SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 79, 3 April 1926, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

The various branches of, the South!. African. Veterans' Association through-, out the Dominion have been 1 active of late. At the annual mooting of the Wanganui branch Mr. K. G. Malcolm (who served with the Eighth Contingent, and on his return to New Zealand wrote and published a history of the doings of that regiment in South: Africa) was ro-elected president for the fourth time. Mr. 1\ G. Seddon was re-, elected secretary for the sixth time. The association has'a vory satisfactory credit Ijalanco nn( j -m increasing membership, and has appointed Mr. C. G. Carter to work up the Bulls and Marton districts^. The.Gisborne branch entertained His Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) and the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) last month. Both His Excellency and the Prime Minister had a rousing reception, and took the opportunity of moving among the members of the association. His Excellency was in especially good form, and during the evening made a splendid speech. Westport commemorated the Relief of Ladysmith on 27th February. Mr. J. W. Pope was cloctod president and Mr. J. J. Powick secretary. A very enoyablc evening ensued. Timaru regretfully records the death, of Colonel Gabitcs, who for many years was the patron of this branch, and took a particularly keen interest in the work. Christehureh is moving forward in a vory active manner. Mr. W. W. Scarff is the new president, and Mr., H. W. Perrywan the secretary. The branch is arranging for the annual reunion ana commemoration service in tho Cathedral on the 20th and 30th May. It held a vnry successful picnic, which was weil attended despite the threatening weather. At tho lust mooting special tribute was paid to Mr. John • Stinnear, who has been the sick visitor for the past fifteen years. The balance sheet is particularly healthy, and the now club will soon bo an naaompiisliod- fact. Tli's, it is claimed, will 1 bo second to none in the Dominion. ■ • • ■ i Wellington, now under the" new president (Mr. L. de Launny) and secretary' (Mr. J. J. Goldsmith) is meeting regularly every-month, and is mapping Jut a big programme for the year, which includes an art .union and social evenings, Mr. Woodward, of the A. and T. Association, Oanuiru, is taking stops to form a branch in that district. The Dominion executive, although a silent body outwardly, is working hard in tho interests of Us South African Veterans of Nov.- Zealand under the guidance of tho Dominion prealdont, Captain J. ,T. Clark, and has interviewed the Minister of Pensions, who will shortly arrange a round-table discussion on the vexed pension quest'ou. The association's activities in connection witli the concentration of contingent-; crs' graves in South Africa are beginning to assume shape. At a recent meeting both Cataiu l'\ Itoekstrow nnd tlio Under-Sccretary of Internal Affairs (Mr, J. Hislop) were present. Tho for-' mor was able to supply a good deal of: information about the isolated graves. A conference with the standing committee of tlio hendqur.rt.ers of the Returned Soldiers' Association will take place nt an car]-.' Oalr. . A lotf.cr wns recently received from Mr. A. B. Jones, .of Durban, who is secretary for the Natal Veterans' Association. That body commemorated tho 2Gth anniversary, of tho Relief of Ladysmith on Ist March. When Mr. Jones visited New Zealand and Australia last year lie was particularly struck by the South African veterans' organisation of this Dominion, and while in Melbourne ho was given a Boer Bible, which wk3 looted by an Australian soldier in mOO. It bolonged to thoLouw family of Kictfoutein. There arc 175 Rictfontcins in tho Transvaal, so lie. had no small job in (hiding the owners, which ho eventually did at their farm at Bethel. They wore naturally surprised and delighted to, get the Biblo back. ' . ,