FIRST CONTINGENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 954, 22 October 1910, Page 3

FIRST CONTINGENT.

MEMBERS FOREGATHER. ; The traditions of.the first New.Zealand contingent' and the associations that have arisen with the passage! of years lend a colour and interest to .its annual association reunions that make them occasions of note. The tenth; of these gatherings, held in Godbor's rooms last evening, was a jovial affair, demonstrated by a fine spirit of comradeship. A lively opening chorus gave the keynote to an evening's entertainment in which reminiscence, song, .and toast alternated with never a. dull moment in between. . Colonel Robin, C.8., presided—with' Lieut.-Colonel Chaytor for his ' right-hand man—over, an attendance of about 30 ex-coniin-genters. Messrs. M'Pherson and \ Anderson, who were'engineers on the Waiwera when- she. carried the, ''first":.to South Africa, attended as guests. The assistant-secretary, Mr. T. W. Brown, read apologies' from 32 members throughout the Empire, regretting their inability to attend and conveying grating and.good wishes to their comrades. Colonel Robin mentioned, in ; the course of a, brief introductory , speech, that of the 214 members of the "first" who took tho field in South Africa, '157 were in New Zealand, 6 in England, 3 in India, and 7 in South Africa. The whereabouts "of 13 members was ;unkno'wn, and 28 were dead. Later, it. was mentioned that 65 members of j the "first" either' held or had held ,'cbm r missions in .the Imperial Army' orY.the colonial- forces. •!•, , The annual report mentioned ithat this was- the 'only association:'of. its kind: that had. surviyed -in the whole Empire.- / .. f .■'■■■'•-■'\'v"\- ■'. The office-bearers, without exception, were re-elected. . They Colonel Robin,' C;B.';;'• vice-presidents, Colonel, (now :Brigadier-General)VDayies,, C.8.; Major Madocks,: R.A.; Major J.' Getlnn Hughes, D.5.0., Lieut.-Colonel D'Arcy ' Chaytor, "I: Sub-Lient.-Golonel-Burns;' Major Bartlett, : D.S.O.j Major Johnston, .Captain Ward, -.R.A. ;| Cap-, tain JJindsay,' 'Adjutant Seventh ."Dra-goon'-Guards), Captain .'Cameron, (Captain. Matthews, and- Captain.Rogers. Mr.;' Claude 'L. Jewell was";re-elected : lion, secretary .and treasurer •andi-.edi-.-tor of the' '■'Bulletin," .although hij has removed -.to New: Plymouth; A rule of. the association was revoked'-in border that it might retain'-Mr. Jewell's; services. ;Mr,;T;W. Brown, was -re-elected' assistant secretary;'";;:';.'-\;->>.'■-.■'■.i',';.'"' v Toasts honoured.were:—"His Majesty: the ;J£ing,"..>"The';;Navy,:; :Afmy, If '.and Auxilaries," •-. .''Oiir : Officers,";: "Comrades Who,: Have .'.Gone; Before," !:;."Ab-'-sent'Comrades^'.',"The. Ladies,'!;' and ■ ."The.Press.".::; : :■• '. Items in:a capital .entertainment .programme were contributed by Messrs.:J.: Cumm'ing, ■' W. Harris,' R.< \ Witheford, C. Bould/T. ,W.• Brown, >H. Roiis,, G. Warren* j.'.'Catherall, • "Waiwera','. derson;; C, .Riddell,. Jv.Barty,. aiid: D,- ; Kenny., Mr.. Kenny also .acted as ; ac-. compaiiisti ; •■ ;yf ; i. ; ,'.'.' ' ';■'■ ;••;;')'■;