who would have made good -iti New Zealand to a remarkable' degree,” he concluded.

ARMY DAYS RECALLED. A farmers’ buggy, with a pair of '•'horses, one of them a white, had boon commandeered, and two of the returned men assuming the parts of dragomen, implored the Prime Minister to patronise their “garri.” “White horse very good, sir, mferiak lienak,” they cried. Mr. Coates entered into the spirit of tho thing hnd took his sent Reside the driver, and the ■ idea at once took on. As tho aonveyaneo moved along, tho tivo hundred “diggers” followed, making the night hideous with the cries of the beggars and vendors of Cairo. “Baksheesh,” “Baksheesh.” was pleaded on all “sides. Finally tho procession came to Mr. Coates’ hotol, and tke “garri” "pulled up on the footpath under tho : verandah that shelters the onti'tfnt£ to the hotel. Here tho Prime Minister was able to make his csca'pe, and he .was no doubt glad to acknowledge the • vociferous farewells, and get off‘tb bed, after one of his : mo'st sttfeiiti'oiis dhys. ;