“NOT ASLEEP”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 238, 16 July 1940, Page 6

“NOT ASLEEP”

THE SOLDIER FAREWELLS. STATEMENT BY TOWN CLERK. PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE. “There seems to have been a lot of discussion on the subject, but it must not be thought that wo are asleep in Ashburton. Apparently it is the form of the farewell that lias been given that does not meet with the approval of some people. That’s all there is to it. This statement was made at the meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council last evening by the Town Clerk (Mr R C. Major) when he referred to the question of farewells for Ashburton Borough soldiers. The Council briefly discussed the position and decided to refer it to the Mayor (Dr. G. I. Miller), who has been dealing with it. The Council received a letter from ‘the Ashburton Returned Soldiers’ Association inviting representatives of the Council to attend a public meeting at the Soldiers’ Club next Thursday evening to discuss the formation of a committee to have charge of farewells to Ashburton soldiers, a committee to go into the question of the reception of men returning from overseas, and a committee to act as an advisory body whose free services would be available for all soldiers before they go overseas. Information Lacking. “As you all know, two echelons have left our shores, and farewells have been given in each case to all men residing in the Ashburton Borough,” said Mr Major in a report. “Future echelons will be given a social evening, at which Ashburton Entertainments have agreed to supply the form of entertainment, and Ashburton, Allenton, and Hampstead lied Cross branches have agreed to assist with the supper arrangements.” Mr Major added that he had not been able to obtain any information regarding the 19 men who were, stated to have left Ashburton recently and would not be returning on leave.

A letter was received from the Ashburton Red Cross branch stating that its members and those of the Allenton and Hampstead branches had offered to supply supper for the men at farewell functions.

The Town Clerk said he had been told that men would be returning on leave shortly and had telephoned to the Defence authorities in Christchurch asking for the names of all Ashburton men. He had been referred to the Burnham Camp officials, who had replied that to get a list of the Ashburton men they would have to go through 3000 files of papers, a task that was impossible.

“More to Consider.”

Mr Major said he had seen references in the papers to the fact that 14 men in one .group, and five in another had gone away without having been given farewells, and that these men would not be having leave. He had asked if, in the event of other similar groups going away, the'Council could be notified of the fact, so that farewells could be arranged. The Defence authorities’ reply to this was that they had to consider more than civic farewells for these men. There was their safety to be considered for one thing, and it could not he stated when the men were going away. Mr J. Shaw said it had been suggested at the recent meeting of the R.S.A. that the men should be farewelled when they were going into camp first, and he thought this was a very good suggestion. The men would then be given their farewell and their gifts, and they would be free to spend their leave where they liked. Some of the Difficulties. The Deputy-Mayor (Dr. J. Connor) said this was a reasonable view, but the trouble was the men were going away in dribs and drabs, some men for North Island camps on one day, others on another day, and the Burnham men at some other time. Some had gone away at 24 hours’ notice, and it had been most difficult to learn when this took place, as the information was not available from the authorities. It was quite impossible to hold the functions as the men left the town, and the difficulties were not realised by many people. Mr J. Thompson said the position this time was very different from that of the last war, when the men went away together in large groups, and to one camp.

The Red Cross societies were thanked for their offer in regard to suppers for the soldiers. The Town Clerk stated that the arrangements at present were that the Council hire a hall for the farewells, that soldiers and relatives be invited to attend, that Ashburton Entertainments provide a short musical programme, that the Mayor present the gifts to the men, and the Red Cross presents parcels of comforts and supply the supper.

Mr H. W. Sherratt asked what arrangements had been made in regard to men going away to the Air Force. The Town Clerk said that presentations had been made to two Ashburton men from the Achilles, but none had been made to Air Force men, and he did not know how the leave ai 1 - rangements for these men were made. Mr H. W. H. Smallbone said the airmen went away secretly and no one knew when they were on leave. THE RED CROSS PROPOSAL. The executive of the Ashburton subCentro of the Red Cross Society met yesterday afternoon in the women’s rest rooms. The president (Mrs F. Curtis) presided. A letter was received from Ashburton Entertainments regarding the

queen carnival. Members were invited to attend a meeting at the 'Soldiers’ Club to-morrow.

It was reported that parcels containing socks, balaclavas and mittens were being made up for presentation to each Ashburton soldier at a farewell. Similar parcels were also to be sent to each Ashburton County soldier overseas before Christmas. It was decided that members of the Rbd Cross should offer to co-operate with the civic authorities in supplying supper for the soldiers at a farewell, and that three tickets be given each soldier to admit himself and .two other relatives or friends.