LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 February 1926, Page 4

LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

OH AWE TROOP. FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. The first annual meeting of, the Qliawe Troop of the Legion of Frontiersmen was held in the Foresters Hall, Hawera, last evening. Laeut. C. N. Vickridge presided. The O.C. reported as follows:-—-The troop has stcadi'v improved its position until now, we have sixteen financial members, nearly every one of whom takes a keen interest in the .organisation. The average attendance at the meetings has been 7.0/, and when it is considered that five ot the members are resident more than 12. miles from Hawera, this shows that our comrades are keenly interested. _ Every endeavour has been made to make the programme for the year_ as interesting and instructive as possible; but it is realised that we have not yet gone far enough, and an effort is being made to provide methods of instructing members in all Legion matters. We hope to be ab'e to continue the quarterly social functions and also one week trips to the rifle range. , : , The -report and balance-sheet, showing a satisfactory position, were adopted. . , Lieut. Vickeridge was unanimously elected officer commanding. Several members spoke appreciatively of his services to the troop. In reply, Lieut. -Vickeridge was a great credit to the troop that not a single member had left during the first year of its existence through Tack of interest. He had been in many troops in the Dominion, and in no case had he seen 'a troop with such a creditable record in this respect. Quartermaster Veitch said that Colonel Sutherland had agreed to take a class in topography fortnightly. Comrades were urged to take advantage of this offer. v . A sub-committee, consisting of Quartermaster Veieh, Sergt. Mahoney and Comrade A. C. Piper, was set up to prepare a programme for the new year. Votes of thanks were accorded A. C. Piper for the use of his room for meetings and to Quartermaster Veitch and past quartermaiters for their services. FIRST ANNUAL SOCIAL. AN ENJOYABLE EVENING. • Frontiersmen to the number pf about 30 foregathered after the annual business meeting of tlie Oliawe troop last evening for social enjoyment-. Lieut. Vickridge, O.C. of the troop was in the chair, and there were present Colonel Weston ,and the Headquarters Staff from New Plymouth, and also Major Brenmer and Lieut. McCaskill and the Defence Staff. The King having been, toasted with enthusiasm, “The Army Navy anxLAir Forces” was given by Colonel Sutherland—“the finest the finest navy and the .finest air force iii the world.” He said that after the first hundred thousand had been in action in the Great War there was - none left-, but their phee was taken by the butcher, the baker, the banker —all the .same breed, and they did the job in a way that upheld the traditions of the regular army. In responding, Major Bremner said that at the present day there Was drastic cutting 'down of all forces, as had been the ease after every big war. He said the army now was part of the nation, and that if a ,war should happen again it would be fought between peoples actually not armies. There were, many critics of the forces, 'but generally those who knew nothing about them. People had said, from the earliest times, that with the introduction of improved weapons the old hand-to-hand fighting would be abolished, but actually in the Great War bayonet wounds predominated. He believed, however, that Britain was strong eiiough to avoid war for a very long time. “The Defence Staff” was proposed in eulogistic terms by the chairman, who emphasised the ready and valuable help given the Legion by Major Bremner and all connected with the staff. . . Major. Bremner said that- anything they had done for the Legion had am- ‘ repaid them, and they ,would always be glad to Kelp in the future as in the past. " . ' “The Legion in Hawera” was given bv Staff-Captain Bertrand, who emphasised tlie way in which the Hawera men backed up the work of headquarters bv word and deed, and showed r.he soil'it- that made the Legion of Frontiersmen known throughout the Empire. : Mr Piper briefly responded, acknowledging the many kindly references to the work done by Hawera. “Headquarters Staff” was proposed by Mr Craig, and in reply Colonel Weston congratulated Hawera on their year’s jwork. He hoped one day to see troops" al lover Taranaki. He believed they would always help the Defence Department wherever possible, and referred to the very happy relations that had always ' existed with G.O.C. tlie Forces. He said that Taranaki squadrons led the way in the Dominion, and he paid tribute to the good work of tlie 'secretary, Capt. Bertrand, and the other officers'. All over the Empire their help was needed to carry on the good work of the pioneers and' to keep the Empire together. If they did that they must succeed. All had troubles, hut if they worked like Hawera. these would be surmounted', and he would like to express his appreciation of the work done in Hawera. Response was also made by Captain Bertrand and Messrs Brokenshire, Pvke and Thomson. All stressed the need for strenuous effort, by which alone, difficulties would be surmounted and success achieved. They lauded the Legionary spirit of loyalty to the King and Empire. They urged members never to miss a meeting; and to remember the annual camp' and the Dominion Conference, which would be held shortly. There were troops all over the world, and they stressed the need for the true frontier spirit- in New Zealand. Other toasts honoured were “The Press,” ‘‘Tlie , Officer Commanding (Lieut. Vickridge)—who, in reply, urged all to put the Legion first, and hoped the Obawe Troop would do still better in the future than in the-past— “The Artists and Pianist,” “Colonel Sutherland,” and “The Chairman.” All were enthusiastically honoured. During the evening songs' were given bv Messrs E. H. Piper. C. S. Mahoney, W. Cunningham, A. Piper and T. C. Sutherland, and recitations by Messrs Carson and H. B. Gibson, the accompaniments being capitally played by Mr W, Craig. ■ . The evening closed with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and the National Anthem.