A POPULAR VETERAN

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15920, 4 May 1912, Page 13

A POPULAR VETERAN

WELCOME HOME TO SURGEON- . • MAJOR FENWICK. Surgeon-Major Fenwick, one of the jiost popular of the many Canterbury soldiers who .fought in the South -African .war, has, since his return to the dominion, taken a keen interest in the welfare of the Imperial Veterans' As-, sociation. From the inception of the Association. Surgeon-Major Fenwick has-.always been to the fore in Ins pfforts--to" promote the welfare of the members, and it was fitting that the Association should tender him a social fathering on his return from a trip to Great Britain. The function was held last evening. " Thero was a large attendance at the Association's rooms, and Captain Walker presided. The other guests were Colonel Cooper, Lieutenant Gwatkm and Mr J. J. Dougail. The evening was enlivened bv a number of musical items by Sergeant-Major Hopkins and Messrs Walker, Parfitt. Cooper, M'Kmney, Ritchie. i)unn and Shand. Captain Walker, in welcoming Sur-geon-Major Fenwick, said that such a man as the Major, who had seen active nervice, deserved a welcome from his comrades. Their guest had always taken a keen interest in volunteering and all movements • which aimed at strengthening the defence of the Empire. Surgeon-Major Fenwick. in responding to tho toast of his health, said that he had to thank his old comrades f6r their reception. The manner in which the recent Territorial camp had been conducted had been a credit to the Veterans for their example. He had seen'instances of men shirking their duties, but tho officers had offered to do the dirty work, and that had soon brought the men to their senses. Would' the men who objected to pick up wounded comrades do the duty that

the engineers on the Titanic had done ? It was a good thing for New Zealand that tho older men and women of the dominion treated tho objectors to military training with contempt. Such an example was good for the boys. He trusted that all would unite to defend New Zealand. I Mr Dougall said that he felt honoured in being present at a function which paid a tribute to the veterans who had fought for the Empire years ago. It was a good thing that those old men should bo honoured and esteemed with their guest. The' men who fought for a country were fit for its citizenship. It should be the highest ambition of any man to serve his country. The British race was composed of warriors and while Britain was supreme there was nothing to fear. The units of the Empire must always guard against the supremacy of foreign nations. It depended on th° young men of New Zealand what the country was going to be, apd he hoped that all true men would refuse _to_ support .those who were antagonistic to the system of training the inhabitants of the country for their own defence. Each man owed a duty to the country as well as to himself.

Colonel Cooper said that the guest of the' evening was a man to be honoured, one who tried to show young men that training was better for them than standing at street corners spitting and smoking. The Territorial movement might be helped by the women, who could refuse to dance with "shirkers" "and otherwise shun them. Women of Florence Nightingale's spirit were alive to-day, and Britain, with such women and men of the right stamp, would always win through. Other speakers referred in complimentary terms to the work done by Surgeon-Major Fenwick and tho Veterans' Association, and a number of loyal toasts were honoured.