RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 April 1927, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

SOUTH TARANAKI ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP INCREASED

An increase of 32 per cent. in. membership. as compared with the year ended March 31, 1926, is revealed in the anual report of the South Taranaki Returned Soldiers’ Association, which will be presented at the annual meeting on Wednesday, April 13. Whereas in the former year the number of financial'; members was 153, the report for the twelve months ended March 31, 1927. shows that the membership now stands at 202. The .report proceeds as follows: — “We appreciate the. loyalty of the returned men of the district in assisting us to show such a .substantial increase in the membership of the association, and your executive looks forward with confidence to a continuance of this support during the coming year. As there- are still a number of returned men in this district who have not yet signified their willingness to join the association, your executive appeals to those, mid urges- them to join up with tin?! association, thu.s keping alive the only returned soldiers’ institution in the. Dominion. We would draw attention to the fact that ex-members of the South African War are also eligible for active msmbershin of this association, and are entitled to a’l privileges arising therefrom. The annual subscription constitutes the -sole means of carrying on the returned man’s institution, and is devoted in its entirety to the objects for the betterment of its members, and no portion of this subscription is used to maintain tltei Soldiers’ Club >at Hawera. “The following are the members of the executive committee elected at the last annual meeting:—Messrs M. C. (highton (president). W. F. Morrissey (treasurer). M. R. Jones. D. Burgess, H. S. Mas’,in, E. Hardley, G. Hay ton, D. H. Briggs, and the local secretaries of the Opunakc mid Eltham subbranches. Mr R. McCa.y was appointed hon. isecrotary. Your oxooutiviei has met on sixteen occasions during the year, when a large number of applications for assistance from returned soldiers and their dependents have been considered. “ft is gratifying to record that the financial position, of the association shows a substantial increase, as from last year the accumulated fund stands at £97 4s. mi increase of £45 16s lOd for the year. '"f’he report 'continued that the nett return for the 1920 Poppy Day effort resu ted in the substantial amount of £57 17s (id. 'i’llis, when added to the fund, made the total £2Ol 19s 2d. The trustees thank all those who assisted in the effort. Special thanks were due to the Women’s National Reserve, which took control of the campaign. During the year the association held a reunion dinner. This function proved an outstanding success, and it was hoped to have a similar gathering during the winter. “It was very pleasing executive, cono’.udos the report,” to see such a large and representative parade of returned men to inset the Duke mid Duchess of York on. the occasion of their recent visit to Hawera.”