RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLVI, Issue 17, 26 August 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

OWAKA BRANCH. The regular meeting of the Owaka branch of the Returned: Soldiers' Association was held in the Library Koom, Owaka, oh '.Saturday evening last. Although the meeting was not a's well attemled as the previous one, there were a fair number present, some of the members' having come a distance of 1U miles to attend the meeting. In view of the general meeting of the centre to be held in Baldutha on Monday, September 1, a large amount of business was brought .up for discussion.

The first business dealt with was Hie election of honorary me ! ml*'rs of the I club, 'ami the following' were nominated for the office and accepted:—Messrs F. Keen, Chas. Lathi, F. Iteid, and T. Barr. The meeting discussed at length the proposal 'by northern associations that the .Returnedi Soldiers' Association throughout. New Zealand should become a political organisation. It was pointed out by several members that 'by meddling in politics t'he returned men would immediately lose, both the sympathy and the support of the public. At the present; time the public *vere wit'h the in in all their claims', and it seemed adivisable and in the best interests 1 of the association) that they should carry on as a non-political body. Accordingly, a motion was carried that the members of the Owaka branch express through their delegates at the general meeting their strong disapproval of the association taking up any political attitude. At. a previous meeting a desire was expressed to have a local repatriation officer, and a motion, hail* 'been passed at that-'meeting- stating that sliouidi the iboard be agreeable., Mr T. Alaginness shoukl act as repatriation' officer for Owaka. However, word had' since 'been received that as 1 Mr J. F, Walsh had been appointed repatriation officer for the Clutha district it was considered unnecessary to appoint another for Owaka, 'but should .Mr Walsh require any information regarding the Owaka district lie would apply to Air Alaginness in the usual way. The meeting, however, considered that a man desiring to take up land in the district, especially a stranger, very often needed someone from 'whom to get advice. It was clear that the help of some coinj potent person was needed to see that I thei applicants got fair play.

It; was resolved that members of the club should l do all they could in giving information to any stranger taking up land or starting any kind of business, and tlvat Mr Maginness should' be the official representative of the club in that 'direction-.

Considerable 1 discussion took place over the apparently unnecessary and exorbitant- chargies that the Government were putting on>. the men who were taking up land). The first mentioned was the stamp dluty, an example being, given of the case 1 of a, man who was 1 to receive tho full grant of £2500. It was stated that before the applicant could 'go on' the land) lie had) to pay £25 as stamp dluty. The ranger's fee of two guineas and; the Government lawyer 'a fee were also instanced! as charges that should not be demanded/ of the returned soldiers. A motion' was' accordingly caTjried that. these unnecessary charges hbe dispensed) with altogether. I The price of land 1 for applicants was also discussed). It was eousMwed that

suitable land for occupation! was far too dear. It was pointed out that as a result. many men! put on the land had given up their sections. A strong resolution was passed! that the Government should be applied) to to cut up suitable land for settlement at a more reasonable price.

The sub-committee set up to arrange for the holdiii'g of a returned soldiers' 'ball iu the Territorial Hall reported oil wliati had 'been done. It was stated that the committee "had ' decided for this occasion to get (musicians from Balclutha. Several members present spoke in appreciation of the goodness of Messrs McLelland', MeDon'ald, Vial, and Latta in playing voluntarily for patriotic purposes for the. past five years, and it was considered that the thanks of the association were duei to t'hem. ft was the ■urian.iinous wish on this occasion -that these gentlemen should be the special guests of the club, and so have an opportunity of enjoying themselves along with the men whom they had sought- so well to help. The next meeting was l fixed for Saturday, September (3.