RETURNED MEN

Grey River Argus, 7 May 1942, Page 4

RETURNED MEN

ARRANGEMENTS FOR WELCOME.

The difficulty of getting information as to the arrival of soldiers returning from overseas, so that suitable arrangements could oe made tor welcoming then, was discussed at a meeting of the Westland Provincial Patriotic Council last evening. A letter was received from the Army Office Greymouth, saying that advice in this matter would always be given as soon as possible. The Chairman (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) said that this letter was received in reply to a complaint from Hokitika. But the difficulty had recently been found that advice had been received in Greymouth that men were on the train when they, were not. The Army supplied them with tickets, but there was no compulsion on them to catch any particular train. He referred to two occasions when arrangements had been made to meet returned men at Stihwater, but nobody had arrived.

Mr. J. B. Kent said that in some cases the men did not iwant to be met by official parties. It was) decided to go into the matter of arranging for advice to be sent from Otira or Springfield concerning men travelling on the trains, the spending of some £2O for football equipment when the amount t,o be paid to returned men was in question. ,J The amendment was lost, the motion that the letter be received and lie on the table was carried. "The effect will' be that someone will borrow the shop da v and raise the money for this specific purpose,” said Mr. Kitchingnam.