MEETING OF TROOPERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1868, 24 September 1906, Page 3

MEETING OF TROOPERS.

AN ASSOCIATION TO BE FORMED,

A mooting of tioopora who had tnkon pert in the South African onupaign was hold in tho Nativo Lai d Court rooms ou Saturday aftomoon. Among those present woro : Captain Nea'o, Missis Langford, Cm tor, Emerson, Yardloy, DeLau tour, Poyntor, \7ntk"r, Stowavt, Browne, Graham, MoLcau, Qui.furd, Johnstone, Kerr, Weymouth, Parker, Puflott, Bailey, and File. Captain Neale was vot:d to tho chair, and before proceeding with tho general bu-inoss, expressed regret that Colonel Porter was unable to bo present, and road tho following lot Loir reoeivod from that officer:—

Tho Chairman ot tbo cjutingonters’ moi ting,—Please express to all my groat disappointment and regrit that I am unable to moot them to-day as I so earnestly wishod, but I am unable to do so, being confined to tbo bouse, really suffering from tbo cfToets of tho onrly New Zealand war aud injury to samo leg iu South Africa. I trust to bo about noxt work, and will foil in with anything tho meeting may resolve for tbo future. I should suggest : (1) A deputation to tbo Cook Memorial Committee ro names, o’e.; (2) tbo association of all men who eotvod in South Africa, irrespective of any par-

ticular contingents, Now Zodand or Australian; (3) tho annual assombiy of iho members, tho fiist ono to be at an oarly date ; (-1) tho appointment of a secretary uud treasurer, with a nominal subscription fund for tbo purpose cf defraying expensos in korpieg ail members advised of matters effsoriog them geuorully; (5) mroting to decide ro attending in uniform or otherwise at the Cook Memorial csremony on October 8;b. United association always tends to o-rnent goodwill aud comradeship, so cf.on overlooked and neghetsd, as I may quote a lino ot B ird Roberts : “ When the war is o'or and a’! things righted, God is forgotten nod tho soldier slighted,” COLONEL PORTER.

On the motion of tho chairman, a vote of sympathy wss ucoordod to Colonel V , ter in fcis illnes».

On tho motion cf Mr Poyr.tir, eoaonded by Mr MoLeau, Lieutenant Curler was appoint d secretary. Tha Chaitin-m sail the first question to discuss was the petition for removal of tho troopers’ names from tho Cook memorial. He read tho petiion (which was largely s’gof.-d) ns folllows : 11 The Cook Memorial Committoe. “ Gonthmm. —We, tho undersigned returned South Afrioan troopers, whose uamos appear on the monument erected to the memory cf Captain Cook, respectfully ask you to bo good euough to remove our names from the memorial.

"In asking you to Rccedo (o cur request, believe us it is not out of waut of appreciation of year thoughtfulness for Poverty Bay's quota to our Empire’s oause, but we feel that the humble part wo have taken iu tho world’s history does not warrant so large a spaoe on a memorial ereoted to tho memory of tho world’s daring navigator and explorer, and that' tbe face of the monument should be devoted to bis memory 1 Lest We Forget.' “ Wo are, gentlemen, Yours faithfully. 11 Gisborne, September loth, 1906,”

11 I quite agree with the prayer of the petition,” said the Chairman. 11 This memorial was subscribed for by tho people all over New Zealand, with tha one intention, of honoring tho name of Captain Cook, the disooverer of the country we live in. We have done our part io helping to build up tho Empire, but wo all realise that it is very small compared with what tho great navigator, Captaio Cock, has done. He boldly sailed out in the earlier days when this part of the world was unknown, aud discovered tho whole of the South Sea Islands, and best of all, New Zealand. There is duo to that great mau au honor which I am sure we who served in Soulh Africa should not and wou'd not detract from, and more especially as it •would mean practically defaoieg th 3 lYiooumrut for out sakes I move that a deputation be appointed to wait on the Cutk Memorial Committee, and present this petition adiing that our names be removed from tbo Ccok memorial. Lst it ba given up to tho honor of the man to whem it WB3 erected, not only by lccal people bu, by peop'o of ail Now Ziaiand, Lei there be honor to whom booor is due. Tho memorial was erected for Captain Cook, not for us.” Mr Poynter expressed his warm support of the statements made by the Chairman. Too money, he said, bad been collected lor the ono purpose and should be devoted to that. A rraiou for what bad been dooe had been given, in that tho Committee had run short of funds and the Patriotic Committee having in hand some money that thsy did not know what to do with, bad conceived the idea of assisting the Cock memorial fund, and at tbe same time made the proviso that tha names of the troopers should ho placed on the Btone, the understanding being that a plate was to be put on. If that intention had been adhered to no exception would bavo been takou to it. The petition should bo backed up by a deputation, and ho was confident that if they went about it ia a proper manner they could get tho Memorial Committee to acquiesce and grant their request. The motion was carried unanimously, Captain Neale and any other troopers who would bo in town on Monday (headed by Colonel Porter if he were able to come out) to comprise tbo deputation. Lieutenant Carter moved, that an association be formed if ill men who served in South Africa, io be called the 11 South Africa Mounted R-fie 3 Association.” That name, ho thought, would enable all who had gona to join in. They could not well ea',l is a Returned Contingenters’ A-socia-

i on, as some had not been connected with ihe contingents.

Mr Pointer s.oonded Iho moticiD, Suoh an osrociotion would form a bond of union amongst them, whereaa under present conditions they were apt to drift apt t. The proposal and eLo that of an Bnnual function was approved of, but Mr D=Lautour raised the point as to whether it would be wise to proceed at onoo with the formation of the association. Notwithstanding the notice published, thero had been an impression that tho meeting that afternoon was mainly for tho discussion of the Cock memorial proposal.

Liouionant Langford agreed with Mr DeLautour. While all present cordially approved of tho association proposal, it was desirable that all others should be invited to co-operate. It was resolved, cn Mr Poynter s motion, that all present be a provisional comooit’ee to organise tha Association, a meeting to bo oalkd later cn. The subscription was fixed at fi-6 3. Ii was resolved, on the mutton of Mr

Poynter, seconded by Mr Emerson, that all who can do so.should attend, mounted, at the parade on tho Bih October. The East Coast Mounted R iles had kindly oiLred to supply drill tunic 3 for those who had net their uniforms.

Tha meeting concluded with a vote of ihunks to the chairman.