NORTH OTAGO NEWS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 4

NORTH OTAGO NEWS

SOCIAL HELD IN OAMARU MR N. H. COLQUHOUN HONOURED RETURNED SOLDIERS* SECRETARY After 13 years as secretary of the North Otago Returned Soldiers’ Association, Mr N. H. Colquhoun has resigned. He was met by members of the executive at a social hour, in which high tributes were paid hiiji for his long and valuable services to the association. Mr J. Tavendale, chairman of the executive, presided. Mr C. J. Moliison said the members of the association would miss Mr Colquhoun, and he could say that they were sincerely and deeply sorry to know that he had seen tit to give up his work for the Returned Soldiers’ Association. When Mr Colquhoun was appointed secretary 13 years ago, the association was at a low ebb, with a membership of 127, which had been raised to 460 'at present. Mr Colquhoun had organising ability and a happy aptitude of getting the most out of the executive, and the association had prospered. He had been a real friend, and had gone out of his way both financially and otherwise to help the man who was down and out, and they would never know how much he had been out of pocket himself. The returned men and the townspeople appreciated his work, both for the association and for public bodies of Oamaru, and he would be leaving his position in the knowledge that he had done his work faithfully and well, and had been an asset to the town. They all wished him the best of happiness and health in his retirement, and they knew that though out of the association, he would always have the interests of the association and of the town at heart. Mr Ewen Cameron (president) supported Mr Mollison’s remarks, and for the executive presented Mr Colquhoun with the association’s large clock .with the members’ good wishes. In acknowledging the tributes paid to him and the presentation, Mr Colquhoun said that during his 13 years as secretary there had been 105 successful pension appeals, which had resulted in about £30,000 being circulated among returned soldiers during that time. He would always look back on the happy time he had spent in the association, and he thanked the members of the executive for their loyal support. Through their efforts they had cultivated the goodwill of the returned men and the respect of the public. He intended to spend a holiday in the North Island, but would return to reside in Oamaru, and anything he could do to help the association he would gladly do.