WELCOME TO THE MOOLTAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 301, 21 December 1945, Page 4

WELCOME TO THE MOOLTAN

yiiE average New Zealander coming home from war is averse to anything demonstrative by way of welcome. It is the glory of the home-coming that matters, and that can be appreciated, particularly if the men have long been “kicking their heels,” as men on the Mooltan have, in some far land waiting for ships New Zealand bound to appear on the horizon. But once the flush of welcome is over, and the men have had a chance to enjoy a well-earned leave, the task of getting back into productive employment quickly will be tackled, and it will be undertaken in that usual calm, undemonstrative New Zealand way. Those who have remained in the country throughout the war, however, no matter how loud their welcome to the men may have been yesterday, must be tolerant in the days to come, because it is not easy to come back after two, three or four years of war and pick in where the job was left off. That the men will try goes without saying, but it must be remembered that their experiences and the passing of time have added to their lives. Some who are returning will bring wives with them from far lands. On the people-as a whole will devolve a sense of responsibility to aid in what is a harder task than appears on the surface—making civilians out of soldiers!