UNKNOWN

Southern Cross, Volume 9, Issue 30, 26 October 1901, Page 11

UNKNOWN

ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME

distinguished officer arrived at K Bf ff in the steamer Westralia o Tuesday morning, came on to gill by the first* train, spent daj in receiving calls and si-.'ht-leld a reception |in the Zeai i a banquet in thfe same place, ohe hospital schools on lay forenoon, an|J at two p.m. per special train fori Lake WakaKu, ac -ompanied by Mr A. McKelHr, Chr Jf ot the Highland Society of id, who had] invited Sir Macdonald to visit Invercar- ■ l during bis tours' through the

Irom the moment /it was known ; » r Hector 'had accepted in'- cation, the /Highland and idorian Societies spared no paing nsure their guest| a fitting receprr K. Camerbn, the energetic etai / of the first-name:! society, not, it is true, send out the fiery s, but he adopted the modern valent by advertising the coming it as widely as possible, with the It that-*-'Highlanjders poured in i ev3ry f part of Southland to do honour ‘ Fighting; Mac.’ A number of tl ra, together with the officebearers ’ the Societies, and the Pipe Band, ■ urneyed to the Bluff on Monday right, intending to go out in the tug and meet the Westralia, but almost immediateiyjafter she left the •wharf ti e big steamer was seen coming up the harboiir, and the tug’s passengu-s were landed again, and e in readiness to board the Wes ia when she was free from tha,» ntions of tjae. heaith officer, ftwas rarely five a.m., but even then ISkTai’ge number of quickly ■a'thered, and the pipers made their fcesence felt with ‘ Up in the morning larly ’ and other enlivening selections. Capt. Waller invited a number of the visitors to a cup of coffee on 1 Westralia, and the genial hospitality was promptly The gathering was preby Sir J. G. Ward, who, and Miss Ward, and Mr J. M.H.R., had arrived from i on Monday night, and sir Hector Macdonald, who [ in civilian dress, entered and was warmly welcomed airman on behalf of the the colony.‘s -T-irerGe-nepal-eco mp anyyfbr-thei reo rdi a L nd humorously, expres.sed rafcion- of.. thei v. -tea v I y~- at - I tr-shou 1 d—be—raen tion ed soon after his arrival the is presented by Mrs A. fallacetown, with a bunch Sir J. G. Ward being also ut of a like gift from the Mr Gray, with several Panders, was a schoolmate nguished visitor. A • gi!l was reached shortly a.m., and Sir Hector on s introduced by Sir J. G. Bis Worship the Mayor, Longuet, members of the junoil, and other gentleving been welcomed to by the mayor, the tered the vestibule of the passed through an avenue and ex-volunteers —or to meet, he did not pass until 1 a chat with each man, ;o the history of the medals ie majority of them, and 3w jokes with some of the ies. As he stepped out of 7 to enter the carriage in j was greeted by the exrong outside with cheer Sicy J. G. Ward was General was i the Southland Club, and il hours was busily engaged msation with callers, who ly delighted with the frank d soldier whosestirringcareer followed with so much int his countrymen tfie world sir Hector was afterwards ound the town, his appearjg the signal for a round of

i cheers by the crowd who thronged the street in front of the hotel. On i his return he was pleasantly surprised to find the veterans drawn np in the entrance, and as he passed along he thanked them most heartily for turning out, saying that he esteemed their action very highly indeed.

the evening a reception was held in the front part of the Zealandia Hall, which was reached by the Heneral shortly after eight o’clock. A large number of people, many of them from the country, were present, and were introduced/to Sir Hector by Mr A McKellarX y At nine o’ clock the company sat

~ J J down to the sumptuous repast provided by Messrs D. Kingsland and Sons. Over 300 persons were seated at the tables, Higb-la?e4-Sdcieiy, Mr A. McKeliar, presiding. hfTiT“-was t as tef.u 1 ly The toast-list was a long one, and that of the health of the guest of the evening was the signal for an exhibition of enthusiasm rarely witnessed. It was given by the chairman, who closed by presenting Sir Hector with an address written in Gaelic and English, and signed as under :—A. McKeliar, Chief H.S. of Southland ; J. McGregor, Chieftain H.S. of Southland ; Kenneth Cameron, Secretary of H.S. of Southland ; Malcolm Robertson, President Caledonian Society of Southland ; D. A. Mitchell, Trensurer Caledonian Society of Southland ; John McGregor, Secretary Cadedppiau Society of toast, was supported in speeches by Sir J. G. Ward, the Rev. J. A. Luxford the Rev Smith and Mr R. Gilraour,. and ' was happily acknowledged by the General, who said that one purpose of his tour was to return thanks for the many kindnesses shown to the soldiers, and particularly the Highlanders, serving in South Africa. PTo you, sir,’ # he added, turning to the am indebted for meeting such a large number of my own countrymen in this hall. I met a great number to-day, and all I can say is that my heart went out to you, you received me so kindly. I knew it in your voices, I saw it in your eyes, and I felt it in of your hands. Addresses '* also delivered by the vice-chairman (Mr M. Robertson), Mr W. G. Mehaffey, the Very Rev. Dean Burke, and Messrs A. Carmichael, John McLean, J. W. Mitchell, I. W. Raymond, J. A. Mitchell, Thos. McGibbon, W. Ronald, 0. S. Longuet, J. H. Reed (Carapbelitown), Major Hawkins, J. E. Watson. The Garrison and Pipe Bands played a number of selections, and songs were sung by Messrs Porteoua, Grenfell, A. McArthur (Gaelic), T. C. Irving, and Mrs Blue and Miss A. Smith. The proceedings closed with the singing of ‘ Auld Lang Sjme.i/r f- ?

On Wednesday the General visited

the town schools, and displayed great interest in the cadet corps. He greatly admired the khaki suits of the Middle school lads, reLnaapk-i-n®'-was the smartest boys’ uniform he bad seen,'but he smilingly questioned the suitability of navy blue for the Hieh school cadets, remarking that it was not an army but a navy colour. The Old Men’s Home and the Hospital were also visited, and at the latter institution the first patient

whom the General met happened to be a Mr McKenzie, and .the two had a Jong chat in Gaelic. ‘ At two p.m. Sir Hector Macdonald, whose visit was remarkable for the display of personal interest and enthusiasm it excited, left per special train for the Lakes.