A NEW ZEALAND REUNION IN LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 41

A NEW ZEALAND REUNION IN LONDON.

THE R.S.A. HOSPITALITY AND EMPIRE BUILDING. A HAPPY EVENING. £T&OU OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, November 25. An interesting reunion of ex-N.Z.E.F. ' men took place in London this -week. Some of them had not met since they were com- . rade a on Galliaoli.. The reunion took the form of a dinner, for which all arrangements were made by Mr J. I. Fox (kite manager of the Wellington li.S. Club, and founder of the British seotioa of the N.Z.R.S.A.). About a hundred New Zealanders were present, six of whom, blinded men, came from St. Dunstan's. Major-general Sir R. S. F. Henderson, who has lately returned from New Zealand, and who is chairman of the British section, presided,, Ho was supported by General Sir lan Hamilton, Major-general Sir John Monash, Brigadier-general G. N. J. Johnston (0.0. N.Z.E.F. in the United Kingdom), Sir Thomas Mackenzie-, and the Right Hon. Andrew Fisher. Others present included; Colonel J. Studholmo, Colonel \\. E. Collins, Captain Martin B. Tweed. A letter Wfts received from Lieutenant-general Sir W. P.. Bird-wood wishing all his former comrades prosperity and good luck for their future. The first toast, "The King," was proposed by the president, and that of "Fallen Comrades" by Mr E. Sutherland (Auckland). General Sir lan Hamilton, responding to the toast of "His Majesty's Forces," recalled, in humorous vein, his tost visit to New Zealand in May, 1914. He said he went out for the purpose oi taking part in creating a defence machine useful for tne dominion. At that time not one in ten thousand would realise that the splendid body of men which he had the pleasure of inspecting at various camps in New Zealand were to be called upon in such a short space of time to play the real game. After having- been asked to undertake the command of the Mediteranean Expeditionary Force, he met the very same men ho saw in New Zealand, and to their credit, in conjunction with the Australians and Imperial Forces, they played a noble part. Sir lan, referring to that same 1914 visit, amid laughter, said that when he was having a glass of whisky in a prohibition town with the Mayor, someone rushed in and announced the birth of_ a baby, whose arrival brought the population of the dominion up to 1,000,000. Sir John Monash, well, known .to men of the New Zealand Division, said that, although the colonies had lost a large number of men, those countries would ultimately . benefit by the sacrifice of the brave heroes. It was a great privilege for him to be associated with New Zealand men throughout • from start to finish, and he was pleased to meet so many comrades who had been with him right through from Gallipoli. Referring: to the extraordinary hospitality whioh had been shown in this country to overseas men. he said that British men and women had done more by their kindness in the way of Empire-building than perhaps they Brigadier-general G. N. Johnston referred to the Silent Division, with whioh he was associated for so many years. He praised the work of the New Zealanders, and felt; that, as- one of them, they had won the ' respect of all the troops in Anzac and in an THE VALUE OF THE R.S.A. General Henderson mentioned that while he was in the dominion in his official capacity, he, with General Robin, had had plentv of opportunity to watch the growth of th'e activities of the N.Z.R.S.A. Their work was dictated on sound lines, and had helped the authorities with suggestions and remedies to solve the problems connected with the returned soldiers. He was pleased to hold the position of president of the organisation in the United Kingdom, feeling sure that good work could be done here amongst the men who were so far away from their homes and their people.

THE EX-SOLDIER AND THE PACIFIC. Mr J. I. Fox, who is returning to NewZealand shortly after having established the British section of the R.S.A. in this country, said that the spirit which animated the N.Z.E.F. has always permeated the spirit of the N.Z.R.F.A. In the early days, when everybody was busy in prosecuting the war, *and very few realised the great problems that must inevitably arise from the war. a handful of men/ grasping the possibilities of an organisation, met and formed the N.Z.R.S.A. Every pieoa of legislation which has been enacted for the benefit of discharged soldiers bears the mark of energyexpended by the R.S.A. When the task of settling all the difficulties is._ over the discharged soldier will play a still gre iter part in helping to build up the new nations m the Pacific. In England their activities, naturally, were limited, but at the same time the men who are remaining here for two or three years, by having an organisation like this, will be able to keep in touch with each other and in touch with the parent body in New Zealand. He appreciated very much the presence of so many distinguished guests, and he hoped that those who took an interest in_ them would help to establish a small institution here where discharged _ soldiers could meet for the purpose of social recreation. Sir Thomas Mackenzie delighted the boys by relating many homorous anecdotes, and he was pleased to find so many of his countrymen in such excellent spirits. ■ Mr Andrew Fisher struck a true Imperial note, maintaining that his Majesty's dominions will in the future play a more important part than they have hitherto done. The people of the dominions, both in New Zealand and Australia, had shown a splendid spirit, and as a whole had frone whole-heartedly into the war. Germany, by trying to disturb the unity of the Empire, had really cemented 'a bond of friendship which would never be severed. .The overseas dominions had won more than battles in the war—they had won in Europe and Asia a name for fair .play, daring, and courage, that had exalted the British Empire to a higher standard than had ever before been dreamed of. At the conclusion of the dinner a very pleasant musical programme was gone through. All the contributors had been members of the N.Z.E.F. They included Mr E. Sutherland, Mr J. Smith, Mr Stanley Graham, Mr Ellis, Mr lan Maclean, and Mr A. J. Wicks (pianist). The haka, of course, was introduced during the evening and the party broke up in the best of cpirita.