RUATORIA TROOP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 28 August 1939, Page 4

RUATORIA TROOP

35 YOUNG MEN OFFER FINDING OWN HORSES MOUNTED ID FEE TRAINING DIGGERS’ APPRECIATION An announcement that 35 young men resident in the Ruatoria area had offered their services as a unit of the Wellington East Coast Mounted Regiment, and that all were prepared to find their own horses for training purposes, was made at the reunion of returned soldiers held in Ruatoria on Friday evening.

In reference to the offer, the chairman, Mr. J. H. Taplin, stated that he had found a little difficulty in getting in touch with some of the men who might be willing to undertake training as members of a Ruatoria troop, but eventually he had filled the list with men of the right type, very keen to see (he unit formed, and prepared to give time and effort to making their unit one of the best in Ihe regiment. Offer Before Minister He had forwarded the offer of these 35 men to the proper authorities, and while as yet lie had received no reply beyond an acknowledgment from Mr. A. G. Hultquist, M.P., who had passed the list on to the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, he hoped that in a few weeks the Ruatoria mounted rifles troop would be established. The statement of the chairman was greeted with applause, and, on the motion of Mr. Harold Williams, seconded by Mr. T. Snelling, the following motion was carried unanimously:—

“That this meeting of the Ruatoria Returned Soldiers’ Association, in annual reunion, learns with pleasure of the fact that 35 of the young men of this district have volunteered their services as a troop of mounted rifles; and expresses its appreciation of the action of these young men in agreeing to provide their own horses for training purposes.”