HEARD AT THE “DIGGERS’ RE-UNION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3942, 14 May 1929, Page 2

HEARD AT THE “DIGGERS’ RE-UNION.

'Some of the yarns retailed at the “Diggers” re-union last Thursday evening were interesting and amusing, some very tall. Reminiscences were on the lips of every Digger present and the trend of talk gradually drifted as it often does when the boys are talking about “over there” to the “little things” which caused them so much trouble while away. Air. Bergin started the ball -rolling by referring to the discomforts the South African veterans had to put up with while proposing the toast of “South African Veterans.” He referred to the plea made by the late John Norton that better treatment should he meted out to these returned men and said that on one occasion just after the close of the South African war that gentleman, addressing a public meeting in Wellington, was castigating the Government on the treatment of the men during the war and the discomforts they had had to put up with. Tie troopships, declared the late Air. Norton, -warming to his subject, were dirty and every trooper lousy. “That is a lie, sir,” called a voice from the audience. “I went away and I never came back lousy.” Mr. Norton asked that his interjeetor stand up and the Veteran stood up and threw out his chest, repeating bis remark. Air. Norton looked at him for a moment or so and then said “Sir, I owe an apology, I see now that a louse wouldn’t live on yon.” In responding to the toast, Mr. Fred. Robinson said that a peculiar thing about the louse was that he would never fight with another louse taken off the same person, but once a louse from one soldier met a louse from another, they -would fight for an hour or more. Being of a sporting- disposition he had conceived the idea while away of deriving a little amusement from louse fighting. The boys used to gather around, said Mr. Robinson, a circle would be drawn on a piece of paper and two lice would be placed on the paper ■and bets would be laid as to which one would emerge from the conflict the conqueror. I had a champion, said Air. Robinson amid laughter , and I used to keep him under- m ,V left armpit. He’d clean up anything he was matched with and was a sure bet. Many and varied louse stories were recounted but Air. G. F. Smith capped the subject of discussion with his story of the famous louse ’Ei-bert.