ROYAL VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 197, 10 August 1908, Page 4

ROYAL VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.

the annual meeting of members of the iaranaki centre of the Royal Association of ,\ew Zealand \ eteran, was d m Hie town Hall, I'Uinoutll,. 011 Saturday afternoon,CapLain Stand-' is.lt (vice-president) presiding over aii attendance of fifteen members. There were present:— Captains Staudish, MeKellar, lilack. .Mace, \\ ilson, .Messrs. J. Ivenyon. !•'. Diner, W. I'earn, Appleyard, l.'nvmviiy, ,). Crazier, liobt. Wells, T. .\k-Koyle, and 1!, C. U. (iray. The treasurer, Capt, McKcllar, suliniiLcd a statement of the accounts of the year, showing a-credit balance of ■L'l ISs 'Jd. Tlie chairman commented upon the amount received by t-he Association in subscriptions. 'The reason why there were so few members, he said, must be that the veterans didn't realise the benefits of membership. They bad already considerable concessions in the granting of free passes oil the railways. Just at present, on the occasion of the visit of the American lleet, in the Auckland district, members of the Volerans' AssOciation were being conveyed by the steamship companies lo Aiick-

land free of charge. J.fo had endeavored to obtain similai concessions from tilic steamship agents here, hut Ihv aefommodation was so taxed as to make litis impossible, lie noticed that the (ioveriMiieiit was issuing to members free passes from Wellington to New Plymouth in connection with the fleet's visit.. The stronger the Association the greater advantages and concessions could he gained hy its memliCTs. Apart from this there was the social aspect. It. would lie possible, if the Association were strong, to arrange social gatherings once or twice a year, when members could meet and talk over old times. With a good membership such lime'-

tions could lie held out of (lie Associntiou funds, ami no doulit if the member? were to try and take an interest themselves in tiie Association tile public would interest' themselves in the movement, and social gatherings for the veterans would be arranged by the volunteers and public, in Wellington the members of the Veterans' Association were entertained right royally by the public, without expense to the members themselves. Here in New Plymouth there were many deserving calls upon the public purse just now, such as the Hecreation Sports Ground, Western Park, Kaplftltade extension, and so on. but he thought the public generally would not be slow to appreciate what the veterans hud done in the wars of the past, the benefits of which were now being reaped by the people of to-day. The Association had done something, of course. The Marsh/id Hill memorial to those who fell in the .Maori wars was the result of action taken by the Association, the movement having first been instituted by their distinguished comrade. Captain Maee. X.Z.P. Tarnnnki had contributed loyally. and the subscriptions bad come in well from all parts of the Empire, the Government: subsidising by £ for £ up to £3OO. There was now oveir' C7OO in band, anil the contract for the erection of the monument had been lot. The year, said Captain !Standish, had been an uneventful one. In fact, the committve bad been dormant,' not having held a single meeting. This was. not a desirable state of affairs, and he thought it should be a direction to the committee to meet at least quarterly, lie would probably be told that there was nothing for {he committee to do, but he was sure that if the members met they would lind plenty to talk about and something to do. Concluding, he reminded members of the interest taken in the Association by hift Excellency the Governor, upon 'whose representations his Majesty the King had consented to become patron of the Association. 'This was a vary great distinction, of which tiiey should feel proud. The officers for the ensuing year are us follows; Patron, his Majesty the King; president, 'his Kxcellency tie Governor; vice-president, Captain Standish; delegates to the annual conference, Japtaina Standish a»d K. C. Hamerton; iceretary, Captain J. Black; treasurer, ,'aptain MeKellar; auditor, Captain .]. Davics; commit/tee, the vice-presid-■ut, and Messrs, (!. A. Adlam, 11, Wells, I. C. Davics, J. Ktsnyon, F. Oliver, and Jhas. Oliver. It was decided that the committee hould meet <|uartcrh —on the first luturdays in November, February, and day, and on the date of the annunj! neeting in August.