A SOLDIER MINISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 136, 10 June 1924, Page 13

A SOLDIER MINISTER.

s ■\ WELCOME AT.CONFERENCE. ';., ';_,.'. (By Telegranh—-Prsss Association.) \ ■ CHRISTCHURCH, Monday., The Hon. W. Downie Stewart was a visitor to - this evening's fitting of the Returned Soldiers' Association .-Conference: . - i In welcoming the .-Minister,-the chairman, Mr. D. S. Smith,;said the returned -soldiers had a sincere affection for him, Jfdrit was felt that he was one of themrselves. He had suffered. physical .disability because; of the "war, and on that account alone he was assured 61 a' welcome. The returned soldiers haid in Mr. Stewart a very sympathetic adjudicator. _:-'_■• In reply, the Minister said he 4b!£ he hardly deserved all that had been said. His war service had been neither long nor meritorious, but in regard to Parliament he did what he could do to under- . 'stand the problems which faced the 'country in regard to the ex-soldiers. The "conference might find Parliament a slow ; .machine, but the Government had a, good .. to consider. ' It had always found •that the Returned Soldiers' Association bad. been very reasonable and taken a national view of its problems. -. v i'Mr. Stewart left to the strain of "For ■Safe's a Jolly Good Fellow/ Which was sung. 1 :