NEW ZEALAND NATIVES; ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2580, 30 September 1915, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND NATIVES; ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING THE DUTY OF NEW ZEALANDERS The president, the Hon. A. L. Hei'dman, occupied the chair at the annual meeting of the 'New Zealand Natives' Association, held last evening. In moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet, the president said that 'lie had been able to glean that the New Zealand Natives' Association had done excellent work during the first year. .The members of the association consisted of those who had been born in New Zealand, or who had resided here for 25 years or more,' and in Bis opinion it was about time that the people born in New Zealand should be more closely associated with its history. ' 'l'hey were nearly all the. descendants of English,. Scotch or Irish. His people were Scotch, and liifl mother had arrived in .the fourth ship that reached Otago, so that she was a fairly ancient settler. As time went on New Zealand would grow and become a more important place than it had been ill the past, and it was meet that they should be more closely united in'a common tie. It was worthy of note that the first, year's existence of the association had been one of the most interesting in the history of Now Zealand in that it was. the year of the commencement of the great-war. He hoped that the second year of its being would see the termination • of the wot 1 . (Hear, hear.) He was glad to see that the association was identify, ing itself with the affairs o£, the country. It had taken a very keen interest in the dispatch of. the troops, and its interest .in. the meV who returned waa just ns keen. As time went on there would be ample opportunity to do good, work, as the men returned from the front in increasing numbers. • Since the National Government camo into existence politics were dead, but ho was Attorney-General still, and was immediately concerned in the welfare of tho men returning from the front. He was sure that the association would give him the utmost assistance in" helping him to see that no man who returned went wanting. (Applause.) Mr. Herdman outlined what was being done to. assist returned soldiers through tho Department of which he was in charge. Steps were being taken to compile very complete registers of all who went awav, and all who returned. On the arrival of each ship officers of tho Department would see each man,and present him with a card notifying him of the existence of the Department, and inviting him to go along to the office in Aitken Street. There a complete card system was installed, not only recording all who went away and returned, but the condition in lifo of each man, and a record of how each man was dealt with by the Department. All the hospital cases would be followed up in the same manner. 60 that they would be fairly certain that no man would escape. Reference was made to tho splendid public spirit many ofj, th« employers were showing in communicating their requirements. One man had written that he wanted a xnan with a little knowledge of book-keeping, preferably a maimed man drawing a pension, whom he required to work one day a week, for which he was prepared to pay ,£BO a year. (Applause.) That was a very generous. offer indeed. They had received other generous offers which showed the fine public spirit there was abroad in 'They had also communicated with the patriotic committees" and local bodies. It was desired to get into touch with those who controlled patriotic funds to see that thcrQ was no duplication of work. They would require to.know wlat was being <Jgue precisely in Dimedin, Auckland, and elsewjiere with that end in view. When tho session closed he hoped to bo able to get twmd to see those gentlomen who controlled such funds. As they were all aware, the Government was. alsoTSonsidering the placing of returned soldiers on suitable areas of land near the towns, so that they could go in for poultry farming and the culture of vegetables and flowers. During the next year •there' would be plenty of work to. do by those inspired, by patriotic motives to see that no man who had had the courage and high Bense of duty to go to tho front should suffer of want. The difficulty would come wlhen the war was over and there were no war cablegrams in the papers. The public memory was eliort. That would be the time when he would ask the Natives' Association to, help him. Good work had been done and he was pleased to see .there was a credit balance in hand. He moved the adoption of tile report and balance-sheet. Mr. George Frost seconded tho motion, which was passed. The election of officers resulted as follows Patron, JJight Hon. W. F. Massey; president, ~ou. A. L. Herdman; viceprcsklents, Hon. W.'H. Hemes, Hon. Sir ' Francis-Bell. Hon. Sir J. Carroll, Hon. C. 11. Mills, Hon. A. M. Jlyers, Hon. J. *llen, Hon. G. W. Russell, Sir Robert Stout, Colonel H. L. Potter, T>. A. K. Newman, Dr. Harold Kemp, Dr. Albert Martin, Messrs. J. P. Luke, I'. M. B. l-isher, C. B. Morisbn, K.C., Harold Beauchamp, H. Buddie, T. M. Wilford, Martin Luckie, H. H. Ostler,. J.'H. Sykes, G. 'Frost, J. E. Jcnkinson, E. A; Wright, W. H. P. Barber, R. Fletcher, J. ■ W. M'Donald, "W. A. Veitch, E. Tregear; secretary, Mr. Charles M'lntyre; treasurer, Mr. L. A. George; committee, Messrs. H. Buddie, H. Cook, J. Windsor, H. A M'Cornisli, P. Revell, Chas. Morris, E. J. Jenkinson, E. S. Driller, G. and F. Gapes, C W. J. Day, P. Cording, H. E. Long, and It. W. Turnbull, ■ The executive was given power to appoint an assistant-secretary and to pay him a bonus commensurate with the work done. Mr. Georgo' and others spoke in the highest terms of the splendid work lthicli had been done by Mr. M'lntyre in [an honorary capacity. It was suggested i that tlier© might be monthly meeting's arranged for tjje general members, and it was mentioned by the president that debates and lectures might be given at these that would be educational and interesting. The secretary said that it was proposed to inaugurate a dramatic olub during the ensuing year. Tho members were entertained at supper by tho ladies at the conclusion of the meeting.