TWENTIETH REINFORCEMENTS.

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13656, 25 August 1916, Page 2

TWENTIETH REINFORCEMENTS.

» ■ ■■ , YESTERDAY'S SEND-OFF. I The local quota of the Twentieth Reinforcements which went forward to camp yesterday was entertained at luncheon by the members of the hockey, : and tennis elnbs, and the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society. Tiie Luncheon, The function-took place in the Drill Hall which, was gaily decorated with a liberal display of bunting hung all round the building. Mr Harding Grenfell presided and there were seated at the table with him Mr G. E. Statham. M.P. for Dnnedin Central, His Wor-ship-the Mlayor of Orimarn (Mr W. IT. Frith) and Mrs.Frith,.Mrs E. P..Lee, •Chaplain-Major Russell and Mrs Russell, Mr 1 Geo. Livingstone (chairman of the ■ Waitaki County Council). There were also present, the Rev. J. L, Robinson, Captain Redmond and Mrs Redmond, the staff of the local Defence office, and tbe/inembei's'of the.Tenth.■, Regiment Band. There were 1 altogether-over 200 ' guests.,' Apologies were received from Mr;J.,Ausfcy audMajoiv-and Mrs For- , rcsje>, ■;., , . .'Tlie chairman briefly' welcomed the • guests in the "name, of-'the .entertaining > .societies,Vaftev'. which ■graccv.wns of- : ■ ; . There .were.three-long' tables,occupy-■■ . ing (the. full/length of :the' hall, the ladies'presiding over them being Mrs Cecil Sutton, Miss Bee and Miss Miller, who/were assisted by a large staff of young ladies belonging to the entertaining, societies, and'whose service.at the tables was'all that could He desired,' Credit is also due to Messrs A, Gow and T. Kennedy who acted as joint secretaries to the committee of manage- ; ment, for the excellence of the arrangements nmcle, and also to the many mem- . bers of the societies who-assisted in tile , successful carrying out of the function, . ■ The Toast List. After luncheon' a short toast-list'was ; honoured, the loyal 'toast, proposed' by the chairman,'being drunk with the cus-- • tomary honours. .; "Departing, Soldiers," Mr C. E. Statham who 'proposed' the ' toast of. "Departing Soldiers" said he desired first to-,thank the committee for its invitation to him to.be present, aiid for ithe privilege of proposing the most important;toast'.of the occasion; • He said no'one could attend such functions without feeling conflicting emotionsfeelings of sndness.at parting, yet pride in tlie .men who had voluntarily come forward to fight for the Empire. .The great spirit which at present permeated the; whole Empire was the spirit of sacrifice and.in that sacrifice all must be prepared to participate, Personal ambitions must be sacrificed to the national requirements.' Mr Statham', said he was'sure,those.who.were sending dear ones away would, while regretting the necessity;:glory in'the■■■patriotism that had: prompted: the .sacrifice. He had never yetimeta mother who had a 3on at.the.front who had regretted his going.; To the men who were going, the speaker said, everyone honoured them •for'voluntarily sacrificing all the privileges of. civil life for the rigour of, camp training and the perils of battle'.'' The spirit that had prompted that sacrifice was, the same spirit that had. given the nation such leaders- as Wolf and' Cliye, Wellington, Roberts and Kitchener, In the .naval history, of the Empire that same spirit ■ had'enabled Drake to lay the foundations of Britain 's colonising. enterprises,' and had produced Nelson and Collingwood. That spirit still pervaded the British people and was prompting men to go out to light in the righteous cause of liberty honour and justice—for the protection of defenceless women and innocent children. There was, continued Mr •Statham, a sacred trust imposed in every man who went forth to fight—the preservation of the honour and good name ; of the Dominion', and when the test came that trust would be counted dearer than life .itself. There was also to be maintained the high name made for New Zealand by the men already at the front and by. those who had given their lives for that cause. That trust was as much in the keeping of the individual' soldier as in every officer. The speaker reminded them of the perils and dangers to which they were going, and assured theih that on whatever front'they fought they would be, surrounded by comrades from every part of the Empire. ' 'The toast was enthusiastically' received and accorded musical honours; "Soldier at the Front." The toast of "Soldiers at the Front and those returned" was entrusted to the Rev. J.' L. Sobinson who said that it was not difficult to honour the men who were bearing the brunt of the battle or who had returned with honourable wounds. The obligation to the men who. were writing history in letters of flame was universally realised. But no' amount of eloquence could adequately express the recognition or do justice to the theme of their valorous deeds. Reviewing the past history of the British Empire, the speaker 'said that its greatness had been won by. the stolid valour of the private soldier. The nation had had many illustrous genevals whose military genius was incomparable, but which, without the dogged and invincible fighting qualities of the Irtish "Tommy" would have been unavailing.' That valour'had interposed itself between a tyrannical enemy and the love of liberty and justice, ' And those who wore not able to light were, none the less proud to belong to a race that had produced l such chivalry. For . it; was for chivalrous reasons the nation had taken up arms—to defend the small arid weak against a mightv and boastful enemy. And when that cali came, no true Briton for a moment faltered, j At the conclusion of a telling speech Mr Robinson reminded the assemblage of the deeds accomplished at Gallipoli and the.fresher glory won in France and i called all to drink to the health of the men who were vindicating the honour and .greatness of the nation and were writing new history in letters of blood, and to the men who had returned bearing the marks of their chivalry and sacrifice. The toast was honoured with enthus- ' iasm, cheers being given, I Captain Redmond's Reply, < To Captain Redmond was delegated the , honour of replying on behalf of the men j going away and those who had returned. He assured the company that he esteemed the privilege of speaking . for the men, The captain stated he recognised the assistance that such functions were in cheering both the departing men and those that had come back, No one should think the luncheons were useless or unnecessary, as' , they provided a pleasant opportunity \ for the friends and relations of the men to intermingle with them, and also an opportunity for the officers of the De- J fence Department to meet the men and , give them any advice or assistance they '< desired, He was proud that the present , draft was well up to the standard of j those that had gone before, and he was , sure they would uphold the •honour of | the regiment to which they belonged, and also that of the whole New Zea- ] land .force. Captain Redmond con-

cluded by thanking, on behalf of himself, the Defence Staff, and the men of the draft,.the members of the societies . who had provided the luncheon, .■ The proceedings were concluded with the singing of the National Antheni;,(.; During the course of the luncheon Mr W. Wntteis sang "Blue. Bonnets over the Border," for which re received i an enthusiastic encore, and later . with Mr J. Bnlleid sang the duet, "Watchman, what of the Night?" An [ instrumental quartette was., also."CPnjßtt tributed by members of tlie tenth ment Banil and Mr B. A. de'Lantourji orchestra also contributed ae'lectione. , When the roll was called prior to proceeding to the station tlie quota musterI ed two short of full strength. , '•;.,. A Soldier's Advice. Captain Redmond briefly addressed ! the men urging them to attend to .the allotments of their pay, and the set- ( ing of their private business in prdper order before going to the front./ 1 ; He ! m'gt'd the men to accept the"'camp dig- , eipline in the propei spirit, to respect ( . the regulations and. to honour andsbe ( loyal to their officers, which really was |, all that was meant in "playing the . game." He urged them,to keep.closely;,, ' I in touch .with- their relatives- aud'fnenjs":- [ and wished;them all God-speed/ahdivaiv . safe return; ,■ nnd.'.if sonic should" '. come'.back he assured' theiii of - the - , nation's libnour.' •'"'',' • ; ; :;' ,' The.men' were.: then' marched-"off'to' ; ;. the. railway. station,:headed 'by -■"-. the,'; . Tenth'BegiinQ.nt:tia"na;aml: : ace6inpanj|i : ... by,tlie members' of : the National',Re-■!■ ■ ~ serve.. . • - v ,■• .', _•(• : . ' ' •' At,the..Station.' '.',''. !;(,• ; When the men'reached the, station . they were. given• a final few, minutes ■' , with their friends and ; were(.also (addressed by his Worship.. the Mayor ;(Mr7 ,'. , W. H. Frith) who congratulated them . on their patriotism: but regretted, that' . the necessity still existed for, sending,' . additional reinforcements. He assured , the men that the people of North 1 Oti'gp , - would- watch the doings of the meh^of. the Twentieth Reinforcements.'and; would hope for their safe return. • • Re ; -' ferring to the talk of peace, his Wor-', ship said , that while everyone ! desired peace,., the military de- ; . feat of. the. enemy, .was- one', of the . first ■ things necessary' lief ore ■ terms eould.be. discussed. He wished' the men Gotl-spocd,' and, a safe.retiirn^■' and,called for,cheers.'for.themi;which''' were heartily given, i : , ■' ,\.'.'.'. J' '• Adjutant Dawkins then offered-pray-e'r. for the safe-keeping of the men andi:thes comfort of their relatives, \ v the quota.was marched' on.tb the plat-/ form for. eutrainment. . '■■' : j ;V : "' , 't The crowd that.gathered, ; to:%eWe]i the contingent was not.so large as on' : some previous/occasions, astic cheer was .given : as the' t'ra'lh' steamed, away by those who bad' afV ' sembled about.the precincts (of •■thei station premises. '...' '' ■■;.;,■''•• '