AN UNFORTUNATE OMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 80

AN UNFORTUNATE OMISSION.

MAYOR’S ACTION REGRETTED. CEREMONY AT SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL. Wlicn the French sloop Cassiopee visited Dunedin recently the ship’s company paid a tribute to the memory of New Zealand’s fallen soldiers, when their commander, Captain Decoux, placed a wreath on the base of the memorial column now being erected in the Queen’s Gardens. At this ceremony the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association was not represented, as no intimation of the function had been received by the association. At Tuesday’s meeting of the exvjeutive, regret was expressed that the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P.) had foiled to extend an invitation to representatives of the association to be present. The matter was brought up iu committee, but members decided that the discussion should be taken in open meeting. Mr J. M. White (the secretary) said that a day or two after the ceremony he tod communicated with the Mayor on mother matter, and Mr Tapley had then apologised for failing to notify the association of the function. He had stated that the notice given him had been, too •J»ort, and had precluded his getting iuto Vmah with the association. Members: Bunkum! Mr A. G. Leeden said that the association had been overlooked too frequently oy the Mayor and councillors of Dun«rii». “They are going out of their way fc> slight, the association,” he declared. Mr Paterson: I don’t think that, Mr Chairman. Air A. C. Laing (the chariman): No, I trust that when on any similar occasion notice will be given the association. Mi 1 A. M'Hutchon said that the president of the association had passed the Queeu’s Gardens at the time of the ceremony, but owing to an engagement he did not wait. Mr Laing said that the newspapers had published an excuse for the absence of the association]? representative that the function had been held at very short notice, which did not allow him to give the association notification. Air AlHutchon: That is a paltry excuse. Air Laing: Yes, and I think that it was a time tha x . we should have got the notice. I think it was our duty to be there. Air Leeden: Yes, for it was ..i memory of our dead. Mr AlHutchon said that the Mayor could have advised the secretary of the association of the ceremony, and Mr White would have found it an easy matter to communicate with the members of the executive, so that there would have been a representation of the returned soldiers at the inunction. Air K. M'Orae: Especially as it was our allies that were doing honour to our dead. Mr Paterson said that the association had arrived at the stage where it had overlooked a number of times. The association was definitely associated with the memorial to the fallen soldiers, who wore tlieir comrades, and members of the association had been allied with the French soldiers at the war. The association should have been represented on this occasion. He moved: — That we regret that opportunity was not eiven for representatives of the association, which is representative of returned soldiers generally, to bo present at the function. The motion was carried unanimously