COMMITTEE

Dear Dig,

ANNUAL BALL  -- What about the Ball on Saturday, 10/7/54, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the New Dungowan, No. 34 Martin Place? It's only a week or so away and bookings are very slow. We have booked for 150 at least and that means we PAY for 150 whether we have that number or not. If you are coming to the Ball, then ring Reg Ellis (WX3198) or Doug Blanshard (XX2068) NOW -- not tomorrow, but NOW. If you want the Ball, it's up to you to co-operate because, after all, it is YOUR show. Don’t forget the beer, 36/- doz. delivered on your table and nothing but the best - TOOHEY'S EXPORT LAGER. The Ball is not confined to 2/30th personnel, bring anybody you like, but let us know the number of your party NOW. The cost will be ₤1 each person. We must make a success of this Ball, both socially and financially. If you haven't got a party, then come along anyhow. We will fit you in and you will be amongst friends. Most of you are still waiting to reserve your tables, but REMEMBER WE MUST HAVE YOUR BOOKINGS NOW. Roll up and make it a bumper show.

Vic Hamlin has built himself a lovely home in Boree Creek. He is still a single man but has become very keen on Adult Education from the time he first was introduced to a charming young schoolteacher in the district. He has not made much progress in his studies at the local Evening College and the students sitting in front of him have all got stiff necks from the continuous draft as Vic spends most of his time sighing gustily. Vic is a fair sized fellow and when he sighs it is somewhat the same as a Sperm whale blowing to the surface so we can understand why the other students complain. Anyway, he is making progress in other directions and we might have some news for you later.

Ted Skuse is the proud father of his fourth baby, a little girl. Ted is hoping for a large family and is starting well.

Don Garner (Lt.) is also around town bragging about his new baby son, the way he talks one would think that he had had it himself. The cream this month goes to Frank (Spider) Webb of Yenda who is still bubbling over with joy since his wife presented him with twin babies, making five little beauties in all. His wife is well and Spider is the envy of the town. He doesn't need any outside hobbies now as he reckons that there is nothing to beat a weekend with three little kiddies following him around from dawn until dark begging for a play and with the two little ones gooing at him from their twin bassinets.

Arch Thorburn is reasonably satisfied with himself now that his wife has presented him with a new baby, the fourth in the family, and the first son. As Arch himself says "...four children cannot be said to constitute a large family but at least it is a START!..." Well, it probably is only a start for Arch, but at least he could have given the child a decent start in life and granted him a name, any name such as is usually given to a human. The unfortunate little fellow is called Angus! Isn't there a breed of cattle known as Angus something or other?

Ross Hutton has left the big smoke and is living at Nowra, or at Greenwell Point via Nowra, to be precise, where he is fishing and prawning for a living. He has plans to build a block of flats within twelve months and will tell us when they are ready for holiday letting. Can you imagine, city people, just how peaceful a fishing holiday at Nowra could be? The loudest noise down there is the sound of fish knives scraping off the scales and of the gentle hiss of ale filling those big schooners. Ross says that there is no cemetery down there, they are all just too healthy.

Bruce Upcroft is still with the Commonwealth Bank in Tasmania but he has now been transferred to Burnie and he can now be found C/- Bank there. Bruce tells us that Bill Gilligan of B. Coy, is also at Burnie. Bill works for the Vacuum Oil Co. There are a lot of ex 2/40th men at Burnie and Bruce and Bill are never short of a companion at the local ex-servicemen's functions.

Ernie Parkes has sold out his business at Huskisson and is now living at Kogarah, Sydney.

We hear that Dick Henderson of Mungindi is rejoicing at the birth of his first son, whilst Arthur Isaacs has another darling daughter, making three gorgeous babies, all girls.

Johnny Kreckler has shifted to a new address at Dulwich Hill. Dinny Lane is now in business at Heathcote as a Newsagent.

The General Meeting was held a couple of months ago and was, as usual, a real success. This year it was held at the Ex-Imperial Service Club at Hamilton Street, Sydney, and the atmosphere and the set up there was ideal. The crowd was one of the biggest we have ever had at such a function, there were close to 70 present, and the meeting was conducted in an atmosphere of, shall we say, conviviality. Before the meeting about 20 members enjoyed a Chinese feed at the Eastern Cafe in Dixon Street and, although we very carefully recorded, for the Chinese proprietor, the name of each person on the corresponding meal order, Red Friend ruined everything by taking the first meal which came along and, as it was not the one he had ordered, the whole 20 persons received somebody else's meal. It did not detract from the enjoyment of it, however. At the meeting, Jimmy Cooper was in the chair and various motions were made. One suggestion was that our Unit should explore the possibility of planting a tree in Her Majesty's proposed Memorial Drive from Sydney to Canberra. The matter was placed in the hands of the Executive but enquiries revealed that the cost to the donor was ₤10 per tree and those in authority were simply NOT INTERESTED in reducing the cost to a reasonable sum that we could plant a tree for every deceased man of the Unit. If this attitude is maintained then it will probably remain a nice idea instead of a Memorial Drive.

The Election of Office Bearers resulted in no change from those of the previous year and a vote of thanks was recorded for the services of the Hon. Auditors during the year. This little service, of course, is performed for his Company of Public Accountants by Andy Noble and a very good job he does too. It is essential that we have our books audited by an independent auditor such as Andy as our expenses are fairly high even though our income is dropping.

Present at the meeting was Padre Lionel Marsden, who was with us during our P.O.W. years. He has been in Japan for the last five years as a missionary and Jimmy invited him to say a few words about the Japanese, as he, the Padre saw them. The talk was most interesting and presented us with an entirely new angle, although it would take too long to go into the subject here. We can imagine that Padre Marsden's ideas would provide the basis of a healthy debate if the occasion arose.

Ken Crispin moved, on his Notice of Motion last year, that the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer be made Hon. Life Members of the Association and this motion was opposed by the nominees on the angle that, to increase the number of such Members would lesson the value of such Memberships and, anyway, they didn't think that they deserved such an honour. The motion was carried, however, and a further motion by Major (can't get used to referring to Johnno as Colonel) Johnston that Hon. Life Membership carry a special Gold Badge was also carried. It was quite the nicest thing that has happened to the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer for many a long year and they were both deeply appreciative of the honour of the proceedings.

Andy Hyslop of Strathfield, writes a nice little note with his subs. but tells us little news of himself. Our latest information of Andy was that he was well advanced on his particular ladder and we hope that he is still climbing.

Jack North, of West Wyalong, has been left with a permanent limp as the result of a very bad break in his leg some time ago. Although this does not worry Jack, he cannot keep very good health as he has been in hospital four times since Christmas and expects to return there again shortly.

Please forward cheques, money orders and postal notes to Reg Ellis at Boronia Park. All money orders and postal notes to be made payable at the G.P.O.  Sydney.

Cheerio,

STAN ARNEIL.

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