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Makan - No. 76
1st March, 1953

Official Organ of the 2/30th Bn. A.I.F. Assn

COMMITTEE

Dear Dig,

Ross Madden is still painting the town red at Armidale but he does it in the line of business and not just for a lark. He is keeping good health and rejoices in a family of two, although bad luck has dogged the health of his first baby. Ross recently met Eric Arps who was on his way through Armidale and he daily speaks to Bill Humphreys, who lives in the town. Bill has almost completed his own house.

It is some years since we have heard from Jack Brooks, ex A. Coy, now living at Goulburn. Jack is still working on the railway and in his spare time goes in for vegetable growing in a big way. He is not as fit as he used to be and has had several trips to the Repat. Dept. in connection with chronic chest trouble. Jack and his wife are very proud of their latest addition, Peter, now five months old. Carl Rope used to live at Goulburn but has now shifted to Wollongong so Jack Brooks and Tommy Apps are the only two representatives we have at Goulburn. You might remember that we have mentioned previously that Tommy is one of the local postmen down there.

Tommy Nixon of Randwick is very happy about his new daughter, Dianna, who will be a playmate for his other little daughter, Sandra. Tom is one of our most consistent Association members, and to our knowledge has never missed a reunion or general meeting.

Don Sutherland of Bowen in North Queensland has recently spent some time in hospital where he was given shock treatment for his nerves. Don works in the open air and in the summer time the heat is thick enough to swim in at Bowen.

Ack Ack Martin of Huskisson on the Coast must be feeling a lot better this year as he has actually taken to the axe again. He competed in a lot of shows this season but felt a little queer being on the back markers just as if he were a beginner to the sport. He enjoyed the season and hopes to win a few wood chopping tournaments next year. If he finds that he cannot stand up to the younger men then he will hang up his axe for keeps. Ack should be a very handy man to his neighbours as he likes to chop a ton or so of wood regularly just to keep in training.

Joe Roxburgh has had a busy time lately packing up and selling surplus furniture as he is shifting to a flat which, though smaller, will be more convenient and suitable to him. His new address will be at Crows Nest.

Jack North of West Wyalong broke his knee joint a couple of months ago and will be flat out on his back until March. After he does get up, his leg will be in plaster for 6 to 8 months. You can imagine how trying it would have been to be confined to bed during the summer months. Thank heavens it wasn't his elbow joint which was broken. That would have been more than he could have borne.

Ron Mclean of Black Mountain, wherever that is, is well enough to write "Please find subs enclosed'." but nothing else. We hope to hear from him through some of our other chaps if they ever pass through that district.

Tommy Davis is now living at Tamworth where he is employed by the Tamworth Ambulance Service. You might remember that, after a very long and trying time, Tom managed to build a house at Grafton during his spare time. The effort of building the house and finding the finance for it reduced him to a bundle of nerves and, on completion of the house, he and his wife moved in with a sigh of relief and the firm resolve that never again would they shift and NEVER again would they attempt to build themselves a new home. This from Tommy, mind you, who is a builder by trade. Work became scarce in Grafton and, with an eye to the future, Tom joined the Grafton Ambulance Service as an honorary bearer. Work in the building trade then just petered out at Grafton and left Tom without the means to earn even a modest living. Now at Tamworth, he has started the whole wretched routine again, beginning with a block of land and a garage in which he and his family are now living. Tom has once again commenced to build his own house. We hope that this time, at least, he will have no trouble with materials or finance. Tom tells us that the Peel River was almost dry at his time of writing but that the baths are still as lovely and as popular as ever. Tom and his wife have one asset which is a great source of joy to then in the shape of their young son, who is now 15 months old.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

We remind you once again that the date of our next annual General Meeting will be the second Friday in March (13/3/53). It will be held at Arncliffe Drill Hall and we ask you to come along in strength and to make sure, if you have transport, that you pick up another member also. If you are short of a passenger, then perhaps if you ring Jimmy Cooper at BL.2177 the day before the meeting he will be able to fill your car for you. For those of you who come by train the Drill Hall is practically on the doorstep of Arncliffe Railway Station. It will be an extra good night, so don't miss it.

ANNUAL BALL

We also remind you of the date of our Annual Ball. This year it will be on 6th June at the Coronet Restaurant near Wynyard Station. We give you this early notice to allow you to plan ahead and we hope that you will all make a determined effort to make this Ball our biggest and brightest yet. Our Ball is not really a Ball in the usual sense but it is more like a big family party and we hope to make it even more enjoyable as the years go by. Family troubles make it difficult for some to come along but try for that baby sitter for this year and give your wife a night out among those friends of yours whom she is probably quite familiar with from reading the Makan. Or do they read our Makan?

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

The first reminder of the year in last month's Makan met with a reasonable response, but we hope that this month those of you with subs. still outstanding will send along 5/0 or 10/0 to keep our heads above water. It takes money to keep this Makan going out to you and we must have current subs to carry on. Try to make that effort this month and send your subs to Reg. Ellis, Hunters Hill.

It was a pleasure to enjoy a lunch with Jock Logan during one of his recent visits to the city. Jock is a furniture storeman from the North West and business has been brisk enough for him to open a small branch at St. George in Queensland. At St. George, Jock often meets Dick Newman, one of our lads, but apart from those two, our unit is not well represented in that district. Jock is prospering in a modest way but he is astute enough to spend money on personal buying trips to the city at fairly frequent intervals. He keeps fairly good health but is not yet married. Tell us, what's the matter with all the females in that area? Jock wouldn't last a week among the men-hungry women in this town.

John Meillon and his wife were frequent visitors to Manly surf during their recent holiday in Sydney. They have two brown eyed children, Madelaine and Michael, who are as pretty as a picture, thank heavens they don't take their looks from dear old Dad. Believe it or not, John is now close to 17 stone in weight.

Jack Lonie was also seen in the surf at Manly where he recently holidayed with his wife and young son. Jack is doing very well indeed in a grocery business which he runs as a partnership in Annandale.

Cheerio,

STAN ARNEIL

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