NO POLITICS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 127, 29 May 1919, Page 7

NO POLITICS

FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS. AUCKLAND REMIT REJECTED. BY FIFTY TO ONE. (Bγ Telegraph.—Press Association.) CIIRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The much-debated question of political action waa decided, at to-day's conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldier?' Association, after a long debate. ■ The Auckland remit — '"That the article dealing with the scope of the association be altered by the deletion of the word ■ non ' that occur? in front of the word ' political,'"' was moved by Mr E. F. Andrews. Mr. Conies (Wairarapa) moved. an amendment that '" non-party " be substitute 1 in the motion for' '-political," and Mr. Andrews said he was prepared to accept it. The president said that if the conference accepted or refused tho principle of political action as indicated in the motion it ms perfeoth competent to decide as to whether the action should be party political action, nr non-party, but the prime issue vra« clear cut -political or non-political action. Dr. Hastings fTemuka) =nid the confprence wa- in In hour, and if a political child came forth it would, in his o.pinion, he premature. He really believed in political action, but the time was premature. had gone' back oit promises, and they had no guarantee even that written promise would bp keDt. The measure should he deferred till they pot the pulse beat of the whole Dominion. Mr. T. Long f Auckland! said the association wns set -.in to rectify the grievances of men suffering serious disablement, 'but, notwithstandins the most earnest efforts of the executive, no tangible results had been attained. He could find no other means of reform, save political action, because the association had arrived at a dead end, and the whole expense of the conference would be wasted if no action was taken. Mr. Cowles (Mastertonl said the question, as viewed by speakers, seemed to he whether they werp going to die of old age. nr commit hari kari. There should he laid down a definite platform of reasonable demands. ?ome seemed to think political action was going to split up the association. He did not think such would be the case. Tbp only political action they should indulge in was that referring directly to soldiers. They need not bother about such questions as tie imporatatiori of Asiatic eggs, etc. Mr. Harper (Wellington) said success ■would lie in getting the general public behind the association, and with proper organisation and live interest in important questions the members would spread the propaganda throughout the country. The Rev. TV. Walker (Christchureh , ) asked what was the basis upon which the association had been built'up. Had not its two principal planks been non-politi-calism and non-sectarianism? Tf they departed from these they would lose the confidence imnosed in them by the general public. There were many grievances to he redressed, but the public would assist them in getting their rights. Mr. Pollock (Auckland), who supported the non-party platform, said the demands the association were making were not so much for rights as for what the Government d promised before the men went away, and had failed to give. Mr. "Percy Brandon (Wellington) said he understood that under the Civil ?ervice regulations, no Civil servant could belong to a political , organisation. Tf the association formed itself into a political body every Oivil servant in it would be obliged to resign. He would strongly oppose the motion if such a disability were placed upon Civil servants. Mr. Washer (Tauranga) eaid there were a number of members of the association in the military forces, and according to army regulations no soldier was allowed to take part in political action. A number of delegates spoke in opposition to the remit. Mr. Andrews, in replying, said the objection had been made that if thp motion ■were carried it would result in the association being cast in the melting pot. He questioned whether that would be altogether a disadvantage. He had no doubt that many returned soldiers would stand as candidates at the next election, and they ought to have the association ac a body behind them. On a division the remit was rejected fey 50 votes to nil. The announcement of the result was received in silence. Mr. Andrews said he thanked the opponents of political action for their sportsmanlike attitude towards tho remit. His fide was beaten, but not discouraged. There would be no split. (Applause.) He intended to work fairly to reverse tie decision at the next conference.