COLONEL J. HARGEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 13

COLONEL J. HARGEST

WORK FOR SOLDIERS

GRATITUDE EXPRESSED

! Gratitude and admiration were 'expressed by members of the National Patriotic Council to Colonel J. Hargest, M.P., for his efforts to assist the soldiers and for the example he had set to others in this respect since the war began. Colonel Hargest was congratulated upon his appointment to command, the sth Infantry Brigade of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. .

Mr. T. Jordan, Masterton, said no man had assisted more earnestly to improve the conditions of the soldiers than Colonel Hargest. "I should like to record in the minutes of this council," he added, "our appreciation of the efforts, day in and day out, made by the Colonel in the interests of the work being done by this council and for the soldiers."

Speaking on behalf of the comforts, conveniences, and amenities committee of the council, its chairman, Dr. Alexander Gillies, said that Colonel Hargest had been of the greatest assistance to that committee, his military experience having proved invaluable.

Messrs. R. H. Nimmo (Wellington), C. J. Talbot (Fairlie), I. J. Goldstone (Auckland), D. W. Coleman, M.P. (Gisborne), Lt. Colonel J. A. Cowles, Mr. A. H. Allen (Mayor of Dunedin), Mr. E. T. Tirikatene, M.P. (Kaiapoi), and the Hon. F. Waite, M.L.C., also spoke eulogistically of Colonel Hargest's services. Mr. Waite declared that the troops were to be congratulated upon having Colonel Hargest. The true definition of a colonel, he continued, was one who would never ask his troops to do what he was not prepared to do himself. Colonel Hargest was one of those.

In his reply Colonel Hargest said he regarded his position as an honour rather than as a sacrifice. "Whatever rank we held in the last war we were •proud of our association with the New Zealand Forces," he continued. "I don't think there was any force so easy to get on with, and I feel that the position will be the same in this war. I am very proud indeed to be going with the troops." Colonel Hargest referred to the value of experienced officers being available. In the first six months, he said, experi-, ence would tell. If we had had officers experienced in warfare last time he felt that the casualty list would have been less. He could do something to help smooth the way for the young soldier who was going out for the first time, leaving his home and family and setting out upon the biggest adventure man could enter upon. Experience would enable some of the difficulties to be overcome.