YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 85, 11 April 1945, Page 8

YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT

EX-SERVICEMEN'S PAGE

A HOME PURCHASED

AUCKLAND RS.A. MEMORABLE PROGRESS It can well be said that the year ended March 31 last was one of the greatest in the history of Auckland R.S.A. In that period the branch entered into its newlypurchased premises at 35, High Street, at a cost of £31,000, and before the end of the financial year was in the happy position of being able to say that the overdraft of f 20,000 had been wiped off and a new home, debt free for all time, had been procured, with a substantial bank credit. The annual report of the branch, now circulated, deals with the great amount of charitable work undertaken by the association, and also performed as trustee of several funds for the benefit of ex-service-men and their dependents. "Membership "has grown enormously from 6584 to 9456; this total includes about 7o nurses from both wars, 24 members still on 0.A.5.. and some 40 Waacs. The present war members are in a proportion of well over 40 per cent, and next year we expect, and hope, that they will be in the majority, but it is encouraging to find that some 300 more previous war members have joined up again," states the report. Comforts Funds Stopped "All hospitals were regularly visited bv the hospital committee, the mental and general hospitals weeklv, and Green Lane fortnightly, while the Knox Home is not forgotten. Mount Wellingto'i-Panmure have visited there for us. Mr. A. Smith the mental, and Mr. Don Alexander the military annexe. Northcote Club, as for many years past, attended the Mental Hospital at Christmas, with special comforts provided by the ladies' committee. During the year the sum of £690 11/6 was spent on cigarettes, sweets and fruit. For some years the Great War Funds Administrative Committee granted the sum of £40 per month, with a special allocation for Christmas, and this was of invaluable assistance. Early in the year, however, we were dismayed to learn that these grants were to be discontinued as from June. Two deputations have already waited on that committee's welfare subcommittee, and made strong representations for continuance of" the grants, but a few days ago a notification was received that these grants will definitely not be renewed. "It is hard to understand how such a decision could have been reached because, as pointed out by both deputations, the supply of comforts to hospital patients resulted in the greatest possible number of men benefiting from moneys subscribed by donors to the fund. The New Zealand Red Cross Society stepped into the breach and made us a gift of 20,000 cigarettes for hospital distribution, and in addition the Joint Council (Auckland) of Red Cross and St. John have supplied 3500 packets of cigarettes for distribution amongst present war men in the annexe and in the mental hospital (the number of the latter is fortunately still few). We owe a debt of gratitude to both these organisations for their timely help and cordial co-operation.

"The Auckland Headmasters' Association, as for many years past, conducted a special collection amongst the schools near Anzac Day. The children freely responded, and we sincerely thank them and the masters for the resulting collection, which swelled the hospital comforts fund by no less a sum than £101 4/. A very thoughtful gesture was made by the fairly large sprinkling of ex-service employees of J.F.B. at Sylvia Park. A collection was made there yielding £38 2/8, and we gratefully acknowledge the donation towards hospital comforts. War Pensions "The services of the association have been very freely availed of, many hundreds- of claims for pension, economic, dependents, etc., being' lodged and proceeded with. The War Pensions Appeal Board commenced a sitting in November, and with breaks of four weeks at Christmas and three weeks in February is still in session, and will continue until June. Many hundreds of appeals have been prepared and supported at this and earlier sittings. This service is available to all ex-servicemen ana women, who are welcome to call at the office for information and guidance in this connection. "In January a special general meeting was held, and a resolution was passed supporting N.Z.R.S.A. policy in regard to military defaulters (with whom conscientious objectors should not be confused). In brief, that policy is that military defaulters should be deprived of their civil rights for ten years, that they be held in detention camps until 12 months after the war, and that they be debarred from employment in Government Departments or other institutions maintained by money of the taxpayers. "At a later quarterly meeting it was decided to ask Auckland M.P.'s if they would support this policy and to publish the answers in this report. As a result, Mr. H. T. Morton was strongly in favour; Mr. P. Carr stated that if the policy was meant to apply to all military defaulters he was opposed; Mr. F. Hackett was not in favour, as he considered that some at present dubbed military defaulters are really conscientious objectors; Mr. Schramm was opposed; and Mr. R. M. Algie was indefinite. No other replies were received. "The Auckland Wrestling Association has for a large number of years allocated to us a proportion of its net profits for the year. The wrestling season this winter was a very lean one, as very few matches could be arranged, but we received a cheque for £11, which Is much appreciated, and which has gone to the hospital comforts fund. Ex-Servicewomen's Associations "Both the Auckland and the Imperial Ex-Servicewomen's Associations have supported us just as fully as in the past. They gave invaluable help on Poppy and Rose Days, and it is very encouraging to note their large attendances on parade on Anzac Day. The returned Army nursing sisters have helped us too, and have recently rented a room in the R.S.A- building, so that we are in closer touch with them than ever. A comparatively large number of overseas nursing sisters newly returned from this war have joined our ranks, so that a goodly muster is anticipated on Anzac Day. The women's section of the R.S.A. is growing in membership, and is, as previously, very keen to give service whenever requested. Committee women and members have regularly helped in many ways and on many occasions during the year. Their enthusiasm for, and support of, R.S.A. work is likely to continue undiminished long after the war is over."