SMOKE CONCERT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 16 November 1945, Page 2

SMOKE CONCERT

A VICTORY CELEBRATION MEMBERS OF LOCAL SERVICE ASSOCIATIONS COMBINED FUNCTION LAST NIGHT At a combined Victory Smoke Concert held last evening and arranged by the Nelson branches of the New Zealand Returned Services Association and New Zealand Home Servicemen’s Association there were present some .100 ex-members of the fighting services who had taken part in either World War 1 or 11. The chairman was the Mayor. Mr E. R. Neale. Mr A. Fowler carried out the duties of toastmaster. Mr Neale urged members of both associations to take a keen interest »n the affairs of their executives by offering constructive criticism and practical inteiest and to assist them in solving the many problems confronting them. Mr Neale commended the Government’s rehabilitation plans and said ne considered every effort was being made to help the ex-servicemen. “No one service in the recent war could have managed without the assistance of the other.” said Mr Neale in proposing the toast to the Fighting Services. “We in the British Empire could not have done without the assistance of our Allies. but not enough praise has been given our own people. Although it is one of the attributes of the British to praise others before themselves, we should never forget that the British race stood alone at a very critical hour in history and although the help of our Allies has been very valuable, where would they have been il the British had not held on?” he asked. Captain H. G. Williams, on behalf of the Army, referred to the Army’s appreciation of the other arms of the services. He urged that although the peace was now being celebrated, it was everyone’s duty to make sure that a good and safe peace was ensured. Captain Williams suggested that the education of the younger generation would lead to better co-operation between nations, and he hoped that the mistakes made after the first world war would not be repeated. '•'ing Commander A. T. Giles, Commanding Officer of the Nelson Air Force St: tion, who replied to the toast to the Fighting Services on behalf of the Air Force spoke of some of the activities and work of the service ne represented. He said that in the Air Force there was more individualism, which called for a greater spirit of initiative and self-control, and not the same companionship that existed in the Army and Navy. He paid a tribute to the maintenance crews of the R.N.Z.A.F, which he considered had put up an unequalled record in wartime. Mr H. C. K. Harley responded on behalf of the Navy and Captain A. G. Christie for the Merchant Navy. Other toast proposed during the evening were: The Women’s Services, proposed by Mr P. Westrupp and responded to by Miss N. Graham and Mr R. J. Smith; the Returned Services’ Association, proposed by Mr D. Fowlei and responded to by the President Oi the Nelson Branch of the R.S.A., Mr U. R. L. West; the Home Servicemen’s Association, proposed *by Mr G. R. McKellar and responded to by Mr W. R. P. Jaques: the Auxiliary Services, proposed by Mr E. N. Ford and replied to by Mr J. A. Harley. During the evening a number of entertainment items w.2re given by Messrs D. Ovens, J. Wilson, D. Bishop, D. Fowler and McCormick. The joint committee responsible for the organisation of the function were: Messrs Geo. Munro (H.S.A.) chairman, P. Westrupp (R.S.A.), C. Burns (H.S.A.), R. Kincaid (R.S.A.), D’A. Walker (H.S.A.), A. Simson (R.S.A.) secretary. As a tribute to those of their comrades who had fallen in time of war the ex-servicemen stood in silence for a period of two minutes. There were also present several exservicewomen who had served in the I .Z.A.N.S.. W.R.N.Z.S, W.A.A.C.’S, and V. .A.A.F.’s. _____