WAR RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3159, 10 August 1917, Page 6

WAR RELIEF

The Wellington War Belief Association met" yesterday. Mr. %. 0. H. Tripp presided. It was reported that Messrs. Bins, Harris, and Co., Ltd., had donated £250 to the association, that the interest on fixed deposits' was .£7BO, and sundry contributions .£5 Is.: total, £1035 Is.' The Finance Committee reported that the imprest account had a balance at the bank of .£8 2s. Bd., and the war fund account a balance of £421 IPs. Iki. lho statement of funds as at July 31 was:— Investments, ,1:75,000; current accounts, £425 19s. 5d.; cash in hand, .£2O: total, £75,945 19s. sd. The July expenditure was stated to bo £1528 10s. Bd. The incoino was £996 Ms. 9d. Tho excessi of expenses over income was therefore £sdl 15s. lid. Four new annual members havo been received into the association. The Hon. G. W. Russell wrote that his Department was unable to rescind stamp duty on cheques, as there was no vote out of which tho refund cou:d be-iuiiiie. It was decided to vote £50 per month for two months to the Church Army, tho money to be devoted to tha sick m>u wounded.

Brigadier-General Francis Earl Johnston was the eldest son of the Hon, C. J. Johnston, M.L.C., Speaker of the Legislative Council. He wa6 an old Wellington boy, having been born here on October 1, 1871, and was thus 45 years of age. He joined the Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire) Regiment as second lieutenant on December 5, 1891, and was promoted .Hsu tenant on November 30, 1895, captain on May 13, 1900, and major on February 16, 1911. He accompanied the expedition to Dongola, Sudan, in 1806. and took part in the operations on September 19, receiving the Egyptian medal with closp and also tho English medal. He served in the South African war from IiKIO to 1902, taking part in operations in the Transvaal (October. 1900, to May 31, 1902). He was mentioned in dispatches on July 18 and 20. 1902, and received the Queen's medal with three clasps and tho King's medal with two clasps. On July 16. 1914, while nn furlough in New Zealand from India, he was appointed to the command of the Wellington military district, in which he was born, for one year, succeeding Colonel Chaytor in the office. On tho outbreak of war with Germany in August. 1914. he received command "f the Tnfantry Brigade. New Zealand Expeditionary Force, wliich subsequently became the Ist New Zealand Infantry Brigade. He left, with the Main Body, and subsequently served "with hi* brigade in E*rvpt, on tho Canal, through tho Gallipoli campaign, and with it in Franco. except for .o break when he was invalided to Fu?land, when ho ftjok charge of Sling Camp. Throughout he won the esteem of bis men, and everywhere was recognised as a brave and able leader. For Ms services on Gallipoli he received the C.B/ Bri"adier-Gener\l Johnston married a daughter of the late Mr. A. G. Fell, of Wellington. His wife snbsenuently joined him" in Egypt, and died there a few months afterwards. Johnston recently married again in England; his sorond wife being Miss Gweu Seaton, a distant connection of the family General sympathy will be felt for the Hon. C. J'. .Tobnston and Mrs. Johnston in this, their third war bereavement. In July of last vear their youngest son, Captain O. B. F. Johnston, was killed m action wbile leading his men at the taking of Fricourt, in the Battle of the Romme. Their son-in-law, Major E. 11.I 1 . Levin; was killed in action nt Gallipoli: his wife (nee Miss Johnston) surviving bim by but a few' months. The Hon. 0. .f. Johnston is at present recruiting his health in America. A Requiem Mass for the repose of the sou,l of the late Brigadier-General JoW ston will be sun? at the Basilica of tho Sacred Heart, Hill Street, at 9 o clock this morning. A FIGHTING FAMTLY. The. Johnston family, of Karori, has responded nobly to the call of the Motherland in this titanic war, and uvj of its sons, the late Brigadier-General F. E. Johnston and the late Captain O. B. I'. Johnston, as already mentioned, nave made tho supreme sacrifice. Three other sons. Mr. Guv Johnston (before the war associated with his father in the management of the city firm of Johnston and Co. Featherston Street), Mr. H. F. Johnston (formerly of the legal firm of Brandon. Hislop, and Johnston), and Mr. U F Johnston (wbn farmed on his estate at Feilding), are all at present in France. Mr Guy Johnston is with the New Zealand Amy. while his brothers are serving with'the Imperial Forces.