R.S.A. Scheme For Youth Clubs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31088, 17 June 1966, Page 3

R.S.A. Scheme For Youth Clubs

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. A big scheme for the establishment of R.S.A. youth clubs throughout the country was approved today at the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Services Association. Mr W. W. Brackenridge, of Wellington, said a special committee of the association considered the granite memorials throughout the country should be complemented by living memorials to those who survived. It was felt these living memorials would be a better use of capital assets which the R.S.A. had accumulated and which would be much less used by the present generation as the years went by. Mr Brackenridge said the youth activities which the R.S.A. could sponsor were not restricted in any way. These would not necessarily be sports but could be debating, drama, public speaking—any-

thing that could be sponsored.

Youth programmes were being operated successfully by former servicemen’s organisations in Canada and Australia. “We have wonderful premises and these are ideal homes in which to foster such activities,” he said. The Dominion president of the R.S.A., Mr H. MitchelT, said the intention of any scheme would be to use the services of the National Youth Council of New Zealand and to endeavour if possible, to have that organisation run the clubs in the R.S.A. premises. Mr A. S. E. Franklyn, of South Taranaki, said what was now proposed was, in effect, an endorsement of what many associations were already doing. “We will be happy to support this remit,” he said. Mr W. Carmichael, of Franklyn, said the R.S.A. had a highly organised youth Club in that town. It was used on six nights a week and catered for gymnastics, judo, and badminton.

Mr R. J. Loughnan, of Rangiora, said the R.S.A. had

moulded itself into a corporate body whose ideals were more ethical than anything else that existed in the country. “What the R.S.A. turns into after we’re gone will be different in detail,” he said. "But it must exist for the same reason as it does now—that names from a fourth or a fifth, or any other generation, shall never come to be added to our rolls of honour. “To bring into being under our guidance and sponsorship a body of our own sons and daughters wit! be to create something which can absorb our spirit and inherit our tangible assets,” he said. The National Youth Council welcomed the conference decision. The council’s deputy president, Mr S. Field, said that it was heartening to hear that the R.S.A. would work as far as possible through established youth organisations and the National Youth Council. Defence Cost “Government procrastination” was playing a big part in the high cost of defence, said Mr L>. K. King, of Wellington, speaking on the

strength of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

“We have, with the Waikato joining us very shortly, three frigates,” he said. “We have the Blackpool which we are getting on loan. We have been told in the White Paper recently released that tenders will be called for a fourth frigate. We know the time moves slowly.” Mr King said the R.S.A. had been told at one Dominion council meeting that a third frigate would be ordered, but the actual order was placed a year after the announcement “I venture to say it will be six years before we see this fourth frigate,” Mr King said, “because the tenders are still not called for.

“The £4O million for defence is not going as far as we would like it. “Had the orders for these frigates been placed when the recommendations were made, they were going to cost £3 million and £4 million, and not £8 million and £9 million.” The conference unanimously adopted the resolution, “That while the N.Z.R.S.A. welcomes the Government’s recent action in ob-

|taining a loan frigate (H.M.S. Blackpool) from the Royal Navy and the decision to call tenders for a fourth frigate, it still remains gravely disturbed at the depleted state of the Royal New Zealand Navy and therefore urges the Government to proceed forthwith with the ordering of ships to bring the Royal New Zealand Navy up to an effective state to fulfil its commitments.” An Auckland suggestion that the Government be asked to set up a commission to investigate the “desirability and feasibility” of full national service for both men and women was rejected by the conference. Defence Policy At the closing session of the conference the R.S.A. updated its basic defence policy. It resolved that the defence of New Zealand required the maintenance of adequate regular forces in each service and of adequate territorial forces to supplement the regulars, and thereby providing integrated military units to meet treaty commitments, and adequate home defence forces immediately available for service.