Highly Successful Anzac Dinner Held By Kawakawa R.S.A.

Northern Advocate, 27 April 1944, Page 4

Highly Successful Anzac Dinner Held By Kawakawa R.S.A.

(Special) KAWAKAWA. Tliis Day. Two hundred people sal down 10 lavishly spread lahles when tin- Kawakawa and District R.S.A. held ils annual Anza.Day dinner and social in the Soldiers' Hall. The tables groaned under a spectacular load of good things which had been largely provided by members' wives, many of whom were present. The stage was decorated with flags and floral emblems. Quests of honour were Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Carruth and Airs. Cumuli, who was in the uniform of the Army Nursing Service. The president of the association (Mr. L. K. Porter) was in the chair. Honour to the 2/N.Z.E.F. After the King and "Absent Comrades" Intel been honoured, Air. 11. \V. Ku.-k toasted the li/X.Z. 10. P. It was the lirst. time, lie said, such a toast had appeared on tin- association's toast-list. There was n«uv a better understanding between the old and new Diggers. it was the opinion of tile older soldiers that this war's veterans had not let them down. Ilf recalled Greece. Crete, Libya, Tunisia and Italy in proof of the point, lie hoped to see more of the ", X.Z.K.F. al next year's Anzac dinner. Captain .1. L. liayner, responding, said there had been many old Diggers in the .Middle Gas;, whose advice had proved invaluable. Their inclusion was an experiment tried out by General Freyherg, with outstanding success, particularly in Greece, lie appealed to (lie "old bands" to help in post-war reconstruction. He paid tribute also to the soldiers' wives, who had not by any means the easiest portion. To Colonel and Mrs. Carruth The chairman proposed a toast to the guests of honour, adding that Colonel Carruth had been one of the Diggers of the last war, but was in the First Echelon when tins one got under way, while Airs. Carruth had had three years' experience under all conditions in the .Middle East. Responding', Colonel Carruth said this war was greater in magnitude in every way than the lust one hud been, lie believed individuals were actuated by a spirit of fear of the consequences of defeat. That fear had permeated to communities and to nations. We should ail examine ourselves to discover whet Iter we could not become better men and women, lie said. That was tile spirit or Anzac and of the Empire's soldier associations. a I ore effective control of fue nations must come about if this was to be a real war to end war. Colonel Car- | ruth concluded by telling .1 story of the | lirst clash with the Hun on the GraecoYugoslav border in UMI, in which a local boy, .Mike Studholme, played no mean part. Tribute to Nursing Service The Women's War Services were honoured in a toast proposed by .Mr. .1. Jack, who said that the nursing service was tlie most noble of them all; its members had done a magnificent job. Airs. Carruth said in response that she was glad to have had the opportunity to assist in that job. This war was vastly different from the last, with 1 lie greater strides in medical knowledge and also in transport, which allowed for quick treatment of soldier patients. The boys, site said, had always endeavoured to help in the wards, and had shown a community of spirit in pooling their so-welcome. pareeis. She paid tribute to those in the nursing profession in Xew Zealand, arid also to the women of the farms. - Whangarei President's Visit “Visiting Associations” were toasted by Mr. H. J. Rear, who predicted general good in outlook and action from contacts made between different groups. In reply, Air. R. A. Rogers (president of the Whangarei ILS.A.) noted the lively activities of the ILS.A. organisation everywhere. He had had direct experience when he had accompanied the Dominion president on his recent tour of Northland. He complimented the Kawakawa people on thc-ir function, which lie admitted was utterly unlike the Whangarei ones, which were held in a hall that could not accommodate wives as well as members. The function, lie declared, was an eye-opener. Community singing, led by Air. G. Wilding, and a number of excellent vocal and elocutionary items by Aliss SutclilT" and Messrs. Wilding, IT. (Tribble, E. Dennis, W. (’aider and IL Weston, added to tlie enjoyment of a most successful evening. Ah'. IL Goodison was piano accompanist to tlie artists. Singing of "Auld Lang Syne" concluded tlie function.