Edmonton Journal

3 Sep 1921

 

MANY OLD-TIMERS WHO FOUGHT IN RIEL REBELLION WERE PRESENT AT R.N.W.M.P. VETERAN’S MEETING

 

Report of Year’s Activities were Presented by the Retiring President, Col James Walker; Request for Increased Pensions was Turned Down.

 

That the application of old members of the R.N.W.M.P. for an increase in the pension rate had been turned down by the authorities at Ottawa, without even a discussion, was the statement of Secretary P.H. Tucker at the annual meeting of the R.N.W.M.P. (Veteran’s Association), held here Sept 1, 1921.

 

There was a good turn-out of members, three of whom had joined the old force in 1873, making the overland march in 1874, when the Riel rebellion was exercising the who of the west. These three were Colonel James Walker, G.C. King and James McKernan, whilst there were also present a number of old timers who had taken part in the rebellion. An address was delivered by Col. Walker, retiring president and a report of the year’s activities presented by the secretary.

 

A great amount of work had been done by the association and great progress had been made. He regretted that the authorities had turned down the application for increased pensions for the old members of the force, as these men had helped to open up the country and to make and keep it safe for settlement. Many of them were receiving no pension what ever, and were not arriving at an age which made it impossible for them to compete with younger men in the matter of earning. Those who were in receipt of pensions found that they were so meager as to make it impossible to live on them in old age, and for this reason the government had been asked to raise the pension to the scale that is paid to those who resign from the force at the present time.

 

Script request Refused

 

The request for script for members of the force who served through the rebellion had also been refused, and the appears to be a decided injustice, since the mounted police were the only body serving in the rebellion who did not get recognition. The association decided to press further for their demands.

 

The members elected for the coming year are as follows

 

Honorary president Major General J.H. MacBrien

President: G.C. King, Calgary

Vice President: Col W.C. Bryan Edmonton

Executive committee Col. G.E. Sanders, C.M. Loasby, Col. J. Walker, E.W. Racey, J.S. Piper, Rev. H.C. Lewis Hooper, E.A. Braithwaite, Col P.C.H. Primrose, Col. J.H. McIirie, J.J. Marshal, Major, A.E. Snyder, F.W. Light, J.H.G. Bray, E.W. Bavin

 

Headquarters chaplain Rev. J.M. Comyn-Ching

Secretary treasure P.H. Tucker

 

E. Howard 2006-01-24