Y.M.C.A. BANQUET.

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1921, Page 3

Y.M.C.A. BANQUET.

AT KAMO SPRINGS.

FINAL TRIBUTE TO SOLDIERS.

An assembly, taking the form of a banquet, at which fully eighty seats "Were occupied, took place at the Kamo Springs last evening to mark the end of the endeavours made at that centre by the Y.M.C.A. to make the lot of invalid ex-soldiers brighter; a function made opportune by reason of the anticipated early departure of all ex-soldier pati- • ents under treatment there as indicated at the last meeting of the Whangarei Hospital Board. Upon such an occasion - the hospital staff was appropriately well represented not only by the Superintendent, Major Frazerhurst, but also by the matron and other sisters and nurses. Eecognition of what the occasion implied was indicated by the large number who attended the function, the response being so general that an. additional 'bus had to be telephoned for iwhen the others became overcrowded en route. . ' Upon arrival the guests were ushered into the recreation hall where, after a brief explanation by the Ibcal Y.M.C.A. secretary, Mr R. H. Nicholls, of the purpose of® the gathering, they ■ sat down to a really ample and delicious repast, including strawberries and other similar dainties. The hall, from the nikau-plaited and red-illumined porch to the minute and tasteful table decorations had, by dint of enthusiastic effort, "been made a very pretty setting for the gay assembly of guests, and that preparation played a considerable part In the general success of the banquet. When the Rev. D. McNeur had said grace, the guests did ample justice to the good things set before them, after which Colonel C. E. E. Mackesy, who occupied the chair, invited Misses Wilson and Pickmere to play a pianoforte duet as an opening to the musical part -of the programme, and their contribution was much appreciated. The company then sang the National Anthem and drank a health to the King, after which Miss Rene Birch contributed a well-received vocal item.

What he termed the chief toast of the evening, that of the Y.M.C.A., was entrusted to Major'Frazerhurst (medical of Whangarei Hospital) by the chairman. The proposer dealt very ably with the theme and paid a ; glowing tribute to the manifold duties undertaken by the ST.M.C.A. to the mutual benefit of all who had come in contact with it. There was not, the -speaker declared, one branch of young men's activities which, the Y.M.C.A. tad touched upon without it becoming better for the contact. Major Frazerhurst then referred to the splendid -work done, under trying conditions in which there was little chance of. excitement and glory, by the Y.M.C.A. men in Prance and elsewhere during the war period. Incidentally he mentioned that he had a brother, a padre, who had done Y.M.C.A. work by running a literary society in the Town Hall -of Arras during the "unhealthy" days. ; in that town. Since the end of the .war, the Association had carried on its ■work, a fact which should be fully -appreciated. Major Frazerhurst expressed the opinion that the part the ■-soldier played was becoming a thing of "the past, but he indicated that the public should remember that there were some of the boys still "Suffering from -disabilities contracted while away, and -that those sufferers were just as much : sufferers as any of those during the actual war period. In Whangarei care •of the disabled was somewhat neglected -Until Dr. McGavin became interested, -and as a result the Kamo Springs was <Opened for convalescent soldiers. There was not much kudos to be gained by "the Y.M.C.A. in opening a branch at Kamo, but that had been done, and it had made the conditions for the boys much better, and he particularly wished to thank Mr Edmond, who was present, for the interest he had taken in -promoting the work at Kamo. Now that the war was well over, there was need for the Y.M.C.A. in Whangarei, even "if to meet the necessity of something to take the place of the Soldiers' Club. Major Frazerhurst conclud*ed by expressing his gratitude and personal obligation to the Y.M.C.A. for the good work it had done. In response, Mr C. K. Edmond. who "had come to Whangarei specifically to be present at the function, narrated that when he returned from the ■front he had heard that Major FrazerTrurst wanted to start a Y.M.C.A., and "he" briefly outlined how, from that stage, the provision of the Y.M.C.A. branch Tiad started. He paid tribute to the way in which the people of the district evidently realised that some men were

still suffering seriously from the effects of the war; in fact, some were being carried out of Trentham weekly. It was the duty of the public to realise that and to deal with it. The Y.M.C.A., Mr Edmond proceeded, was a peculiar institution, in that it could only exist backed up by the goodwill of the I ! people; if the people were not satisfied, the Y.M.C.A. would just have to go right out of business. He also referred to the good work done by Mr Nicholls and to the assistance rendered by Dr. and Miss Frazerhurst, Sister Cliff and all members of the staff at Kamo Springs since the branch was opened. After a musical monologue had been contributed by Mr C. Moloney, Mr Nicholls proposed the health of the staff, and paid especial tribute to what Major Frazerhurst had done in assisting him to carry on his work.

[ Eesponding, Major Frazerhurst en- ! deavoured to discount his share in the work, which he declared had only been possible with the assistance of other members of the staff. He referred individually to the several sisters who had had charge of the Kamo Springs, and also paid a warm and generous tribute to the conscientious work done as orderly by a man who had himself lost his health at/the war —Percy Shaw. The reference was greeted with a round of hearty applause from the patients, who were in the best position to appreciate its justness.

Replying to the toast to Kindred Associations, proposed by Mr Edmond, Mr A. T. Brainsby, himself once a patient, acknowledged his gratitude to Salvation Army officers and to the Eev. D. McNeur for their visits, and to the Red Cross and Patriotic Association. Mr Brainsby also referred to the great work being carried on by the E.S.A., to which ho declared were due the results of persistent efforts brought to bear upon various Government departments in the interests of exsoldiers.

Mr Harold Armitage and Madame Brainsby contributed songs, the latter being enthusiastically encored and responding with a beautiful number, "The Peace of Allah be With You."

To Mr Brainsby fell the responsibility of proposing the* toast of "Absent' Friends," and he did so in brilliant style, dealing with the topic most thoroughly. That toast, according to his interpretation, included for example two men who had died since leaving Kamo Springs, the men who were scattered far and wide and who would probably not be met again, and certainly not under the same circumstances as had originally made them comrades, as' well as the wen who lived in memory as those who had died in glory on the other side of the- world, men whose memory would be cherished and to have known whom would be esteemed an honour for lifetime by all who had been -their comrades. Finally an interpretation of the toast included the j

soldier patients about to go forth from .Kamo Springs, in which case it was one significant of the everlasting sense of comradeship which was felt between men who had had experience together at the front.

After Mr Gilmore Howard had entertained the company by song and a humorous "Yiddisher" tale, Mr Nicholls proposed the toast of the Press, to which Mr Brainsby responded. The final toasts were to The Future, impressively proposed by Major Frazerhurst, and to the Y.M.C.A., to which Mr Nicholls responded, and thanked those present for contributing towards the very successful final entertainment at Kamo Springs by the Y.M.C.A. The singing of "Auld Lang Syne" brought about the termination of the function and the return trip to Whangarei, which was accomplished a few minutes before midnight.