PAST AND PRESENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 November 1938, Page 13

PAST AND PRESENT

I Io Cffitor’* Sir,—'The following reflections arid reiulniseentic of flic? above luis just occurred to me by seeing “Nelson 50 years ago ' i i last night’s “Evening Mail,” where Lieutenant Col. Albert L'itt, Major llol-den-Webb. Captain Leggatt and Lieutenant Watson and others, in Nelson City Rifles, Nelson Naval Artillery, and Oat'rison Bail'd 8.. M. Oakfejr at Melbourne Exhibition, Ml inspected bv Lieut.-Col. Hume, the rilies under Captain Rowling. Lieutenant \ ovsev and Dr. Leonard Boor, the StbUe and Waimea Rifles alsu • being inspected—drill, Captain Franklyii. I Licuts, Wriitt and R'icketts, also Dr. - Peerless Ung Present. The Nelson Rowing ( Itib races for cups - presented by Mr C. Y . fell, included their ; respective crow's, with stroke and bow [ ti:eiititmod ivitli others—nearlv all of ti' e . | above i net tided the two cricket match , j players, and the .MaVot* and Town Clerk. happened to kiioiv and see much of. , and io express my tribute to these » 1 public and private SWtreos just half a ''century past as so many of them have ' ! prcJeHased rile now 82. 1 ; All llifese, pray remember, contributed ■ voluntary pal riot ic and sporting service ‘t . this countri\ Empire, and our special ? community aiid these services, be lilev [\ naval, military, civil or sporting, y.f • j say, any monetary expense was borne bv ’ the individuals, almost wholly. I short!* i. I add, s«lvfe the chiefs of the military He L ine.it. I recall the late Major ticnet-a r Davidson tolling mt- in Christchurch if - 1879, nearly a decade previously (us tin first In.pM'iai officer secured by the New Zealand Government to inspect N.Z EoHfesj bis expenses paid, plus £1 a day not. much, perhaps, considering rank am -•• some 40 years Indian service, w hich IlOh - E I. C. Service-—my rather also was ii e 1 with him. >f But of course, the? less the reward, tin is more honourable the service, which is tie i- case in Japan, as Captain Moncrieff bo c so alilv described in bis “Enigma of Ja g pan” when the Samurai or Japanese Milt n tarv Nobles are dealt with and their inis yj etable pav, yet ambition to die in batH .. foe Emperor' and country, when they be ! come ancestors to worship, while duriii; their life, their reward is the widesprP.l. universal respect of their compatriots \<dio seem to regard Hohe> as a dDifkace. 0 All tfit* is rtf I s ] whole world iff lliis critical juncture. ,S Bid, whether it be of enough inlerc? !° |for Nelson's ritizc.ns as a whole, remain • lo be seen shquUl tliy be so, 1 migl continue my tribute to various indivici !' | uaL who have so much aided iu buildin 7X I up Nelson City and provwcefe whether tl s_ Mayor* lawyers, volunteer soldiers an ?r ! sailors, or blHekSiUfth, oTtrsrrffn, or fdol ,e ' bailer or ericketei, in which gameg I rha ps I mention I hav‘t? played for a decade fn fli 'si three Ringdohls rtf the “Did Obey Motlic I-1 o' f the Nortlibrh feed'’ in l:(lnf* t- dtfi, Me., j C. CAMPBELL.