HAWERA.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1918, Page 3

HAWERA.

WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE,

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

A highly successful and enjoyable conversazione was held on Wednesday evening under the auspices of tho Women's National Reserve at the Central Tea Rooms, when a number of returned soldiers were most hospitably entertained. During the evening His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Dixon) introduced Mrs Corrigan, who e)rtended a very hearty welcome to returned soldiers, All members of the Reserve, heartily appreciated what the men had done for them, leaving their homes, their careers and all that they held dear to go and fight for them. It was impossible to understand all that that meant to the men. Neither could they realise all that they had to endure. But when the letters arrived from the men at the front, making fun of the bully beef and the biscuits, the discomfort during the days and nights in the trenches, with very little 6lcep, the weeks with scarcely a decent wash or shave, they could understand, for they knew how the boys loved a good dinner, a comfortable bed and other comforts which had (been denied tliem. There were also the unspeakable things, the 'unwritten things, the things no boy writes about or wished his mother to know: and when they (the women) thought of those things it made them ask. Are we worthy? And they prayed God that when the war is over and all who were. spared had returned, they might show the men that tliey were worthy of what had been done for them, in standing between them and the fate of the Belgian women and children. The speaker assured tho soldiers that the Women's National Reserve would always be ready to assist them, provided that the (schemes met with thei approval of the Wellington executive. At the conclusion of her remnr-ksV Mrs Com'gan was heartily Applaniei. The Mayor also extended & hearty wekonie home to tihe men.

On behalf of Uie returned' men,- flunks wa ? expressed by Mr Spratt. During the evening the following Contributed items, which greasy add«A to the evening's enjoyment: Songs by Miss ¥. JcnWns, Rev. C H. Orant Ccwren, Mr T* A. Taytor; duet Iby Miss Jenkins mtd ~sft Robins; recitation, Miss K. Kelly, i\K9 part songa by Male Quartette (Messrs Lamib, Lewis, Grace, MdClelkint. Selections were also given by Mr Higham's orchestra. Mrs L. A. Taylor and Mrs Grant Cowen acted as accompanists. , The winners in the ceWbtifciea-eomp**