RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 263, 2 August 1929, Page 14

RETURNED SOLDIERS

WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES Of the many activities of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association during the past month the following are the most important: — In connection with the grants made from the Poppy Day Fund letters of acknowledgment and thanks have been received from the Wellington City Council, to which body was voted the sum of £3OO for general purposes, the council to subsidise the amount by 30s. in the £l, and employ returned soldiers on the work; also £lOO to the sam: body for enlargements and improvement of the Returned Soldiers’ Cemetery, Karori; and for £lOO each to Petone Borough Council. Lower Hutt Borough Council, and Seatoun School Committee; Upper Hutl Borough Council and Eastbourne Borough Council, each £25, all carrying the same subsidy. Regarding the amount voted to the Wellington City Council the town clerk intimated that the £3OO and subsidy would be expended in improvements‘to Nairnville Park, that returned soldiers would be employed, and that work had been commenced immediately after receipt of the money. In return for valuable assistance given to the Returned Soldiers’ Association, and for the practical interest manifested by him in the general activities of that organisation, the executive unanimously elected Major Tatum a life honorary member of the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Visit of French Warship. Official notification having been received of the visit to Wellington of the French warship Tourville it was decided to co-operate in the ‘ reception arrangements, and to entertain officers and men. to the number of 100, at a special returned soldiers’ function. In this connection a sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Egley. Siience. Marshall, Gorton, McDonald, and Shand was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for the entertainment of the visitors. It was decided to have as full representation as possible at the annual gathering of the Paraparaumu branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, which is to be held at Paraparaumu on Wednesday. August 7, congratulatory remarks being made at the activity and general progress made by the members of that body. Colonel Hall said it was only another indication of the renewed interest now being manifested in returned soldiers’ associations generally, due to the excellent work being done by such associations on behalf of returned men. It was decided to take part in the service (to lie conducted under the auspices of Toe II) of thanksgiving and remembrance of Captain W. H. Dillon Bell, who had been a valued member of that organisation. In the course of a general discussion it was stated that there was every proliability of a considerable accession of strength to the association. There had been many inquiries from returned soldiers who expressed their appreciation of the valuable work being done on behalf of returned men generally, and particularly those unable, from various causes, of presenting their cases before the Appeal Board and other similar tribunals, in this connection special mention was made of the splendid services rendered by the secretary of the association (Major J. T. Watson).