“GONE WEST”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 20 June 1936, Page 3

“GONE WEST”

PASSING REGRETTED N.Z.R.S.A. TRIBUTE A fitting tribute to those who served their Empire and country and have j passed on was paid by delegates to j the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association I which opened in Wellington, when reference was made to those who have “gone west” during the year. “The year which afforded us the opportunity of joining in the rejoicings of the British Empire for the occasions of the jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary called upon us to share the grief of that Empire and every oilier country of the world on the passing of his Most Gracious Majesty.” the report of the executive states. “His reign was perhaps one of the most momentous in the history of Great Britain. Within its limits we find scientific and inventive progress greater than in any similar period. The advance of education brought with it under his sympathetic guidance im-

proved social conditions that must in the long run spell for the happiness of our nation. To us of the British Empire he was really the first of our kings seen in the Dominions, while the wonders of the wireless have enabled him to speak to us personally. He endeared himself to all by his manly bearing and by his intense interest in his people of all classes and wherever scattered in the world. As soldiers many of us saw him in both England and France during that war that increases the importance of his reign in our history and incidentally gave birth to this association. The kindly and anxious interest he exhibited for the soldier then was continued when the war concluded and to the date of his death he remained the patron in chief of the British Empire Service League. “Grieving for a lost king, it is happy that we can rejoice in a new one resembling his father in so many of his excellent qualities and adding many others of his own. As the Prince of Wales of world-wide popularity and respect, he is the patron of our association, and it is hoped that we shall continue to possess that privilege and honour. “Another loss to the Empire and to New Zealand ex-servicemen in particular was the death of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Jellicoe, G.C.8., 0.1v1., G.C.V.0., on 20th November, 1935. Lord and Lady Jellicoe were greatly respected in New Zealand during the period of office of Lord Jellicoe as Governor-General. On return to Britain, Lord Jellicoe’s interest in exservicemen, which had always been outstanding in New Zealand, resulted in his becoming, on the death of Earl Haig, the grand president of the British Empire .Service League, and, until ill health intervened, the president of the British Legion. “A further death, of one of Britain’s war leaders, Lord Beatty, occurred in March,D.G36. A message of condolence with Lady Beatty and her family was sent by the Dominion president to Lord Borodale, who succeeds his father.

“The committee feels that it should record here the death of Sir Francis Bell, P.C., G.C.M.G., on 13th March, 1936- His work for the soldier during the war and his continued interest in the ex-serviceman and his welfare both as a private citizen and as a Minister of the Crown will ever be gratefully remembered.” Reference was also made to the death of Lord Allenby by The Dominion president (the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C.). The delegates observed two minutes’ silence as a tribute to the memory of those mentioned.