LOWER WAIKATO R.S. ASSOCIATION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 526, 27 April 1920, Page 3

LOWER WAIKATO R.S. ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. The meeting of the Lower aikuto Soldiers' Associain whs lii'KTilKhp Masonic Hal I on edruvluy evening, the president )i?. A. Cnmnbell-^milh) .presiding er nn attendance -of members, r. W. Pwllock (provincial organer) was also oresent.. The Prince's Visit. v Circulars were received front the oniinion Headquarters Riving the Tangements made in connexion itlt the forthcoming visit, of H.R.H. le Prince of Wales. The circulars a ted that arrangements had been ade for returned soldiers to make >plicntion to Iho nearest Defence lice for a free railway warrant, •ailnble for day of issue only, to f-n----lie them to travel to the place of >ncent ration. Executive's Report. The acting-secretary (Mr. W. G. yfe) read the first annual report of le executive, as follows: In presenting this, the first annaimport of the Lower Waikato Solieis' Association ii would be well >jvvie\v briefly the history of the (fSociation. After some preliminfies, including the appointment of a rovisional committee, the general eeting for the formation of the as)ciation was held on September 8, 'l9, in the Carnival Tea Rooms, here wag a good attendance, ai'd msiderable enthusiasm was display - 1. Mr. George Eliott (president of to Auckland Returned Soldiers' As>ciation), Mr. Lang (of the Do- < linion Executive) and Mr.. W. Pol>ck (provincial organising secretary) ere present. Prior to the business immencing Mr. Poilock gave a short ddrefcs, explaining the steps necesury for the formation of the assoiation, and what, in his opinion, it ■as necessary to do for the futuie. ;ules submitted to the meeting ased on those of the Auckland as'ciation, wore adopted, and it was ecided to register and affiliate as ie "Lower Waikato Returned Soliers' Association." The following fficers and committee were elected: resident (Dr. A. Campbell-Smith), ice-presidents, Messrs Spragg. Morm and Dent; treasurer, Mr. W. ornby; secretary, Mr V. Morris; sn. solocitor, W. P. Hopkins; hon. iditor, Mr. R. P. Hopkins; execuve committee, J. O'Malley. R. G. . Fear. W. G. Fyfe. W. Barriaby. . Boyle, W. J. Jefferys. W. Eatly. . Rae, J. Geraghty, F. Shepherd. '. Pulham. Immediate steps were iken for registration and atliliation hicli were duly received. Enrolent of members was proceeded ith, but was not so successful as iulil have been desired. The assontion has been unfortunate in btg unable to obtain the services ol honorary secretary who could de>te In the duties the time and at ntion necessary. Mr Morris, the iginal secretary, fouml himself unite to curry mi the duties, and Mr.

•'yfe stepped into 1 lie breach, ami ut gome I inn* ea. tied on as assistant, eciwary. .Mr. Kyle, however, had toeave I'nr Alls 1 miia. The lion. treasirej, Mr. \V. Hornby, had merelj 11 adi' a si art with his duties when le had to leave for the military lioslital lo iuulei'L',o a serious operation. Wonibois of liie association will it->-iH>t 1" hear thai Mr. Hornby lias re:ently died at Narrow Neck camp. ?ince Mr. Fyfe's departure Mr. 15. Carpenter, oJ' the Bank of New Zealand, has acted as hon. treasu.er. Mid carried out such secretarial work us has arisen. The present position of tl^ I 'association membership is as follows: Members transferred from Auckland, S4; members transferred from Wellington, 1: new members, 33; nurses (not paying subscriptions), 2. Total membership 120. The position indicated . cannot be looked upon as a very bright one. The dis-' tri> t embraced' withiiV'tle boundaries of the Lower Waikato-Association ts a I a rye aird IVnport jirt one, and sent a I a rue numbijj.vof men to the front. Therefore a membership of 120, after jpeven months' existence, is a pool Rowing. It indicates on the part ol the returned men of the district a lack of interest in the affairs o J their local organisation. The want of interest may, to some extent, be accounted for' by oar nearness to Auckland. Financially,- the association is in an unfortunate position No capitation has been paid to head quarters. For 1020 there is Jue the sum of v:. r >. fls under this head ana fo.p 1921 approximately 12s, making a liability to headquarters of ap*" proximately U2 Is. The only othei liability of any consequence is due to caterer fo>" hall. The unfortunate- finWia! po,siticn can, almost wholly, the ball he!, on 13, ball, al thotfßh a splendid social success vva' a financial failure, expenditure ex feeding receipts by about H2O. The ball held at Tuakau was ni&o a social success and balanced financially. A concert held in Pukekohe showed r balance of VI % Jj&iredit. It is t< be regret ted tCirTt the positjoti a:laid before you is so unset ;sinctorj It will be conceded, hov\ever, tha" certain circumstances over whicl \i iu executive could have no contie have contributed to some extent t the unsatisfactory results shown u this report. However, the fact can no t be blanked that ,>Oie returner soldiers are 1 hem selves to lilaVne foi the' want of success odMl.e associa it ion. As an indication of this lac' of interest we mav show what hap pencd when Mr. f oibes ! . die p. the Auckland Retimed Soldiers' As sociation I.and Rure.-u), at your ex ecutive's imitation, addressed a mee r inn of return-(1 soi,i>is in l'ukekolu On ociasion. although tlie speal: {>r was d-'alim. with the miestionj o lano settlement and repatiiaiion but •i,>( t s of vital inte est to relurne 'men there was s .ich a small attem ,mce 1 hat i' was necessaiv f-.r i.n ir. hers of the t \tcit i-eto m live a per m.ivil cans...--; Ki'.-'e su'hcient me, n , u | ( ] be in.ln. lo attend to nuk- , t worl b win! ■ I" 1 ill. I .aui»- , IA i. ;vs!i!l i i' the represent.! (,r ~0111 e• .• ' ve a I'i al coir, millee v. n I '' •" I'alcki lie l,r til,- i!"!): t.; t; 'ii /. t winJi i ?oi,„ r..v> o ■ i ~.d se.- i f,„. the iri hi nei. I I M ol the district Your p-> '.idei.i I II." so'di'i' re pie W lit .live "II 11'" 1 • 1 ■' 11 ill ••f ■. 'I he I sd ion ha ; I" i, i .oil ! V placed heP,, Ihe ass- '■ ' •'"=»! '' "•»« >' , M .jI |i tbe lie ii '• ■ to wl..it t n future : I. Hi I. Mr. W. Il.rt.ao, (1.1. kill) I'l'.yrthe a.lop' ••■o >. Hi. top > t t«ii'J he iiA >j •> - ! ■ 1,1 ,|K m. <; I / .:' '" ' I'oai'V. I"I 111 ;V:- \ .1- p-', , ( * ,>\ tIJ . V, (. i! M{l If ill* • i I'-J " 'V; ' , ' j- ~.l I re.' 1 lie lei'SOll .vh ,i'"lMl ' ."VI""' • hi 'I ir.t he'll, (".It i'i„d,■' '• : t ' u , ! ; p ' l IxuJti'T i" lr - 1 it suditor*™ pi-olsbuc. n II f iITY,-«.'-' W hei '. 1 lemne- s; eon :l ( i,r• ir. *'.!■ -si 1 vje. <M |" ill■ !„,d" || i.hie v. i ' ."I i d.. < pile a h . i > |„ iiusv.vi 1., a -|iie-,t ion by Mr. / H, vie (Tual ..>•) •> . r «' «""• that the I. w.- 'k;' l " Return' Soldiers' Association was ies;,.n-" ■ for the d-'.t incurred owinu to t. failure of tbe inaugural bail held Pukek' he. The deficit over the »= was approximately U2. As regards previous meetings, ti .recent J'efiorted that fuaki T " m '" """