Y.A.L. BOYS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1929, Page 2

Y.A.L. BOYS

TOUR QF UNITED STATES. AUCKLAND, June 17. After a tour of ten of the United States, and most of the eastern provinces of Canada, 159 Australian boys, uelonging to the Young Australia Leaue are on board the Aorangi, bound for home. In their' blue uniforms and capes, with golden lining, the lads were not difficult to locate. There are six New Zealand born boys among them, four from Napier and two from Palmerston North. They have their own band, and the leader is a little chap of only eleven years. Major J. J. Simons, who is in charge of the party, says the lads represent 67 secondary schools in the Commonwealth. The outstanding memory or the journey through the United States was the overwhelming - hospitality of the American people. It was really magnificent. The party was present at the installation of President Hoover, and saw many other events. At Detroit one of the boys had trouble with his teeth, and a dentist to whom he was sent happened to he an ex-German officer, who had fougltb during the Great War in the trenches opposite the Australians and New Zealanders. Although the bill came to over 40 dollars, the dentist declined to take a cent, saying that lie had tormed such a high opinion of the men he had been lighting against that it would give him the greatest pleasure to fix up the lad’s teeth for nothing.