NATIONAL RESERVE AND RECRUITING COMMITTEE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14145, 24 July 1916, Page 3

NATIONAL RESERVE AND RECRUITING COMMITTEE.

PRESENTATION TO MR HEDCMfIS

A combined mooting of tl:c .National Reserve snd t!:o Reei-iiitin^ Committee was hold or, Saturday ovoranp; for the purpose of bidding farewell to Mr A. E. i-]ody,cs, who is le-awno- for Trentham to-iiiorrow morning, and expressing apprcciau'ou "i" the sccrctaiial and other .services he im rendered to tlio^o bodies.

Liei! tenant-Colonel Ching, v.ho presided. iv:c:ivd in tho uood work doiift i'or the >.^tio'ul Reserve l)y -\!r J-ledo^ v/ho had lii'en mi active fii'd orfrgeCicmember since its inception, a neriod of two v\irs. M-- spoke hijjfl/ oi ' tJie capable mani.'^r in which >:V Hedges had carried out liis dutu-s n,-, f-tali' sccretarv, and o: +!>e valurJvo l"o]j-> nnd i'dvict' ho had a!u:i\s frot'lv <:i/o::. 2\lr llrch',' I', ho L "! r o ]t it hip d;::v to cnii-t in ilio Expouiiionary Fovc\ and Lliough thr Resrrvn regretted io^iji»- si.oh "a member, they desired to congratulate him on his patriotism. They hoped he would attain commissioned rank, and wished him God-speed, every success, and a safe- return. . • ■- *

Mossi-s W.W. Snotlsp-ass/W... Lock, C..11. Fell, F. ColemaiT, 11. Wat*on,- C' R. Ccoke, W, Moffatt, Taylor, and Jefferies all conveycKl their good wishes to Mr Hedges.

Colonel X'hhig then presented Mr Hedges -with -a" wristlet watch: amid cheers. ' . ■

Mr Hedges made a feeling reply. He said hi; very imich appreciated their kind remarks, aiul would highly -.value their useful gift.. It had been a pleasure for him to dr> what. lie could for the National Rv^ono. It had met with disappointments, hue lie Imped it would £o ahead. Ho took an interest in anything cornier ted with military Work. He went to South Africa with the' First Contingent, and he had felt, it to be his duty in the present crisis to offer his services to his country. He had been selected as ■ a .non-commissioned officer, and.he was thankful to be in a position to go to the front. He had been eight yours in Nelson, of-which he had many pleasant memories, including the kind treatment he had received that evening.