REUNION OF SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20521, 24 March 1930, Page 10

REUNION OF SOLDIERS.

ACTIVITIES IN FRANKLIN. / ,—.— [BV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] PUKEKOHE, Sunday. Several hundred returned soldiers from nil parts of the Franklin district assembled at Pukekohe last evening on the occasion of the first annual reunion of the recently-formed Franklin Returned Soldiers(Association. The guest of honour "was General Sir George Richardson, who, \in a short address, referred to the good - work being done by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association for ex'-soldiers throughout the Dominion. He said that such occasions as the present reunion represented the realisation of wishes during the war, when officers and men longed to bo back home again with liberty to meet at intervals. Lho president of the Franklin branch, M.ijor J. A. Sommerville, who presided, staierl that the branch had been formed largely with the object of assisting any ex-sn>dicrs who were in difficulties.

Colonel M. Aldred, vice-president of the I>f>nmiion association, referred" to the fact that, the association was now increasing in membership, as the need for such an organisation was being felt more tlian it had been previously.

FUNCTION AT TAIHAPE. VALUE OF THE GATHERINGS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT, j TAIHAPE, Saturday. The Taihape,and District Returned Soldiers' Association held a reunion in the Town Hall last evening, the president, ]Ur. J. j Smart, presiding over a large at. ion. lance. Sir Andrew Russell, president of the NW Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association was present, and received a most eiit.brwastic reception. He said he was pWw.i to hear the Taihape Association L»f ••'■pn revived recently, and he wished it svwy success. He urged all returned soldiers to do their best to see that, the AtiZhii Day celebrations were made a succesi and that the Poppy Day collections wure well organised. Sit Andrew also emphasised the value Dt r«nmoas!i and expressed the opinion thai ibey snould be held at least once a year.