VETERANS' ASSOCIATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 37, 7 August 1911, Page 3

VETERANS' ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. There was a. good attendance at the ! annual meeting of the Taranaki branch of the Royal New Zealand Association. of His Majesty's Veterans. Colonel Elite, V.D., vice-president, was in the chair. , i

The annual report and balance-sheet were adopted, the latter showing a credit balance of £l3 lis Id. The chairman commented on the increasing interest being taken by veterans in the association's doings', as evidenced by the growing membership. The branch started with 44 members ten years ago. The roll number was reduced next year to 33,' and the association remained at that strength for three years, when the membership began to increase. In all, 103 members had joined the association, of »whom twenty had died (five deaths having taken place last year), fifteen hadi left the ranks, and 128 remained on the ' books, of whom 10(i were financial. Members more than- two years in arrears with subscriptions would have to be struck off, as provided by the, rule?. The president of , the association is Ills Excellency the Governor. Lord Isling*: ton. Other officers were elected as fol-low:—Vice-president, Colonel Ellis. V.D. (re-elected) y delegates to the New Zealand executive in Wellington, Captains Hamerton and Thos. Humphries (reelected); secretary, Captain John Black (re-elected); treasurer, Captain J. S. McKellar; auditor, Mr. W. F. Brooking; committee, Captain Mace, N.Z.C., Sergeant Wells, Messrs. Adlam, J. Kenyon, W. Humphries, O. Oxenham, and P. Oliver.

Captain Mace proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to the secretary, giving it as his opinion that it was Captain Black who had kept the local branch of the association together.—This was unanimously carried. Sergeant Wells moved, and Mr.. W.' D. Webster seconded, that the secretary's honorarium be increased from £5 to £lO. This was carried without dissent, and amidst acclamation. Appreciative reference was made to the Boy Scouts and their kindness in caring for the old soldiers' graves in the cemetery. Mr. R. Wells suggested that the annual meeting should be preceded by a luncheon, not an elaborate affair, but "something to bring us old chaps together more socially." The idea was not supported, but will be broug".* ■•» again.