R.S.A. AND POLITICS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 14

R.S.A. AND POLITICS

The appearance in the Waitemata by-election of a contestant laying claim to championship of the interests of returned soldiers „ has raised the question as to whether the R.S.A. is in any way associated with the candidate in question and if his appearance signalises any inclination on the part of the association to depart from its rigid stand against interference in party politics.

Mr. P. R. Gardner claims three years' active service, twice wounded, which is not disputed. He does not profess to be officially sponsored by the R.S.A. or any of its branches, or any particular organisation of returned soldiers. He advertises, "This is the first occasion in 23 years the returned soldiers have asked a favour of you—don't let them down."

The constitution of the R.S.A. states that it shall be "non-party political in that it shall not, except by submission of questions and the publication of the answers thereto, influence or seek to influence the views of its members regarding any candidate for public office or any political or municipal party." There is no ambiguity therein as to the attitude of" the R.S.A. and the authority for Mr. Gardner to claim to be the "returned soldiers' candidate" is open to serious question. It would be regrettable were the R.S.A. to become embroiled in any disputes or allegations in a political contest with which it is not permitted to interfere, and on the other hand it seems strange that it has taken 25 years for Mr. Gardner to see an opportunity to come out as champion for the returned soldiers whose organisation has been fighting unremittingly down the years for better conditions for returned men and in all that period Mr. Gardner's voice never seems to have been heard.

The silence of any official pronouncement by the' R.S.A. of its attitude in connection with the Waitemata contest should not be misinterpreted as cognisance of one particular candidature, though a definite statement would have proved beneficial in the interests of the association by way of removing doubts as to a change of policy in regard to party politics.