WOODVILLE & DISTRICT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 138, 11 May 1940, Page 4

WOODVILLE & DISTRICT

RETURNED SOLDIERS. The newly-elected executive committee of the Woodville branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association hold its first meeting on Thursday evening. The president (Mr G. Wickes) opened proceedings by a welcome to the two new (Messrs A. S. Dickins and H. H. Little). Others present were Messrs T. S. It. Sehaw, K. Mav, L. Hurley, D. S. Broughton, IV. Miller, C. Ware, A. K. Boyd, W. Brotherstone and F. D. Mackie (secretary). Apologies for absence were received from Messrs W. Galbraith and J. J. Young. Messrs W. 11. Nelson, H. P. Horne, S. Turnbull and G. Peebles were elected honorary life members. Various members made eulogistic reference to the splendid assistance the association lin.d received from these gentlemen in the past. Messrs L. Russell, J. Walker and' D. Horne were elected honorary members.

In an appeal to all returned men in the district to become members of the association, the president said the organisation had a momentous task ahead of it, and it was the duty of members to make every effort to induce non-members to join. The disabled soldiers’ shop at Wellington forwarded a list of suggested articles suitable for presentation purposes. The secretary, in a report on the Anzac Day observance in Woodville, said that at the parade and memorial service in the afternoon the collection realised £7 0s lOd. The evening concert had been highly successful, yielding a net profit of £8 14s od. Poppy Day sales tp date had brought in the record sum of approximately £4O. — The report was the subject of very favourable comment by members. Mr N. P. Piteaithley, drum-major of the Dannevirko High School Boys’ Pipe Band, wrote thanking the association for the hospitality __ shown the band during its visit to Woodville on Anzac Day. The association was to be congratulated on the excellent parade. —lt was decided to donate £1 Is to the hand’s funds in recognition of its services. Letters of appreciation in connection with the Anzac Day ceremony are to be sent to Mr N.- K. Chapman, Mr de Vantier, the Ministers’ Association, the women’s committee and the Salvation Army Band. The official Woodville representative at the dawn parade in Wellington on Anzac Day (Mr K. May) reported that the parade had been a most impressive one and had demonstrated that exservicemcn were as efficient as ever in matters of discipline. The services, too, lie said, had been solemn and impressive. Reporting on the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, the Woodville delegate (Mr Wickes) said that among a number of very important subjects discussed was the conscription issue, the attitude adopted in this connection Hein" that no matter whether the Government adhered to the voluntary system or decided to introduce conscription the association would he behind it. Subversive propaganda had also been discussed by the conference, which took the view that it was the duty of everv member to do all in his power to subdue the evil within the Dominion. This matter hud been considered one of vital importance and had created lively interest among conference delegates.—Messrs Wickes and Mav were accorded thanks tor their reports.