R.S.A. CHAIRMAN

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 78, 1 April 1920, Page 7

R.S.A. CHAIRMAN

NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION

At the weekly meeting pf the committee of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, feeling reference was made to the work done by the chairman, Mr. 3, D. Harper. Mr. Harper, who will be absent from Wellington a good de r al during the^ coming year, has signified his intention of not seeking reelection for' the position of chairman, which he has held since, the inception, of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. The \tnotion passed at the meeting was as follows: —

" That this meeting desires to place on record its • highest appreciation of the services aad efforts of the chairman, Mr. J. D. Harper. It regrets that circumstances prevent him from seeking re-election as chairman, and asks him to carry away ,with him the knowledge that he possesses thel complete confidence of the executive, and congratulates him upon hie long and Buccessful term of office and, the high opinions and ideals he has \ held throughout. The committee also .dosires to convey to Mrs. Harper its best thanks and hearty appreciation for her indefatigable efforts on behalf of the association."

In saying farewell Mr. Harper waa 1 visibly affected, and stated he had watahed the association ' grow from. its. infancy; he had watched the fight Against-J public prejudice, and felt proud when he saw the position the association was in to-day. The usefulness of the organisa-/, tion had by no means come to an end} nmch remained to be done, and it was. only by holding together, and fostering, thai spirit of i comradeship which was formed "over there," arid presenting a united front, that they could hope to accomplish reforms. - He suggested that individual members must take more interest in the association, and that' a campaign should be started to foster the spirit of a desire.to help one another thfit was so manifest in the trenches. He felt certain that a goo ddeal of the lack of interest by members was the lack, of knowledge of what the association stood' for. Ha thanked the individual members of the committee, both past and present, for the support they had giyen him during his term rf office. His workhad been a labour of love, and had been'made much easier, being assisted by the good men who had sat on the committees. He regretted very.much having to'sover his connection with the" committee, but was iretiring with the happy.thought that he believed he enjoyed' the confidence of the whole of the members of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. Iwery member of the committee spoke to the motion, and paid a high tribute to the valuable services rendered to returned soldiers by Mr. Harper. He had worked assiduously for years past, and the great work accomplished by the Returned: Soldiers' Association wa-s in itself a testimonial to those men who, like the Chairman, had been the founders of the organisation. The feeling waa expressed that Mr. Harper should toe asked to reconsider his decision, as the a-SBOciatioii/could ill afford to lose so valuable, a leader. As this seemed impossible, it hoped that he would continue to give the committee the value of his experience and advice.' Mention was also made of the energetic work put into the association by Mrs. Harper, and' regret was expressed that at present she is not enjoying good health. Mr. Harper was requested to convey the association's thanks to his wife. -The motion was then put to the meeting and carried with acclamation. .