"FROTHING FOR IT"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 249, 15 July 1920, Page 8

"FROTHING FOR IT"

+ P. AND T. ENGINEERS WANT A PLACE IN DEFENCE SCHEME A SUCCESSFUL REUNION The annual reunion of old members of Nos. 7 and 8 Companies, Post and Telpgraph Engineers, took place last night m tho Masonic Hall. The Gathering passed very successfully. The chair was occupied by Major l'\ E. Beamish, and there, was a particularly large attendance, including many members who had wen service overseas Responding to the toast of the New Zealand Military Forces, wteich was propped by Mr. A. Gibbs (acting-chief telegraph engineer), Major-General Sir Edward Chaylor emphasised that national defence affected everybody in the country. Dealing with the necessity of preparedness, the Major-General pointed to New Zealand's deficiency in this respect at the outbreak of tho (treat war. Had the Gallinoli force landed with tins same amount of equipment that,was offering at t!*o end of the war for a body of troops of similar size it would liavo been "a walk-over." Many of our troops had to lose their lives on account of the tack of 'bombs and shells and the like. He had seen men on Gallipoli actually catching Turkish" bombs anil throwing them back into the enemy trenches Not for * Soldiers Alone. He went mi to urge that a duty devolved on the nation to-day to see that tfcb results of the sacrifices made l>v our troops were not nltiraafolv negatived. Passing on. ho said that in anv future war every person in the Dominion would have to take part. War was not n thing for soldiers alone. In order to wage it successfully every citizen 6hould play his part. One of the greatest assets n nation could have in preparing for war was a healthy people with fully trained mijids. That we had not attained this ideal at the outbreak of thfe last war was strikingly borne out in the statistics published concerning tho percentage of unfit in the manhood of the Dominion. Our future defence force need not be a large one—for it behoved us to studv economy—but whatever its strength wo should be fully prepared to link up with the rest of the Empire, should the "call" ever come again. (Applause,) The toast of tho "Army and Nary" was proposed by Mr. F. J. Chisholm. acting chrief postmaster. Wellington. Response was made by Colonel 0. W. Melville, Commander Wellington district, who said that had the British Navy 'been prepared 'on August 4. 1914, the war might have had a different ending. As to the Army,, it was now a matter of history that the "Old Contemptibles" practically saved what was left of Belgium. Referring to the activities nf tho P. and T. Engineers' Corps, hie said that long before the wnr this body had in operation a system of training which subsequently stood them in good 6tead, Briefly traversing the corps', record in tho war, he pointed out that it was a signaller, Corporal Bassett, who gained the first New Zealand V.C. Corporal Bassett was a telegraph linesman, and personally he would sooner be an infantryman than a signaller when it came to taking risks. A Lesson of the War. The war had. he. added, served to emphasise the necessity for maintaining efficient means of communication. Whatever form of military training was adopted in New Zealand, It would be on an expeditionary forco basis. It would, in other words, bo a divisional force, of which tho P. und T. EnginevM would form an important unit. Major V. Dunne, iu responding on behalf of the P. and T. Engineers, remarked that members of the corps had proved themselves on service to be tho finest signallers in the world. They were hoping thut when' (he military reconstruction took place that the Defence Department would avail itself of their services. The work of the P. and T. .officers throughout the day fitted them for servico in the signalling arm of New Zealand's defence force. The members of the corps were it present "frothing" for an opportunity to serve as a distinct unit. They would be very disappointed if the corps did not come into its own, to the end- that ft be given a real and settled place in the new defence scheme. (Applause) Other Toasti. Other toasts honoured were ns follow i "The British Empire," proposed by Mr. H. A. K. Huggins (acting assistant secretary to tho Department), and responded to by Colonel J. J. Esson (acting secre> tary 'to the Treasury); "The Post and Telegraph, Department," proposed by 'Lionel Esson and icsponded to hy Lieut-Colonel A. T. Markman (assistant director P. and T. Department); "The Boys of the Old Brigade," proposed by Major F. E. Beamish (0 0. Nos. 7 and (S Companies, P. and T. Engineers), and responded to by Colonel It. J. Collins, tieu't.-Colonel J. G. Eoache, Lieut.-Col. E. J. Hulbert, and Major J. Prcndeville; "Group 5," proposed by Major E White, and responded to by Captain AY. M. Bell (group officer, Group 5); "Donors of Shooting Trophies," proposed by Lieut. T. 0. Lambie and responded to by "donors present"; "Lights Out," pro* posed by Lieut. E. S. Wheeler. During the evening tho presentation of shooting trophies took place, and vocal items were contributed by the following:—Lieut. J. T. H. Kerr, Sapper L. Power, Reservist 0. Cook, Sapper D Stark, and Messrs. G. Blackie and J, Grind.