VELDT VETERANS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18756, 12 July 1935, Page 4

VELDT VETERANS

EMPIRE CONFERENCE DOMINION REPRESENTED DELEGATE FROM TIMARU Veterans of the South African War resident in Poverty Bay will learn with interest that the New Zealand delegate to the annual Empire conference of the South African War Veterans’ Association, held early in June at Bournemouth, England, was greeted with special warmth. He was Mr. H. C. Thompson, of 'Timaru, who with Mrs. Thompson is touring in Britain, and who took the opportunity to represent the New Zealand association at the conference, by invitation of the Dominion headquarters executive. The New Zealand delegate was given a place of honor in all the functions associated with the. conference, and in the public welcoming address made by the Mayor of Bournemouth, lie received compliments upon having journeyed so far in the interests of the men who served in the South African War. Among the sidelights on the conference of interest to New Zealanders were the mention of the illness of Lady Hamilton, wife of the gfand president of the association. General Sir lan Hamilton. The deepest concern was expressed by delegates at this news, and the hope that Lady • Hamilton would experience a speedy recovery.' Sir lan Hamilton was unable to attend the conference owing to his wife’s' illness, but sent bis warm’ greetings. A HAPPY NOTE A happy note was struck in the. course of the opening speeches when the Mayor referred to the services' of the Army and Navy in connection with the foundation of the British commonwealth of nations: and Colonel Horne, replying to the welcome, observed that it was good tc come into contact with someone, who remembered that the King’s forces had a historv that wenVback a little beyond 1914. ' - Chatting after the opening session of the conference, the delegate from New Zealand-informed; a pressman that he had been deeply impressed by what he had seen and heard of the-strength of the association at Home, and that, he woulc| have a stirring message'. to carry to his comrades in the Dominion. His* impressions of the Silver Jubilee celebrations in London also had been most interesting, and the demonstrations of loyalty on.the part of English people had been astounding in their scope, he said, <r.‘l ~fhiuk the loyalty of the English people is really wonderful,” he stated in an interview, “We read of it in New Zealand, and sometimes think that perhaps it is a boast; but now that I have experienced its manifestation, I realise its deep sincerity. We New Zealanders have a great respect for your fine English tradition. We, as a young country, have no such tradition of our own as yet, but vve are intensely proud to lie associated with vours.”