RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION MATTERS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume 49, Issue 7677, 23 April 1921, Page 3

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION MATTERS

general meeting of members

a general meeting uf the Western B-y ol E',-;;ty Reiun'erl Soldiers’ A-sxi.m.a wa» held m die supp-r "» *• lmvn HaU lau evening. 'u-re v.xie present i Messrs L. I- Hall, W Lt W. Davies, J. Murphy, J Cbiv'ers. /.F. Winlle.R. p Petherbndge, VV F. E r Fox V Macken, E. Hammond. R. Knight, N.Munro, H. Palmer, Gardinei, M. \\ A H, T.Edwards, Loan, J. R. Matpeson T. Collins, Pillow, Sm illfield A. B. Friers, Savage, M ;n----sel (2), Tod man. R. Manns -ox, Beale,' Sergeant-Major Lloyd, C S Clark (secretary) and othmMr Clark apologised lor me absence of the President, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, who was unable to he present owing to m M? P Wintle was voted to the j ch Th e minutes ol the last meeting of the committee were read and confirmed. Military Stores Sergeant Major Lloyd gave an explanation in regard to nmitary stores that had been torwardeu to Auckland by the Association. I The Secretary also spoke on the subject, and no itrihei action was taken. Secretary and Treasurer A proposal to combine th, positions ’of secretary and treasurer was then conmdereo The secretary reported that the treasurer, Mr C. C. _ Non is, hau stated he was resigning his position. . 1 • i After discussion, it was ciecid ed on the motion of Mr Savage, seconded by Mr P.-iherbnclge that rule 22 be rescinded and a rule be substituted t> the Mf .c that the office of secretary and , treasurer be combined Secretary’s Honor.nium Mr Fox moved, and Mr Pciherbridge seconded —1 hat the secretary be voted an honoi ilium o> £2s.—Carried unanimously. Proposed Club Rooms The Secretary reported that a | circular dealing with the Association’s proposal to secure Club rooms had been prepared and printed and was being forwarded 1 to members. An option had been taken on a certain property. Vacancy on Committee ' Mr Burke tendered his resig nation as a member of the com mittee. The resignation was accepted with regret. Captain Gardiner was nominal ed to fill the vacancy and was unanimously elected. ' Remits for Conference The matter of' further remits ( forpiesentation to the Auckland Conference, and later to the Dominion Conference, was considered. At the last general meeting a remit had been adopted favouring political action by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers Association. A long discussion ensued, several members favouring political action and many others opposing , it. After a lengthy discussion it was decided on the motion of Mr Petherbndge, seconded by Mr Friers That, subject to the mover of the previous motion consenting, this meeting desires the withdrawal of the remit to the effect that this Association is in,favour o'f the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association becoming a political body. Other remits were adopted as follows'That when a returned soldier be in receipt of a pension that his wife by right also he given a pension, the amount to be granted according to the nature of the disability oi the pensioner, with no regard to the earnings of the pensioner. That the postponement of inier-

est on second class land be > granted for a period of three years to all returned men that have taken up land under'’the , Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act.

That tl\e amount advanced to soldiers under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act for im-

provements on rough tea-tree and fern lands be increased from the ' amount now granted, viz., £7s° t 0 £IOOO, the same as the amount advanced on bush land, owing to the nature of such land warranting it. That returned soldiers who have bought furniture since their return, on their own account, be granted a reimbursement of the amount, viz., up to £75 on the same terms of repayment as furniture loans are granted, upon application being made to the Repatriation Department under the -following conditions and circumstances: A l) By a statutary declaration being made before a ]• P. and th repatriation officer, that the furniture for the loan was required, had been purchas ed, and was in the house of the applicant, to be valued accordingly; (2) that the loan be only granted in cases where it could be proved to the satisfaction of the Repatriation Committee, that the applicant was actually in need of the assistance of the loan.

That the Government he asked to give returned men every opportunity to take up sections generally by the distribution of Posters before placing soldier settlement lands before the public for open selection. That the Comerf-mc .inmid consider the importance M the Government subsidising the amounts, £1 for £1 collected by