SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 11 August 1932, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

VETERANS' ASSOCIATION'S CONFERENCE. Delogatcs from all over the Dominion are attending the annual conference of the South African War Veterans' Association, which was opened yesterday in Christchurch, in tho Veterans' Hall. It is '' the first time that the conference has j been held in Christchurch. At tho opening yesterday morning delegates were welcomed to Christchurch by Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, who expressed the hope that they would see something of the City during their visit. Dr. Telford apologised for the absence of Sir Heaton Khodes, who was to have opened the conference, but who was unable to do so on account of a prior engagement. Major P. E. de B. Brandon, who presided, briefly replied to the welcome. Lieutenant-Colonel D. C. Bates offered a prayer for the succpss of the conference, and delegates stood in silence for one minute in memory of fallen comrades. During the afternoon session Sir Heaton Khodes visited the conference, and briefly addressed delegates. "It is like a breath of tho veldt to meet again old comrades of the Bouth Africau campaign," said Sir Heaton Rhodes. Time was passing, but he remembered very clearly tho time of the departure of the third contingent, when tho first Patriotic Association soon had the sum of £16,000 in hand, with which to equip the contingent. Sir Heaton Rhodes expressed his hope that the conference would be successful, and his regret that he would be unable to attend the evening function. Sir Heaton Ehodes was cheered and accorded musical honours as he left the conference. The following delegates were present yesterday:—Messrs A. G. Bertram (Auckland), Ben Ellis (Dunedin), J. A. Simson (Hastings), E. Hogg, A. H. Maclean (Levin), T. McWhirter (Taranaki), A. W. Woodward (Oamaru), T. Richardson (Stratford), F. Chittock, H. C. Thompson (Timaru), M.. W. Watt (Tauranga), F. G. Seddon (Wanganui), J'. I. Goldsmith, J. H. E. Tilling, Captain C. F. Bishop, Major P. E. do B. Brandon (Wellington), Mr J. W. Curtis (Westport), Lieutenant-Colonel D. 0. Bates (Gisbornc), Dr. T. Fletcher Telford (Christchurch), Messrs A. 11. Joseph and Q. N. Cresswell (Christchurch). The annual report and balance-sheet, (which was published in The Press yesterday) was adopted. ' Delegates gave brief reports of tho progress and financial condition of each branch. Consideration of Remits. Nino remits dealing with South African pensions, and the old age pension, were reaffirmed without discussion. It was decided to pass on to local associations Dr. Telford's suggestion that applications for pensions should be backed up with expert medical evidence as to South African War disabilities. Remits from Auckland and Masterton, advocating that the Government be again asked to reinstate the grant of £250 for relief purposes, were reaffirmed. It was decided, after the discussion on a Christchurch remit, that futuro conferences be held on tho second Wednesday in August. Tho next conference ■will be held in Wellington. Tho conference adjourned at 4.30 p.irij Delegates were the guests of the Christchurch Executive, at lunch yesterday, and in the evening attended the annual reunion of the South Island Association. The conference will continue this morning, but in the afternoon visiting delegates will be driven to places of interest in and around Christchurch.

SUCCESSFUL REUNION. ALL CONTINGENTS REPRESENTED. The smoking .concert given under t..e auspices of the Christchurch Veterans' Association, in connexion with the Dominion conference of the South African War Veterans' - Association, held last night, was highly successful and was attended by about one j hundred and -fifty men. Dr. T. Fletcher ' Telford, president of the Canterbury association, was in the chair and had on his right the Dominion president, Major P. do B. Brandon- Many of the delegates to the conference were present and fifteen veterans from Timaru also attended. The toast of "The King," proposed by the chairman, was loyally honoured. v The Rev. A. H. Norris, in proposing "Absent Comrades," said that after thirty /yearß they thought of their absent o'omrades without regret, and with a good deal of affectionate remembrance. The' toast was honoured in silence, "Last Post" being sounded by Mr Fred Fox. The Dominion Officers. • Mr N. Collins proposed "The Dominion President and Delegates," and siiid that they were delighted to have the conference in Christchurch. The Dominion president had done a lot of valuable work, not only on the Wellington association but also as a member of the Dominion executive and as Dominion president. They also had with them the first Dominion president, Mr J. A. Simpson, and the second Dominion secretary, Mr J. H. E. Tilling. It would be hard to get a man to fill the position so successfully as Mr Tilling. The proposer referred also to the various delegates present. Major Brandon, in responding, said that in Wellington they were not accustomed to have nice things said about them; they worked quietLy in helping their comrades. The function looked to him. like a gathering of returned soldiers —three.-quarters of those present looked far too young to have taken part in a war thirty years ago. (Laughter.) When the North Island delegates landed they had a cold reception —snow almost to the water-line—*but the warmth of the reception given by the South Island delegates had made up for everything. (Applause.) The nest conference had been ,arranged to be held in Wellington, but if Christchurch sent a delegate like Mr A. H. Joseph and he proposed that the following one should be held in Christchurch, he would back him up. (Applause.) The position of Dominion president was a very important one and he was proud to have been elected to it. • . . „ | Mr J'.. A. Simpson said that originally this year's conference had been arI ranged for Hastings, but those who had I promised support had changed I minds —he believed that some of them had been afraid of earthquakes! Of the ten or twelve who were present when the Dominion association was formed three were present. As for the cold reception they had received, he had thought when he stepped on deck that they were back in Wellington. (Laughter.) As for Christchurch, it I had the most beautiful river, was the

most perfect city, and had the most I beautiful girls. (Applause.) Mr Tilling also responded and ex-1 pressed appreciation of the warm : southern welcome accorded the • delegates. The 801 l Call. The roll was then called and disclosed that there were present: First Contingent, 5; Second, 4; Third, 10; Fourth, 3; Fifth, 10; Sixth, 15; Seventh, 12; Eighth, 19; Ninth, 13; Tenth, 12; Australian forces, 2; Imperial forces, 14; other Dominions' forces, 10; Coronation Contingent, 5. A Novel Toast. Mr Ben Ellis proposed "The Horse" and said that, the men had a hard time, but the horses had a hard time and kept quiet about it. He thought that there ought to be a monument erected to the horses in South Africa. (Applause.) The horse was disappearing, war was becoming mechanised, but as long as a South African veteran lived he would remember the horse! He remembered , a chestnut mare that went for fifteen months without a spell. He asked them to toast "the horse, our best friend in South Africa." Major Brandon said that he had never been present when such a toast had been, proposed, and he had been pleased to hear it proposed. The Dominion executive had a photograph of the only New Zealand horse that returned; originally it belonged to Lieutenant Collins and then to Colonel Porter. He would have a reproduction of the photograph taken and presented to Mr Ellis. Other Toasts. "The Nursing Sisters" was proposed by Mr A. H. Joseph and fittingly responded to by Dr. Telford; was proposed by Dr. P. Clehnell Fenwick; and "The Chairiaan. and ' the

Christchurch Association" was proposed by Major Brandon. Items were given during the evening by Messrs James Salt, George Campbell, T. Hall, Fred Fox, A. Spiccr, C. Lawrence, F. Moran, and G. Titchener. The accompaniments for the vocalists were played by Sergeant-Major 1-luggins.