RETURNED MENS TRIBUTE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 12

RETURNED MENS TRIBUTE

♦ SIR ANDREW RUSSELL’S PORTRAIT PRESENTATION TO NATIONAL ART GALLERY (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELIORAIt.) WELLINGTON.- July 27. The presentation to the National Art Gallery of a portrait of Mai°r-General Sir Andrew Russell, K.C.8., K.C.M.G. General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces in the Great War, was made for the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association to-day. More than 100 delegates to the annual conference of the association, which is meeting in Wellington, attended the presentation in the tea-room of the Art Gallery. They represented the returned men of New Zealand who subscribed, mostly in small amounts, to the cost of the portrait, which, was the work, of a returned man, Mr A. F. Nicoll, of ChnsiCh The h 'president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association (the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C.), handed over the portrait and it was received foi the Board of Trustees by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr T. C. A. Hislop). de-puty-chairman of the bpard, in the absence of the Prime Minister (the Kt. Hon. M., J. Savage), who is chairman ° f “We are assembled for the presentation of a portrait of one of New Zealand’s greatest national figures, said Mr Perry. “What the name of Haig means to Great Britain the name of Russell means to New Zealand and Australia.” A , , Like Earl Haig, Sir Andrew’s concern after the war was for the men who served under him. Mr Perry continued. He was the Dominion President of the Returned Soldiers’ Association from 1921 to 1924 and again from 1927 to 1935. “We know how his wise guidance and counsel placed the association on a sound foundation. Even now, at 70, we find him pointing out with unerring judgment and instinct what steps the people of New Zealand must take in defence.” Receiving the gift, Mr Hislop said that the portrait section of the Art Gallery was designed to contain portraits of those who had served New Zealand well. “Whatever portraits are hung there, now or in the future, there will be none depicting a man who has more worthily served his country.”