Annual Rssaila Meeting

In Moresby

THE Annual General Meeting of the Port Moresby Branch of the RSS&AILA was held in the Branch’s premises on Tuesday evening, February 22.

There were 98 members present. The president, Mr. S. E. Reilly was in the chair.

The meeting stood in silence for two minutes in memory of fallen comrades.

In his report, the president said there had been a considerable increase in mem bership during 1948 —406 as against 244 in 1947.

He reported the loss of four members by death during 1948; Mr. J. Foley, a First War digger, and a pre-war presi dent, and three men of the Second World War —Mr. Richard Gore, whose tragic death cast a gloom over the whole com munity, was a son of a life-member, Mr.

Justice Gore; Mr. Howard Smith; and Mr. James Synnott.

The impending departure of the vice president of the Branch, Mr. D. L. Pullen will be a very great loss, said Mr. Reilly.

Mr. Pullen has spent most of his working life in Papua, and to him, more than to anybody else, is due the credit of the success of the Branch and the club.

Patients in hospital had been visited throughout the year, and gifts of tobacco, refreshments, etc., distributed without discrimination between returned men and others.

The Branch had been disturbed at the inadequacy of medical facilities in Port Moresby and a committee had been ap pointed to make inquiries in the matter.

Activities for the coming year included the building of a swimming pool on the lawn, and bar extensions in the club.

THE secretary of the Branch, Mr, P.

W. Bosgard, gave particulars of some of the more important functions undertaken during the year, particularly the Children’s Christmas Tree, the New Year Ball, and the first Anzac Day Dawn Service which had been held at Bomana War Cemetery last Anzac Day, There had been two important RSL re-union gatherings, he said —the Sappers and Gunners had held a dinner on Waterloo Night, June 18, attended by over 50 members; and the Branch had organised its first smoko for RSL members on Saturday, February 5, at which 85 mem bers had been present, including several country members.

New Office-Bearers THE election of officers for the year 1949 resulted as follows: — President. S. E. Reilly; vice-president, J. O. Lyons; secretary, P. W. Bosgard; assistant secretary, A. N. Minogue; treasurer, J. Aynsley.

The eight councillors elected are Messrs. F. G. Edwards, A. R. Murray, P.

Strutt, L. Elliot, N. Maloney, N. White, J. Arthur, G. Broad.