MR W. E. LEADLEY HONOURED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22375, 12 April 1938, Page 12

MR W. E. LEADLEY HONOURED

SERVICES APPRECIATED BY RETURNED SOLDIERS. MADE ACTIVE LIFE MEMBER OF ASSOCIATION The highest honour which the Returned Soldiers' Association can bestow—active life membership—was conferred on the president of the Christchurch Association (Mr .W. E. Leadley),. who has taken up an appointment in Wellington, at the annual Anzac reunion of the association last evening, in of his valuable services. The vice-president (Mr A. E. Haynes), conferring the honour, said that Mr Leadley had been connected with the association for about 20 years, and during that time he had filled nearly every position it was possible to fill Not only had there been an increase in the. membership last year, but the association had prospered. They had set-out to obtain a membership of 3000, and Mr Leadley had worked hard to reach the goal. It had been attained and even passed. In reply, Mr Leadley said that during the 21 years' existence of the association only three persons had been accorded active life membership, and he therefore appreciated the honour very much. The association had a history of which any organisation might be proud. Returned soldiers were realising the value of the association to-day, and the membership at March 31 was 3015, an increase of 551 on that of the previous year. So far this year 500 members had paid their subscriptions. "The welfare of the organisation has always been closest to my heart, and always will be," said Mr Leadley. "The success of the association in the past has beeii due to two things. The first was that the association had a good executive and secretary (Mr E. F. Willcox), and the second one was service to comrades and their dependants, and service to our country.