SMALL ATTENDANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 217, 12 August 1940, Page 6

SMALL ATTENDANCE.

PRESENTATIONS TO SOLDIERS. CRITICISM BY SPEAKERS. There was not the attendance anticipated at the Opera House, on Saturday night, at the public funct.on given in honour of local men ot the Third Echelon, and there were many vacant seats in the building. The smallness of the attendance was criticised by some of tho speakers. - The Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) said that the gathering was being made short. Men on leave wanted to spend the time with their parents, sweethearts or wives, or perhaps had other functions to attend. Citizens, however, did want an opportunity of showing their appreciation, and ho was sorry there was not a largei number of citizens present. It was not, perhaps, the best of weather, that evening, but the least they could do was to turn out and show their appreciation of the men who were going away to fight. It showed a lack of appreciation of this by citizens that they were not present in larger numMr B. J. Jacobs, president of the Palmerston North Returned Soldiers’ Association, joined with the Mayor in expressing disappointment at the numerical strength of the public, and pleasure at the number, of men on the stage. It was apparent that the soldiers had more appreciation of their duty than the citizens.