R.S.A. council told to listen to youngs

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33873, 19 June 1975, Page 23

R.S.A. council told to listen to youngs

Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. ; Delegates to the Dominion council meeting of the Returned Services Association "ere on Tuesday’ told to listen to what young people were say ing.

The advice came from Mr 'V Herewini, who represents Maori returned servicemen on the R.S.A. executive committee. Mr Herewini is also executive director of the Social Sen-ices Division of the Maori and Island Affairs Department. His comments were made during a debate on a proposal that the R.S.A. ask the Government to studv the possibility of a national youth communitv service scheme. An Auckland delegate. Mr Tim Gardiner, suggested the Outward Bound movement as one way in which the R.S.A. could involve itself more with youth. “What needs to be done is for us to make contact with those people who don’t go' to! Outward Bound or join the scouts,” replied Mr Herewini.. “They are the people who 1 need our help. Much of the programme we are talking

about is for people who don't reallv need it,” he said. Mr Herewini said the problem being talked about extended beyond the : boundaries of the Maori | people. “We have to listen! to these young men and women.” His remarks were greeted; with applause from most of! the 300 delegates in the Wel-i lineton Town Hall. Mr Ken Evans (Takapuna)! said he doubted whether} leadership from people the) age of most R.S.A. members* would have much support! from todav's young people. However, Mr Svd Roa; (Rotorua) said many youth; i organisations desperately' needed adult leaders. “The R.S.A. could become; involved with youth tomorrow — or even today — if I everyone else would join me 'and help the youth organisations which exist now.” he ,said. The proposal was eventually passed with only a handful of dissensions. A paper reviewing New (Zealand's defence policy re-1 affirmed the R.S.A.’s opposi-j jtion to extremist movements, land specifically to the! spread of communism by! means other than the ballot! box. Much of the report empha-! sised the belief of the! authors that the recent; j events in Indo-China intensi-i 'tied the Communist threat to I other South-East Asia coun-i tries, and ultimately to New Zealand.