N.Z. CONTINGENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 February 1937, Page 12

N.Z. CONTINGENT

RETURNED SOLDIERS CHOSEN.

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, Februlary 22.

It was announced by the Minister for Defence, Hon. F. Jones, to-day, that the following ten returned soldiers now serving in the Territorial Forces, had been selected 1 by ballot for inclusion in the military contingent to represent New Zealand at the Coronation.

Auckland districts. —No. 14/131, James Crichton, V.C., Northboro Road, Takapuna; No. 23426, Gilbert John Parkinson, Opotiki Hotel, Opotiki.

Wellington district. —No. 10948, Thomas W. Henderson, Tuna, via Stratford; No. 9/1808, Stanley George Compton, Frasertown, Wairoa. Canterbury districts. —No. 43435, David William Mather, 61 Queen Street, Westport; No. G/624, William John Eastgate, Weld Street, Hokitika.

Southland districts. —Charles Barrow, Burrows Street, Bluff; No. 4/916, Sinclair R. McLaren, 22 Baldwin Street, North East Valley, Dunedin. Representing Maori returned soldiers. —No. 19848, Samuel William Gemmell, Post Office, Napier. South African War Veterans. —No. 6329, Samuel Steele (Ist. Contingent), Cameron Road, Tauranga. The Minister explained that when the Government decided to send, a military contingent to represent New Zealand at the King’s Coronation it whs arranged that among the ten representatives of returned soldiers now serving in the Territorial Forces one should represent Soulth African war veterans and another the Maori race. All applications for inclusion had 1 come to Wellington and a ballot was. taken last Friday night with the results as given. There were present at the ballot representatives of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, the South African War Veterans’ Association, the Defence Department, the Pensions Department, and a representative of the Minister. In the case of a holder of the Victoria Cross, his name was not submitted to the ballot, the rule being that holders of that honour eligible for inclusion would be selected. The selections would be subject to the men passing the final medical examination. Such examination, however, would not be as stringent as that for active service.