THE RETURNED SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21812, 18 June 1936, Page 7

THE RETURNED SOLDIERS

CIVIL RE-ESTABLISHMENT LEAGUE CHANGES IN THE STATUTORY POSITION PROPOSED (ruai ASSOCIATION TNLNGSAM.) WELLINGTON, June 17. The annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association opened to-day. The president (the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.U.i welcomed the delegates and introduced the Mayor (Mr T. C. A, Hislop), wno declared the conference open and wished it success. The adoption of the annual report was moved by Mr W. E. Leadley, the Rev. J. M. Stewart seconding, but the adoption was held over + o enable a committee to report on the veterans’ home at Auckland.

Changes in the statutory position of the Discharged Soldiers’ Civil Reestablishment League and in its personal constitution are proposed in a report adopted by the association tonight. The subject, which is regarded as the most important single item of the" agenda, was discussed in committee during the day, and at night a report by a committee which bad been set up by the conference was adopted. The committee stated that, after confirming the principle of the re-estab-lishment provision as designed by statute, it had decided that the main question was the statutory position of the league, and the personal constitution of its own and barnch committees.

The committee suggested that the cooperation of the league be sought to arrange an amendment of the act, to give some statutory recognition of the league and alter the league’s constitution and rules.

It was recommended that powers of the Minister be enlarged so that in all cases the representation of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association be increased to five in lieu of one as at present, to be nominated by the Returned Soldiers’ Association annually.