VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1917, Page 8

VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.

YESTERDAY'S GATHERING. The .New Plymouth branch of the N.Z. Veterans' Association mot at tlio Hygienic tea-rooms yesterday afternoon. The purpose of the gathering was to honor several members of the Association who were over the age of fifl vears. There was an attendance of 20 veterans, the particular guests boinir: Lieutenant \\. H. Free (i) 3 years), Lieutenant T. N. Kyngdon (97 years), and .Mr. 11. Putt (02 years). Mr. 0. P. Robinson, president of tile local branch, presided, and there were also present his Worship the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. C. IT Burgess,, .Mr. H. Okey, M.P., and the Son. Archdeacon Evans. The proceedings commenced with the singing of the National Anthem.

The chairman read a letter from Mr. SV. T. Jennings, M.P., in which he oxpressed his regret at being ur.able to attend. He said there v.w no ' athcnii" lie would so much liave libod u> attend as that in honor of (he ara who had .done so much for the nonunion. The chairman then :a:d it was the purpose of tire gathering to honor the oM veterans who had endured tho.hardships prior to the. Maori war, when the great question was not so much the cost of living, but jtlie question of getting anything to live on. Then in the wars the veterans endured very many dangers and hardships and fought many seven; battles. His wonder was not that tlvy endured those hardships, but that, having endured them, they had continued to live to the age thev had reached that day.

The toast of life Army and Navv was proposed by .Air. J. Wilson, and w'a? accorded musieal honors, being responded to by Colonel Ellis and Mr. J. Andrews.

T!i« (oast of the guests was proposed by the Von; Archdcae'on Evans, who said that the occasion was the first on which he had addressed the veterans of i-Tow Plymouth as a member of the Association. He said that what the young men of the Empire to-day were fighting for was exactly what the Vetera!)- had fought for so many years ago—freedom and justice. He was sure that the guests would feel a great pride in the fact that .what they had done had helped to lay the foundations of the- country's present prosperity.

The toast was received with the sing : in? of "For they are jolly good fellows," and the giving of cheers.

Mr. ][. Okey, who expressed his admiration of the veterans for what they had done for the Dominion, replied on hehalf of the guest =. When they fought for their homes tliey fought to'preserve for the people of to-day the freedom and privileges they now enjoyed. 'When the Pensions Bill was first submitted to the House the argument was used (hat it would only he for a f"W years that the pensions would be required] and it was for that reason, as wei] as for others, that the pension was printed. The speaker referred to the weakness in the pensions scheme, which denied the pension lo men who had not been under fire in the Maori War. and said thai: if representations were made to (lie House he thought that hardship would be removed. Though the military pensions conflicted with the nld-age pension, the speakor considered that the military pension was for services rendered, anil should not prevent a votoran from receiving an old-age pension. (Applause). Mr. S Adlam proposed (he toast "Trade and Commerce." His Worship the Mayor (Mr. ('. IT. Burgess), in his reply, said he had a great admiration for all the veterans who came to the. colony in its early days. He specially referred to the hard pioneering work done by the women veterans, as well as the men. He also spoke of the adventurous spirit of the Britishers, which made them sail tho sea; and trade with other people*.. Awl where British traders had gone the British flag had also gone. He incidentally noted that if Germany had. heen content to achieve her ends by trade and commerce., she could have done bo without going to war. Tt was to be hoped that from the present war lessons would be learned that would keep the British nation from ever again taking trading matters so easily. The speaker concluded, amidst applause, by congratulating the veterans, and especially the guests of the afternoon. Mr. W. D. Webster also responded to the toast The cha'irman, before the conclusion of the function, expressed the thanks of the association to the host and hostess for the excellent manner in which the function had lieen arranged. He also proposed a vote of thanks to the press. Following are the names of the veterans present, and their ages: 0. A. Adlam (77), .T Andrews (75), ,T. Cornev (7S), T. Veale (77). IT. Ford- (76), J. Ken von (84). C. Billing (fifl), W. King (Sa)," T Williams (73), T. Billing (72), W. Moon (73), J.. Wright (73), W. Allen (80). J. Brooks (72). J. Pepperell (73), W. Billing (74). J. Rock (SO). G. P. Robinson (78), Col. Ellis (77), J. Black (75), T. Clare .(74), J. H. 'Walker (7:>). VV. D. Webster (77), John Skinner (fifi), W. B. Davies (71). The ages in the aggregate amount to 2103 years, the average being slightly over 77 years. During the proceedings selections wore contributed by Mrs. Moverlcy's orchestra and songs by Messrs..Veale'and Mills.