R.S.A. MEMBERSHIP

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25182, 13 May 1947, Page 5

R.S.A. MEMBERSHIP

ELIGIBILITY OF ENGLISH PERSONNEL DISCUSSED The association would be split wide open if the applicants were allowed to join the association, said Mr S. H. McGeorge. at a meeting of the executive of the Christchurch R.S.A. last evening, when commenting on a minute received from the Dominion executive committee stating that three applicants who had served in England during the war would be eligible to join the R.S.A. The three persons concerned had served with British arms of the service in England only, said Mr McGeorge. If they were allowed to join the R.S.A., then every immigrant from England would be eligible to become a member. Although they had served in a theatre of war. they had not in effect served overseas, and if they wished to join any New. Zealand services’ organisation it should be the Home Servicemen’s Association.

It was a Dominion headquarters matter, said the president (Mr E. Orchard), and he did not think the local association had power to refuse membership. Mr McGeorge: We run this association according to our own rules. A similar position had arisen in 1921, he said, and when English personnel who had served in England only were allowed to join, local members had resigned in Targe numbers. The N.ZJLS.A. constitution stated that it was an association for New Zealand servicemen only. The persons concerned would probably join the association in the area in which they lived, said Mr E. J. Jackson, and then it would be up to that association to say whether they could join or not. He would not like to see a decision made which would prevent a young airman who had served in the Battle of Britain becoming a member, said Mr D. W. Russell. After further short discussion the matter was held over until the applications for membership were received.