RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1922, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

HONOR MR. AND MRS. BURGESS. A graceful compliment was paid, to Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Burgess of New Plymouth, at an informal gathering at the Returned Soldiers’ Club last night, when they were the recipients of a presentation as an acknowledgement of their many services to returned men and work in patriotic spheres. Reference was made to the activities of Mr. and Mrs. Burgess right throughout the war period, to the manner in which they had shown continued interest by fostering the soldiers’ club movement, and other work in the interests of the men after the war had finished. Several members eulogised what the guests of the evening had done, and, as one speaker put it, they had received the" benefit of whatever an unstinted expenditure of money, an unusual gift of organisation, and a great amount of enthusiasm could achieve.

The presentation toqk the form of a handsome solid silver table centre, and was made by the president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association (Mr. A. M. Mac Diarmid), who mentioned that the idea of the presentation had not originated with the official body of the association or of the club. There was nothing official about it whatever; it was a spontaneous idea that originated some months age among some of the younger members, and personally he thought it was very appropriate that this should be so. Mi. Mac Diarmid did not think it was of use for him to recount what Mr. and Mrs. Burgess had done for the returned men. Right through the war they were working as hard as possible. Both had done a tremendous amount of work, and much labor and sacrifice must have been entailed.

A number of other speakers added their tribute, after which Mr. Mac Diarmid. asked Mr. and Mrs. Burgess to accept the token as expressing the spirit of the feelings towards them.

The presentation was accompanied by the singing of “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.”

In the course of a feeling response, Mr. Burgess said. that though he might have done some hard work during the war, it was a harder task to express his thoughts on this occasion. “This present,” he said, “will not be the end, I hope, of what we shall be able to do for the returned men.” He thanked them sincerely, and saying that what had been done was purely for the love of the work.

Mrs. Burgess said that Mr. Burgess and herself had had many kindnesses shown to them and had many presents from returned men, which were valued highly. She paid a tribute to the work of Captain Hartnell in the early work in connection with the club, and also referred to the work done during the war period by Archdeacon Evans. “We were only ones of the many,” she said, and concluded by expressing the hope that they would be able to have many future gatherings to meet old friends

among the returned men. They would always be reaay at any time to render any help.

A number of vocal and instrumental items were contributed during the evening, and supper was served prior to the dispersal of the gathering.