R.S.A. EXECUTIVE ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23943, 10 May 1943, Page 6

R.S.A. EXECUTIVE ELECTION

Sir,—For some years past the occupation of candidates for election to the Returned Services’ Association executive has been given on the ballot papers. A very large number of the members have protested against this procedure, but they are simply over-ruled by a certain section. It is a most unorthodox procedure and I am sure Gladstone did not have the occupations of the candidates on the ballot paper when he introduced his reform. In any case I may be writing over the head of those of the Returned Services’ Association who want the candidates’ occupation shown on the ballot paper as some may probably not have heard of Gladstone. If the occupation is still to go on, the reinforcement or the date the candidate left New Zealand should a’so be printed bn the ballot sheet; for instance from the Samoa 1914 force onward. It would be wise to do so as then we would know the men better.—Yours, etc., MOAB-ITE. May 5. 1943. [Commenting on this letter, the president of the Christchurch branch of the R.S.A. (Mr C. Miln) said that the statement that a large number ol members of the association had protested against the procedure was an exaggeration. Provision was made for this in the rules and constitution of the association in 1917, and there had never been any serious attempt to alter it. The intention of the rule was to give the very scattered membership some line on the men who were standing.]