IMPRESSIONS OF THE WAR.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5480, 27 April 1917, Page 2

IMPRESSIONS OF THE WAR.

MR C. J. PARR’S OBSERVATIONS.

THE SOMME BATTLE FRONT.

The Theatre Royal was almost packed last evening when Mr C. J. Parr, M.P., C.M.G., who visited England last year as a New Zealand representative to the Imperial Parliamentary Congress, delivered an address on his impres. sions and observations during his absence from the Dominion, and especially referring to his visit to the Somme battlefront.

His Worship the Mayor, Mr T. Stanley, presided and briefly introduced Mr Parr as “an old Waihou hoy” who had made his way in the world, (Applause.) Mr Parr, in his op9niug remarks, stated his first visit to Te Aroha was in 1878, when Te Aroha was in its extreme infancy. The present occasion was, however, his first public appearance. Ho complimented the townspeople and their civic representatives oil their success in making Te Aroha a beautiful and progressive town.

The speaker detailed the personnel of the overseas delegates to the Imperial Congress, and paid tribute to many for their evident statesmanship and sincere loyalty to the Empire. It was these men who had exercised such a wonderful influence in guiding and moulding the destinies of the vast machine composing our homogenous British Empire. Mr Parr paid special tribute to Mr Bonar Law —the most fluent speaker and most sincere statesman he had ever heard. Mr Bonar Law was second only to his chief in the British Cabinet, Mr Lloyd George—a wonderful and most amazing man—full of energy, fire, vim, and personal magnetism. The British Premier did not impress Mr Parr with his qualities as a public speaker, but there was a sense of power behind that little man’s speeches that made his auditors listen with rapt attention. He referred interestingly to other leaders of British thought and action. Mr H. H. Asquith, the ex-Prime Minister, Mr A. J. Balfour, the former leader of Ihe Opposition, and Sir Wm. Robertson, the Chief of Staff of the British Army. Mr Parr thrilled his audience by his tribute,to France, who had undoubtedly borne the brunt of the German attack for the first two years of the war, and France alone had saved Britain from invasion. That was certainly true, and had been told him by no less an authority than Sir Wm. Robertsou, a plain spoken, intelligent tactician of wonderful calibre.

Passing on from his personal im- • pressions of Britain’s statesmen and soldiers, the lecturer referred briefly to the strength of the British Navy, the work in the munition., factories, the preparation of Britain’s one-time “ contemptuous little army,” and to the characteristics of the parliamentary party’s “ guide, philosopher and friend,” Mr Philmarli. Then he took his audience on an imaginary tour of the Western Front, describing first the trip aoross the Channel on a transport between positive lines of patrol vessels ; the staffing and working of a military hospital ; tho rural beauties of Normandy, where extensive cultivation is carried on in wonderful manner; a camp of German prisoners, 6000 of them, wheie the Bosches looked extremely well cared for and in distinct contrast to the 26 exchanged prisoners he saw who had been released by arrangement with the German High Command ; the party’s reception in Paris; the cordial feeliug manifest towards Britishers; the marvellous elan of the French airmen, who had outrivalled the wonderful German “ Fokkors ” ; the 4000 airships at present being used by the British ; a personal trip by tho devastation along the actual battle front iu tLe Marne district, where the great Germau battle plan was frustrated and definitely blocked; the remarkable French guns, the “ 75’s ” —the finest field-pieces in the world today; the Germans' antiaircraft guns endeavouring to bring down a French “ Nienport ”; the latter’s fight with two German “ Fokkers.”

MiBB Herbert contributed a vocal selection with considerable success, and

Mr Parr next dealt with his visit to the part of the Front occupied by the New Zealanders. The first man he met was a young fellow from his own office in Auckland, now a sergeant in the Expeditionary Forces l . The speaker had his audience on the qui vive as he detailed his meeting with Major-General Russell, officer commanding the New Zealanders—ft New Zealander who understood his men thoroughly, and one who excited a great admiration from his visitors; the ordiuary life of the soldier; bathing facilities, the laundry, clothing repair depots, the visit to the Maori contingent, the meeting of Sir James Carroll with Colonel Buck (formerly a New Zealand M.P.), who was then in charge of the Maori Contingent; a Maori war dance, Maoris’ welcome to their great rangatira, a korero Maori; later a meeting with MajorGeneral Braithwaite and Captain Seddon, a fellow Parliamentarian; trench experiences, including the ar. rival, first-aid treatment and quick transport of a wounded soldier to the base hospitals; the usual menu of a soldier’s daily meals, and the speaker’s meeting with some Te Aroha district men in the trenches.

Concluding, Mr Parr said when the boys come home, New Zealand people will not be able to do too much for them. Some may not be able to settle down steadily at once, but he asked people to be kind to every man so situated and to remember his heroic deeds iu defence of his kindred. (Loud applause). The deputy Mayor, Cr. MackieJ briefly thanked Mr Parr for his very interesting and able address, and\ moved a hearty vote of thanks.. Carried by acclamation. Cheers weregiven for the boys at the front, and*' for Mr Parr. The singing of the National Anthem terminated the proceedings.