R.S.A.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18094, 9 June 1924, Page 6

R.S.A.

DOMINION COUNCIL MEETING. The annual Dominion Councilof tho Now Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association was opened on Saturday, Mr D. S. Smith (vice-president) being in the chair.. The delegates present -were: Messrs A. C. Laing and J. McCrae and Rev. W.' McLean (Otago); Messrs F. M. Cox,' E. F. Androws, and W. A.' Aldred (Auckland); B. J. Jacobs and H. B. Burdekin (Wellington), R. B. Bell and W. E. Leadley (Canterbury); X. A. Yercoo (Nelson-Marlborough), Simpson (Ashburton), W. H. Stark (Kaiapoi), E Orchard (South Canterbury), and J. D. Harper (hon. treasurer). . j Non-voting delegates present were Professor H. Stewart and Mr G. W. Lloyd. The delegates vrero welcomed by tho Deputy-Mayor, Cr. A. McKellar, in the absence of Mr J. A. Flesher. The town clerk, Mr J. S.-Neville, was also present. Mr McKellar said he had always taken a great interest, in the Associa.tion, and he knew it was doing good work amongst tho returned soldiers. He wished tho conference every success. On behalf of tho Christchurch R.S.A;, Professor H. Stewart, welcomed, the delegates to Christchurch. Tho chairman returned thanks on behalf of the visiting delegates. There had been an air of expectancy prior to the opening of the' conference, duo possibly to the Christchurch air. He knew the Christchurch Association was very active and very intelligent. Further, it was vory pleasing to find the heads of municipal bodies welcoming the delegates, demonstrating that the force of the R.S.A. was recognised by the civic authorities. Sub-Committees. The following Bub-committoes were elected: —Canteen, War Funds, Organisation, and Finance, Messrs Bell (convenor), Burdekin, Aldred, Vercoe. Simpson, and Cummins, and Eev. McCrae; Land, Immigration, and Unemployment, Messrs R. J. Jacobs (convenor), Leadley, McCrae, Aldred, Cox, Burdekin, Orchard, Graham, and Stark; Pensions, After Care, and General, Messrs I). S. Smith, Laing, Jjeadley, Harper, Cox, Yercoe, Stewart, and Lloyd. i |

ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report lirst of ail doalt with war psnsions and the War Pensions Commission. On August 7th, 1923, a meeting was arranged with members of Parliament, and on August 20th a, deputation to the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence resulted in further amendments boing obtained. The efforts of the N.Z.R.S.A. extending over nearly three yearß coukl bo said to'be solely responsible for the War Pensions Amendment Act, 1923. No finality had been arrived at in regard to economic pensions, and further no doflnite effort was made by the Department Qto obtain employment for the .applicants for economic pensions. With regard, to the Appeal Board, 1 the Association expressed confidence in tho efforts of . Sir Frederick' Chapman as the first president of the Board. With regard to' Ms successor, Mr S. G. Raymond, the Association felt confident that .the same spirit" of impartiality would be Bhown. The Appeal. Board had' dismissed 23 appeals in Wellington and uplheld 19, dismissed 59 in Christchurch and upheld 41, dismissed 11 in Dunedin and upheld 17, and dismissed 51 in; Auckland ! and upheld 44. In all, thfere had been 300 .appeals,'. 144 dismissed, 121 upheld,. eight withdrawn, 23 deferred, and four' made permanent. ' 7 With regard to' the clothing allowance to amputees the executive considered that the. legislation should be amended so that amounts granted to wearers of mechanical devices be left to the opinion of the War Pensions Board, and not kept at the present fixed rates of £8 , and £6. The executive congratulated .the Government upon the legislation in connexion with the Soldier Land Settlement Act, of 1923. The KZ.R.S.A.'s line of policy had been right for the revaluation of soldier settlement lands, and the 1923 legislation made provision for this course of action.

With regard to medical treatment and after-care, it was reported that attention' had been paid to incipient mental ond shell-shock cases. The U.S.A. was ■m warm advocate of the Spahlinger treatment for T. 8.,' and urged the Government to investigate and secure the New Zealand rights to the treatment. The president. Sir Andrew Jlussoll, had visitftl M. Spahlinger in, Switzerland and was impressed by what he, saw. Further, Sir James Allen was to be cox* gratulated on his efforts in this cod' nexion. During the past twelve month' 1 marked progress had been made in connexion with artificial limbs, and the expert in Duralium limbs had arrived and commenced teaching the. Government Artificial Limb Factory employees in Wellington the necessary details.. Sir Donald McGavin had stated that he was moat anxious lor amputees to obtain the best possible limbs and service. The N.Z.E.&.A. delegate to the first .biennial conference of tho_ British Empire Service League (Sir A. H. Russell) had submitted his report, and the special questions hfe had been asked to watch in the interest of New Zealand ■were.:- —Imperial pensions ' as affecting those who had migrated; defence'; reciprocity and publicity; migration; and amendments to constitution. Xn connexion With pensions he suggested that in New Zealand the Pensions; s3oard consist of the D.G.M.S. and the Commissioner of Pensions; nnd that, the present Pensions Board be done aiyay with, a non-Departmental Appeal Board to be set' up in its place. Jit regard to defence; most of the discussion was taken in committee, but trie delegato considered that while Earl Haig held his present office defenco matters had a powerful supporter at the head of the B.E.S.L. With regard to publicity and reciprocity, he had given instructions for the mattor to be watched closely, especially, with regard to notices posted up on ships carrying emigrants. .Jt was essentially a matter for the 8.E.8.L. to approach shipping companies. Concerning migration, it would be the duty of the NZ.R.S.A. to assist, in whatever way it could." and to insist as far as might me , possible ■ that the Government of New Zealand encouraged the development of the natural resources and unoccupied landß,' iti order that the power to absorb immigrants might be increased. He would recommend that as a national 'policy, in addition to the N.Z.R.S.A.'a 1 first duty in looking after the interest's of ex-soldiers. Sir A. H. Russell also reported on loyalty, the League of .Nations, English Speaking Veterans' Association, in . memoriam, hospitality, extension of Dominion repatriation facilities to ex-Imperial soldiers at the charge of the Imperial. Government, canteen funds, Poppy Day funds, messages, war graves in France and I'ianders, neurasthenia, unemployed disabled, and affiliation with the B.E.S.L.

The report continued by referring: to the continued interest taken in immigration, and the hope waa expressed that tho conference would • thoroughly discuss the question. Poppy Day in 1923 was not such a. success as in the previous year. Tho pumber of poppies received was about

only half the number required, and the small poppies were inferior in quality. The sum of £BBOO was made available in the Dominion, and with subsidies, £17,000 was mado available for tho use of unemployed soldiers. The 1924 poppies were better, and there were received 347,000 small and 21,000 large. The report went on to deal with the disposal of war funds and representation on the National War Funds Council, and the position of the Canteen Fund, names and donors of animals under the N.Z.R.S.A. scheme for the provision on pedigree bulls to soldier farmers on hiring agreements were also given. The ultimate object of tho scheme was thb initiation in New Zealand of a Co-operative Bull Association as in vogue in other parts of the world. After a considerable amount of discussion with the Defence and Railway Departments, it was arranged that the free first-class pass should be superseded by an "authority to obtain rail ticket." The' Defence Department would pay the cost of the actual travelling done by the holder of the "authority." The. Association pledged that no further demands would b» mado upon the Department for extensions. of the concession. Up to Marc 1 .; 31st, 1924, 173 free first-class tickets had been issued, and 304 first-class authorities at second-class rates. More branches had decided to wind up. Last year's membership showed n decrease of just on 25 per cent, on thr previous year. The following Associations were being wcund ' up:— ITauraki,. Whakatane, Matamata Te' Aioha, Mackenzie County, Thames Valley, Balclutha, and Dannevirke. The number of affiliated Associations was now 51. During the year, Dunedin had increased its membership by 205, New Plymouth by 85, Te Kuiti by 63, Waipawa by 8, Motueka by 4, and Temuka by 1. It had been decided to issue a small magazino, quarterly for a start, to financial members. The Prime Minister promised the executive that an amendment to local body legislation to enable free passes to be handed to disabled soldiers would be considered.

The . balance-sheet gliowefl an exenss of expenditure of £203 13s lid, the total expenditure being £.,1332 4s id. The president moved the adoption of the report. Mr Bell congratulated the sub-com-mittee and general secretary on, the thoroughness of the annual report; and seconded its adoption. , Pensions. Mr A. C. Laing said that the. matter of economic pensions should 1)? further considered. , The curtailment of the pension because a man had inerfUGed his earning capacity in temporary employment, was not a progressive move. 1 In effect it encouraged a man not,, to do hj.B best at work. .Mr W.-E, Leadley dnplored. the d> cjine in membership in the Association. Mr E. I 7*. Andrews said that men were not allowed to stat<? their case before the War Pensions Appeal Boafti. Men were jn their graves to-day owing to the failure of the Board to carry out, the Government's instructions. The Government wished to do justice ;to the disabled soldiers, but the Board was evidently of tho opinion that 'it ■was.-its duty tc save every penny for the 'Government. Mr D. G. Harper said ho gavo a flat denial to Mr .Andrews. It was easy to make a general statement. It was Yiot: a question of the War . Pensions Board, but a back-handed attack on the Association/a representative on the Board himself. .The statement that the Board was flut to save every penny for tho Government' was untrue. Mr Andrews said that he did notiattack ajiy individual member of ■ tho Board, but the Board generally. No body had done more to injure the Government than the War Pensions Appeal Board in not carrying out the wishes of the Government. The report was adopted. At 4 p.m. on Saturday the Council adjourned, and the sub-committee appointed earlier in . the day went into session. The open conference will resume at 10 o'clock this morning. i • Yesterday afternoon thirty delegates paid a visit to Cashmere Military iSanatorium, and -Mr I>. S. Smith, vicepresident' of the Association, briefly addressed the patients on the work of the conference. The morning and evening were taken up with committee •work.