DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 60, 23 July 1915, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS

PAPAKURA.

(See also Page 4.) ANSWERING THE CALL

MR HAROLD WILSON PARE

WELLED

A moat enjoyable evening was spent at Mrs J. Smith's Globe Hotel on Wednesday evening last, the occasion being a farewell dinner to Mr Harold Wilson, who left yesterday to join fie Vet nrary Corps at one ot the Keioforcement Campa, Some 50 friends of the guest attended the dinner on the invitatiou ot tbe controlling committee, cf which Mr Gill.-spie was senary. Tru Rev. W. C. Wtod was in the chair, and on his ri;ut sat the guest of the evening the chair on tbe left of the chairman beiiig occupied by Private L. W. Milsom, ot Opaheke, who last week returned in the s.s. Willochra, hsving been wounded in the landing op rations at Gallipoli. The first toast wss Vitt ot "The King," and wss followed by the singing of a verse cf the National j Anthem.

Mr D. W. Joikp, in proposing the toast of "The Army and Navy," stated that id the carrying nut of tbe test laid on their shoulders at Gallip'li, the New Zealanders ani Australians had covend them elves with glory.— Sergeant-Major Vaile, .responded.

In proposing t y e toast of "Our Alliep," Mr tit. D. McLennan considered that the Belgians, led by their King, were deserving ot fir t place in the Allied Nations' K II of Honour. It was impassible, te said, to estimate the real v&lua of their remarkable feat in hoi ing up the German righting machine for weeks at the beginning of the war. The chairman submitted the toast of "Uur Guest," aud mentioned that Mr Harold Wilson wai a Papakura man by brith. He went on to remark that August 4th would be the annivarsary of the declaration of war by Great Brit-no on ihe German?, it was hard to realise that for about twelve months men had been going from all parti of the British Empire in the service of their country. The New Zealanders bad proved tbtmselves chips of "the eld block'' ani bad gained the admiration of the highest military critics. Ihey bad confronted the entrenched enemy in the face of machine gun firj and devastating nrle tire. Their parent?, years before them, had proved themselves pioneers of an excepitunal order, coming out to New Zealand GO or 70 years ago in immigrant ships. They were imbued with remarkable courage, and it was no surprise that Buch men and women shouH have be gotten sons cqial to the best fighting material of all ages. He sincerely trusted that the fortunes of war would be in the favour of their guest, and that Providence would bring him back in strentgh and health. A man could only die once. It woud come sooner or later, and he cculd conceive no death mure gorious than that of a man who died righting for his country. Some few months rast he had had the pleasure of taking part in a send off to Private Milsom, who had since been wounded, but be was plessed to say that the injuries were not of a permanent nature. At ths chairman's request Mr D. W. Jones, schoolmaster, made kirdly reference to the school days of Mr Harold Wilson, and remarked that ha was arranging for a Board of Honour to lie erected in tbe Pipakura Schcol, to which he would be pleased to attach name, together with some six or seven other ex-pupils who had either gone to the front or were abcut to leave thereto It phased him tu see sn eld pupil of his answering to the call of duty. The chairman explained that owing tu tbe gathering having to be hurriedly arranged a wristlet watch, which it was intended to present to the guest, had not arrived, but it would be presented tbe following day. He asked Mr Wilson to accept it, when he received ,it, as a token of the good fellowship that existed between him and the citizens of tbe district. In returning thanks, Mr Wilson said that all those present were old friends of his and he knew that their remarks were sincere.

The toast of "Our Boys" was proposed by Mr C. McKenlze.— Private Milsom, on rising to respond, received an ovation He was pleased, he said, to be back amongst bis friends. The Papakura "boys" at the front had fougbt equally as well as the rest of the "buys." In briefly outlining the landing at Gallipoli he mentiored that once on shore tbey were faced in front with the devil (the lurks) and the sea behind and tney chosi to fight the devil. As sonn as the "boys" set eyes nn the Turks they went for them, doing their best and accomplishing what they had set out to do. The toast of tha "Parents of Our Heroes" was submitted by Mr J. Murray, who made mention of the tremendous sacrifices mule by parents in all paiti of th 3 world. The greatest t'f all sacrifices, he said, wa3 when a man laid down his life in the service of bis country, and the next was the sacrifice made by the mothers and fathers i" ec-cling their boys out to figbt.

Mr S. t'6le proposed thc"I J res," Other tiastß were the "Chairman'' and the "Hostess." During the evening songs were rendered by Messrs J. Tunnicliri'c, J. Frnr.cis, H. Shove McGowan, J. Murray and A. Hawthorne, Mr J. Tunnicliffe playing the accompaniments.

A further function followed in the Public Hall, when a party from Auckland, consisting of Messrs W. Purcell, L. Bickertor, E. Aylett, E. Ward, and J. Cato, who had arrived by motor car, entertained a large gathering;, of which Mr Harold Wilson was the guest. Numerous songs were rendered, Mr Purcell acting both as a pianist and soloist, his rendering of "Rollickv Bill the Sailor" being particularly fine. The party broke up in the early hours of yesterday morning, with the singirg of "Auld Lang Syne."

An "In Memoiian" service for the fallen soldiers and Bailors will be held in the Anglican Cbucb, Fapakura, in the afternoon of Sunday, August Bth., viz., the Sunday following, August the 4tb. the anniversary of the declaration of war on Germany by England. The Town Board, the miilitary and the National Reserve have been invited to attend,

BACK FROM THE PfiONT.

PRIVATE MILSOM'S RETURN.

Private L. W. Milaon, of (Jpaheke a rr.ember ot the 16th Waikatos, who was invalided home with others on the s.a. Wilochra, arrived in Papakura last Saturday. He is already talking about returning to the front if the Medical Board will pass him as tit. It was in the landing at Gallipoli that he was twice wounded, once during the morning with a piece of sharpne), which injured the right shoulder, and while crawling back from the tiring line on his hands and knees he received a further wound, this time by a bullet in the chest, which pass d through bis right lung and remained in the chest. After being assisted half-way to tbe beach he was placed on a it'etcher and taken to a steamer by the lighter "Clan McGilvrßy." fie was convened to the Bombay Presidency Hospital, Alexandria, iu company with 18 oth.rs, and time he remained until he took his departure for New Zealand.