R.S.A. SMOKER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4414, 15 May 1922, Page 2

R.S.A. SMOKER.

ANNUAL FUNCTION. The annual smoke concert of the Thames Valley (Paeroa) Returned So'dicrs’ Association was held in the Returned Soldiers’ Hall on Friday night. Mr J. Walmsley, president, being in the chair. The proceedings were prefaced by the singing of the National Anthem. . Mr, C. Moorhouse presided at the piano. An apology ’ for absence was received from Captain A. Bush. Major E. Edwards, proposing the toast, of the R.S.A., said the Association appeared to be waning. Returned men were hot taking the interest they should. There wer;e a number of men in hospitals, and disabled ones outside, who needed the Association to battle for them in their hardships, especially in the matter of pensions and allowances. I.t was the duty of the Association to .take the part of, every returned soldier who was unfortunate, and of their dependants. The fact that a few returned, men were abusing their privileges was no argument .to justify the lack of sup-" 1 port. The Association was primarily inaugurated to render assistance to those who were not able to help themselves. The local Association was fortunate in having a secretary (Mr R. Hodson) who took a wholehearted interest ip the organisation. It was largely due to him that ,the Thames Valley Returned Soldiers’ Association was one of the strongest in the Dominion in proportion tp the population. < Mr P. C. Furley proposed the toast of "Sport,” which, he said, was peculiarly appropriate to returned soldiers. Football, for instance, was played' very frequently at the front behind the lines. New Zealanders stood high in the realm of sport. Speaking of local sport Mr, .-Furley said that if the footballers could “clean up” Thames, Te Arohia, and Waihi the- way the. Paeroa Cricket Chib had done , they would be doing very well for the season... (Laughter.) Responding Mr J. W. Silcock said he had been connected with football for the last twenty years. It was a boy’s and a man’s game, and made a man of the boy. The-proposer of. ths toast had been largely instrumental in bringing the Paeroa Cricket Ciub to its present proud position. Football had done much to build up men of splendid physique, Most of the soldiers were familiar with a footr ball and were wearers of the jersey. Mr R. B. Penlington said it seemed a remarkable thing ■to non-colonials that New Zealanders took a. leading part in all manly sports, but flhey certainly did hold'their own 1 anywhere and everywhere. If the footballers. would work in unison they would soon tiring the game up to its prewar standard. He would like to see an athletic association in Paeroa, and for summer athletics (amateur for preference) to be strongly supported."

Mr W. Neil proposed the toast of “Local Bodies.” referring to .ths good work local bodies were doing in adverse circumstances.

Cr. T. P. Vuglar, in response, said he felt that local bodies cpuld do a lot of good or a lot of. harm. He believed every member of the Paeroa Borough Council was put to make the place progress as ; much, as possible, and at the same time to administer the affairs of the Borough economically. I-te referred- to the progress of the drainage scheme. He agreed that the roads had to be nteglected somewhat, but money had been dear in the past; it .was now cheaper, and k would b<opportune as soon as< the drainage works were completed to go in for a comprehensive roading. scheme. One thingtead to be done at a, time., as the amount .of loan money the Government would, allow, local bodies to raise 'in any* one year was limited to £5OOO But considerable repair .work would jroboWy be undertaken shortly for roads and footpaths.

The toast of the “Atjiny and Navy” was entrusted to Mr T. E. McMillan, who referred to the fact that long before the Great War .the -British Navy had saved- America from invasion at more than one period of history. The Navy had. been a guarantee for the inviolability, not only of the British Empire, but a protection to the whole of the English-speaking countries. He looked forward to .the day when the, British and American navies- would become one unit —an effective barrier to the designs of any foreign and colourel combination that could oe brought against it. The speaker, after referring to the long and heroic sacrifices and splendid achievements of the Navy during the late war, paid a tribute to the magnificent record of the Army. At the Dardanelles,, in Palestine, Mesopotamia, France, Belgium, Russia —on every theatre of war British troops were fighting for the honour of the Empire’s plighted word to weaker nations, and for British hearts and homes. Their feats of endurance and courage in the face of desperate odds amid appalling conditions constituted a record unparalleled in the history, of nations. The Navy and the Army together had bequeathed to the British Empire a new renown, and to our children’s children traditions of fadeless glory. Captain Hubbard responding, said wo owed everlasting credit to the Navy, to the upkeep of which we should make generous contributions. He had spent some time pn battleship in the Firth of Fourth', The-naval intelligence wa4 marvellous. They found out that a certain new German submarine was coming out ter th'3 first lime, knew every man aboard from the commander downwards. They sent out. a “mystery, ship,” and “bagged” the submarine., whose qomr mandor was absolutely flabbergasted with the detailed information the British dapt/ih was able to give him about his own new submarine. Captain Hubbard paid fitting tribute to the achievements of the.’ Army, and hoped Britishers would always respond nobly to the call of the Empire. The ladies were gracefully paid, tribute «by/Mr J. Treanor, They had sulfer/d more mental anguish than had the soldiers,, ter the hardest task of all was to bear the awful suspense. Ye: the women bore up with a smile ; they hid their pr'oud sorrows, and

spared no effort to provide comfjort and cheer for their loved ones. In the character of-its women lay a nation’s real strength, and its standard of culture was justly-measured by the attitude of its men towards its women. Only the nation that placed its women on a high social plane could ever attain to an exalted place in the world’s civilisation. Messrs T. P. Vuglar and E. Moore, suitably responded. Major E. Edwards proposed the toast of the Press, a representative of the "Gazette" responding. ..Mr J. M. O’Shea, of the Wailii Returned Association, pleaded for a more hearty co-operation in building up soldiers’'organisations to what they should be . He was pleased to note that the Paeroa tipn was apparently a very strong body, and happy in the possession of; its own club. Items were rendered by Messrs J* Treavor, G. Hart, M. J. Harris, E. Moore, with encores, all of which were much appreciated.