WELCOME TO “ AUSSIES ”

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4056, 3 June 1938, Page 5

WELCOME TO “ AUSSIES ”

MATAMATA PROPOSALS. VISIT IN CENTENNIAL YEAR. A proposal that the Matamata branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association should raise £l5O during the next two years for the entertainment of Australian ex-service-men was heartily endorsed at the annual meeting on Thursday. It was stated that on the Maunganui the sum of over £4OO, a minimum of 10s per member, had been collected to furnish two rooms in the Australian Marabeen Veterans’ Home and as the nucleus of a fund to entertain the Australians when they came to New Zealand. On the Australian visit several of the members of the Matamata branch, which was one of the strongest delegations numerically on a percentage basis to make the trip, had gone to Gosford, a country centre like Matamata. They had made the journey by special train and had been given a royal welcome by the local exservicemen and chairman of the shire. Eighty-nine cars had been used to take the party all around the district and the whole visit had been one to be remembered. It was decided to send thanks and greetings to the Gosford branch of the R.5.5.1.L.A., and to issue a special invitation to Gosford ex-servicetnen to visit Matamata at the time the Australian “Diggers” visited New Zealand for the centennial celebrations. It was also decided that £l5O be raised to assist headquarters and the local executive to entertain the Australians on the occasion of their visit.