IST N.Z.M.R.

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 5

IST N.Z.M.R.

ANNUAL REUNION

The. thirty-iifth anniversary n£ the departure of the first New Zealand Mounted Rifles Contingent on the Waiwera for the South African War occurs tomorrow, and for the convenience of members living outside Wellington the thirty-fourth annual reunion was held last night at the Dominion Farmers' Institute. Owing to the unavoidable absence of Major-General Sir Alfred Kobin. the president of the association, Colonel J. G. Hughes, C.M.G., D.5.0., presided. Representatives from Canterbury, Marlboroligh, Taranaki, Auckland, and Manawatu were present, and amongst greetings received were messages from the Earl of Atblone,' patron of the association, and Sir Bcecroft Towse, V.C.

Reference was made to the severe illness of Sir Alfred Robin, whose, absence was keelily regretted, and hopes were expressed for his rapid recovery.

A first appearance at an' association reunion was made by Mr. K. Hodgen, Motukarara, Canterbury, and there were others present who had been able to attend only a couple of these functions, The roll of honour of the association contains 73 names,'and surviving members total 86 in the North Island, 37 in the South Island, and a few scattered over England and South Africa. The original number was 217. A pleasant informal evening was spent in reminiscence, old contingent songs, and entertainment, to which sons of members contributed largely. Considerable interest in the coming visit of the Duke of Gloucester to New Zealand is felt amongst members, as his Highness is Major of tlio 10th Hussars, a regiment which was one of the first comradely contacts of the New Zealanders after landing in South Africa, and also stood out as having done valuable work at Paardeburg.