BINDING FORCE IN R.S.A. AFFAIRS: COAST REUNION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22887, 5 March 1949, Page 6

BINDING FORCE IN R.S.A. AFFAIRS: COAST REUNION

“Our own comrades who suffered captivity during the war will tell you that even when they seemed to have the world at their feet the enemy treated our men in prisoncamps with respect. They knew in their hearts that they would be called to account for 'inhumanities towards British servicemen.

“Every man here tonight played a part in establishing the authority with which Britain speaks today in international affairs. That knowledge is something to be proud of, and it is, after all, the binding force in our own organisation,’ ’said the president of the Gisborne Returned Services’ Association, Mr. Gordon Jones, speaking at a reunion of the Tokomaru Bay R.S.A. last evening. “We have here tonight a fairly representative group of European and Maori ex-servicemen, and this gathering exemplifies the comradeship and equality of our active-service days. That is an essential principle in the establishment and maintenance of our association," he added, amidst warm applause. Fair-Deal Claim For Veterans The district president referred briefly to the mutual interests of Digger and Kiwi in striving for the full rehabilitation of every ex-serviceman, mentioning that while the association had found it possible to co-operate closely in the formulation of State policy in rehabilitation there were still many matters on which reasonable demands had not been met, and on which the association was working. The N.Z.R.S.A. had never asked for more than a fair deal for ex-service-men, he said, for it had kept in mind always the fact that the servicemen of yesterday were the civilians of today. It had won many battles in the recent and distant past largely because the general public recognised the justice of its claims.'

He felt that the association could justly claim to have made an important contribution in national and community affairs, while keeping the welfare of the ex-servicemen always in the forefront of its programme. Diggers a Tower of Strength

The continuing and devoted interest of Digger members was the subject of a warm tribute by the Tokomaru Bay president, Mr. Eric Knox, who called attention to the fact (hat although their numbers were falling the older men were still a tower of strength to the association in and around the township. The Kiwis knew very well what they owed to their older comrades, he felt, and in the association as in the field they regarded the record of the Diggers as a standard they should all strive to reach. Mr. Knox paid a warm compliment to members of the headquarters delegation, who included Messrs, A. H. Miller and W. Oakden, and assured the district president that Tokomaru Bay would indicate the solidarity of ex-ser-vicemen when the membership figure* were finalised.

Women’s Services Complimented

The presence of women ex-servic# personnel was noted with satisfaction, and Mr. P. W. C. McCallum’s toast to “The Ladies” was honoured with enthusiasm, his references to the work of women in the war theatres being especially warmly applauded. The programme went with a swing from the loyal toast to the singing of “Auld Lang Syne’., and the toast-list was supported by a number of entertaining items, the contributors including Messrs. H. Dudfield, H. Brown, A. Mulligan, W. Heath, A. Morgan, and H. Kohere.