HUMOUR OF WAR RECALLED

Taranaki Daily News, 6 June 1930, Page 11

HUMOUR OF WAR RECALLED

EX- SER-VICEMES FOREGATH ER.

DIFFERING OPINIONS ON WAR.

The tragic side of war was forgotten, and only the host of humorous incidents and happenings were recalled when a large number. of members of the Stratford -ex-Servicemen’s League gathered in the town hall last night after the formal annual meeting. The organisation of the function, met with, the approval of all; preference was given to song and story. After the organised programme had been exhausted the company was entertained with impromptu presentations that lost < none of their value through not having.been in-, eluded in the original selection. Few members of the cheery assemblage had failed to supply his share of the entertainment when proceedings were Anally brought to a reluctant close. Mr, ,W. J. Polson, MJ?., proposed the toast to ex-servicemen. He felt it an honour to he present at the concert; it was-the first occasion on which he had attended such a function. He had heard war described as lunacy, e and though the acts 'of ‘ the political leaders might be lunacy, war itself was not ! lunacy. The " men at that table had fought for liberty, and no one could call that lunacy. Mr. Polson referred to the motion that had been carried at the annual meeting In connection with the defence forces. He traversed the financial position of the country, and drew attention to the need for the strictest economy if the budget were to be balanced. The income this year, it was anticipated, would be, £3,000,000 Jess than the expenditure unless there were curtailments in expense to meet the. deficit. •' He would not like to see the -territorial system abolished, but it might have to be suspended for a timo or, at any rate, the defence vote would have to be reduced. Replying to the toast, Lieutenant-Col-onel L. H. Jardine, D. 5.0., M.C., pointed out that the men at the table - were not the present defenders' of the country and. the youths of between 18 and 21 years would be looked to if the occasion arose. “Most of us are on the back shelf and the man who said war was lunacy was about- right,” he stated. Though he' did not agree with the military training system in its entirely, at the same time he thought it meet that the youth of he country should be given some idea of what they might be called upon to face at any time. The league had been formed, he thought, more to help ex-servicemen than to promulgate the cause of war. Other toasts honoured were! The Veterans, Mr. J. B. Hine —Mr. J. W. McMillan; the ladies, Mr. S. Sinclair — Mr. N. H. Moss. • - z Items were given by Messrs, C. Pommel (cornet solos), P. Aitken (songs) and N. H. Moss (recitations). _ Mr. M. Peek accompanied on the .pianoforte. Impromptu artists filled in The intervals with appropriate, stories.