RETURNED SOLDIERS

Southland Times, Issue 21604, 16 January 1932, Page 10

RETURNED SOLDIERS

INVERCARGILL ASSOCIATION MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the executive committee of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers Association was held on Tuesday, and the following attended: Messrs J. M. Mackintosh (chairman), W. T. Hannon, G. Agnew, A. W. Cook, F. Kynaston and the secretary. Mr J. W. Puckey, the president of the association, also attended. Tho secretary was instructed to write to donors of money and gifts for the parcels of Christmas cheer distributed on Christmas Eve to unemployed returned men’s families. Through the generosity of these friends of the association, the committee was able to distribute 207 parcels, and that these were greatly appreciated was evidenced by the number of letters received from grateful recipients. As customary, the children of deceased comrades were given Christmas gifts, this good work being in the hands of the local Red Cross Society, to whom the grateful thanks of the committee are due. The hospital patients were not forgotten, each man receiving a donation of money. The parcelling of the gifts of Christmas cheer entailed a tremendous amount of work, and special mention must be made of the good work done by Mr and Mra George Agnew and Mr Kynaston, who put in long hours in order to have all parcels in readiness for distribution.

It was reported that work on the Waikawa Curio Bay Road had been commenced, and close on 40 returned men were established at Waikawa. A good camp and cook-shop have been provided, and everything possible done for the comfort of the men while working there. The laying down of the Georgetown Tennis Court, which was being carried out by returned men, had now been completed, and the work done was most satisfactory. The association was represented on Sunday, the 3rd inst., at the funeral of a member, Private J. J. Wood, of Seaward Downs. At present there were 16 returned men in hospital, and these were visited regularly weekly. It was stated that arrangements were well in hand for the holding of a monster picnic at the property of Mr James Hargest, M.P., on Saturday, the 30th inst., Mr Hargest having kindly invited the association some time ago to make use of his place for this purpose. Mr G. Agnew had been appointed to take charge of the children's sports programme. It had been decided that, the association provide free transport, sugar, tea and milk, and it was to be hoped that friends would avail themselves of the invitation to attend this function. Several handsome prizes had been generously donated by various people, and arrangements were being made for buses to run from the club rooms in Tay street between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. for Rakauhauka.

The secretary reported that details of one important pension case the association had been handling for some time, had come to hand, and that the Pensions’ Department had granted a pension to the widow in question, and also some £6O in back pay.