SOLDIERS' REUNION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18366, 27 April 1925, Page 4

SOLDIERS' REUNION.

MR JUSTICE ALPERS

HONOURED.

The annual reunion of old comrades of the Great War was held in the Art Gallery on Friday night, when a smoke concert was held under the auspices of the Christchurch Eeturned Soldiers' Association. Colonel H. Stewart, president of the Association, presided over a'large attendance. The guest of the evening was his Honour Mr Justice Alpers, whose services on "tho club's behalf were eulogised, and to whom, during the evening, a presentation was made.

The toast of "Our Fallen Comrades" was proposed by the chairman and honoured by those present standing in silence.

In proposing the health of his Honour, the chairman referred to the great debt of gratitude the Association owed him. He had asked the secretary, Mr W. E. Leadley, to write out a list of the services carried out by his Honour on behalf of the Association, but Mr Leadley had found it impossible to do so, because it would have required too much paper. From the beginning, his Honour had been chairman of the Building Committee in connexion with the club, and had carried out his duties with the utmost enthusiasm and energy, through which the club was able to raise-the funds necessary to enable it to possess what was undoubtedly the finest soldiers' clubrooms South of the Line, and very probably in the British Empire. (Applause.) He had taken the lead in starting the fund, and never ceased until success was assured. Ho was honorary solicitor from 1915 to 1924, until his elevation to the Supreme Court Bench. (Applause.) Thanks to his efforts, the Association was able to make a good bargain respecting the tenure of the building with the National "War Funds Council, which matter would be considered at the annual meeting of the Association. He could assure members of the Association that they would be more than satisfied with the terms granted by the Council. After making some humorous remarks concerning the treatment members of the Association could expect from his Honour if they came before him in his judicial capacity, the chairman referred to his Honour's strong local patriotism, and stated that their guest was a friend of every member of the Associaticn. The chairman then presented his Honour with a photograph of the official group taken at the opening of the club on August 10th, 1921.

On rising to reply, his Honour was received with cheers. He was sorry, he said, that he was not wearing hia badge. As a uiatter of fact it was locked up in a strong room in the premises of the legal firm in Gloucester street, with which he, until recently, had been associated, together with other articles which were kmongst his most treasured possessions. He could assure those preent that nothing could have given him greater pleasure than the photograph with which ifcey had just presented him. Reference had been made by the chairman to the services he had rendered to the Association in connexion with the building fund. In the early stages there had undoubtedly been a considerable amount of .work to be done. As would be remembered, the epidemic intervened about the time of the Armistice and in consequence the success of the'campaign for funds was seriously interfered with. People then began to get critical, and said that the returned soldiers would return to civil life and a returned soldiers' club would not be needed. Yet, in spite of what had been said in this connexion, the Christchurch Eeturned Soldiers' Association was the largest in the Dominion to-day. True, it could not last for ever, but it would, he hoped and felt sure, go on for many years. The Association was a splendid answer to thoso who had said: "What do you want a returned soldiers' club for?" He paid a tribute to the executive of the Association and its "stormbird" secretary, Mr Leadley, and added that the reason the Association had kept on-side with the public was because its members were not given to "grousing" without good cause. He thanked those present for the reception they had, given him, and aincsrely hoped the As-

sociation would continue to flourish. (Applause.) Other toasts honoured were "Army Days," proposed by Mr H. J. Knight and responded to by Colonel E. Young; "The Performers," proposed by Mr 11. Fleck and responded to by Mr Ales. Dev.

Items were given during the evening by Messrs A.i Owen, F. E. Monro, A. K. Johnston, E. A. Turner, T. Cooper, Harroway, Les. Croft, J. Laurenson, A. Dey, and Lyndon P. Christie's Jazz Band.