Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

The Journey from the West.
WELCOMES ALL ALONG THE LINE
liie 1 rime Minister's long journey across
the continent ended just as it began— in a
series of enthusiastic welcomes, the like of
which liu.3 never been accorded to any
other man in Australian history. Even at
stations at which the express from Ade-
laide never does stop people had assembled
to shout a welcome as it dashed through,
while gangs of men working along the line
ceased work for the moment to cheer Mr.'
Hughes oil bis wiiy. Whenever a staition
yard was passed there the Cock a Doodle
Do of a locomotive's whistle would be in
variably beard, and it was quite a common
sight to sou the duorivays of lonely
dwellings, some a considerable distance
hack from the railway hub, filled" with
fathera, niotli ere and children waving Hags,
handkerchiefs or hands as the train rattled
on itowiu (Is Melbourne. The cry "Good
Boy, Billy," was even heard during the
carjy morning hours. The last station at
which Air. Hughes spoke on Friday nigiit
Wins at tho curiously -named station of
Taileui Bend. After . stating liis pleasure
at soeeing so many soldiers ou the plat
form, and expressing the hope that they
had shaken oil' the feminine entanglements
into which they became involved whop in
England, Mr. Hughes aroused much eii-
thusiasm among the womenfolk of mar-
riajraiblc age by urging "the diukuni Aus
tralian diggger" to marry "the diiikiiu:
Australian girl." No denunciation of "pro
fiteers or Bplshcvists could have met with
a more ready acceptance than this sug
gestion. _
Although it was only 7.30 a.m.
when tlie i train reached Ballurat
the mayor (Cr. T. T. Holloway).
und a large number of citizens hud
assembled oil tho platform in tlie hope of
seeing .Mr. Hughes, and hearing 'him spill 1;.
Tlie l'rime Minister was, however, still fast
asleep, anu, .as lie was tatigucu at tor lus
long journey, and with a heavy day in-front
ol 'mm, lie was rot disturbed. Tiio mayor
then extended his welcome to Mr. Hughes
j.v letter, concluding wnli an expression of
the hope that ho would visit Bullurat at
an early date.. The residents of Bacchus
Marsh were more fortunate. Sir. Hughes
being at brea kfast when tins' train arrived.
In response to the calls from the crowd on
the platform, Mr. Hughes left the train,
and was acrordc-d a hearty reception.
Among those at tho station were . Air.
Lister, AI.P. ; Mr. A. R. Robertson,
M.L.A;; and tlio president of the shire
(Cr. Kerf), und other eouneillois. Air.
Hughes, in returning thanks for the wel
come, expressed his pleasure at being had:
in u land which, if not exactly flowing with
milk and honey, was, at any into, plenti
fully supplied with milk. He said lie wool, I
not talk politics. There ought to he no
politics in this country, beeauic the job
Unit" was before the Australian people wait
a job of work, and thoy bad to buckle
to it with all their heart and soul ''niicl
strength". Those who preached the gospel
of salvation by some short and bloody cut,
pressing their opinions down other people's
throats whether tihey wanted it or not,
must he brttshod aside, and. the people of
Australia must achieve their salvation in
a constitutional way. He would allow no
man to sweep the law aside, and do, by
direct action, those things of which a ma
jority of the people did not approve. When
the time came for tho people. to say who
would -rule them they wuuM have placed
before tliem a programme which would be
plain and simple and direct. There would
be no difficulty in uiidcrktanding it, and
tlie electors would be able to say "Yes" or
"No." . _ '
Although there were' no more stoppages
Mr. Hughes had only to look out of his
carriage window to see. innumerable signs
of tho .remarkable popularity he just at
present enjoys;
$