HOME AGAIN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7563, 6 May 1919, Page 5

HOME AGAIN.

REMUERA^S DRAFT HEARTILY WELCOMED.

GENERAL RICHARDSON ENTHUSI-

ASTICALLY RECEIVED,

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, May 5

The transport Remuera arrived early this morning, with 300 officers, nine nurses, 434 non-commissioned officers and men, 104 -wives and 58 children. Thirty-four R.A.F. men, who left New Zealand shortly before the armistice was signed and received their commissfons in England, also returned, together with seven naval ratings, and besides these there are 14 Imperial officers who are included in the ship's roll with 250 civilian- passengers. The ship received an enthusiastic welcome, a seaplane dropping messages of welcome and confetti aboard as she steamed up the harbour. The Remuera left Plymouth, on March 17, and her voyage was without incident. Coming across the Atlantic the boat ran into a very heavy storm, and had a lifeboat swept away while she was lying~to for 36 hours. After that the weather was all that could be d&sired, and at three ports of call the troops were given a reception. F6r three days the townspeople of Newport News entertained them lavishly. During their day at Jamaica the ranks were welcomed and refreshed at. Hope Gardens while the officers were received at the Liguiana military and Naval Officers' Club. At Colon they only stayed a night before coming through the Panama Canal, and a brief halt was made at Pitcairn Island to hand out papers, literature and writing materials, also a gramaphone presented by the V.M.C.A.

The inhabitants of Auckland accorded a cordial welcome home to General G. S. Richardson, who was aboard the Remuera. He was met on landing by Major-General Robin, the Mayor of Auckland, Colonel Potter (officer commanding the District) and the chairman of the Harbour Board. The returned soldiers paraded at the wharf.and were drawn up in platoons. On behalf of the returned soldiers the president of the Auckland Association presented General Richardson, with an address of welcome, after which a procession was formed, and amid dense crowds, General Richardson proceeded to the Town Hall, where he was accorded a civic reception.

In his reply to the returned soldiers. General Richardson said he felt really that praise was due only tc those who had sacrificed their lives in the war. Second to these men came those who had been p*rmanen*ly disabled; He was sure he and every other officer would do his utmost on their behalf. He hoped that when Sir Andrew Russell and others returned they would be given an equally cordial welcome. As a soldier he had nothing to do with politics and he deplorpd the fact that discharged soldiers i&< Britain had split themselves up into a number of political organisations. He disapproved of political activities of this kind- Continuing, he said the rest of the New Zealand force would be out of England in September. Inquiry had shown that 50 per cent of those in Bnglan'd had not been guaranteed employment on their return to the Dominion. He hoped that the men would be assisted to settle in civil life when they returned.