RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 17 April 1917, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS

: . ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION PLANS FOR THE FUTURE x MINISTER.FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS SUGGESTED : Tire first annual general-meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' AsBocialion was held in the rooms of tho Returned Soldiers' Club last evening. The chairman, Mr. J. D. Harper, presided over a large attendance of membwe.. The annual report referred to the formation of the association in May, 1916, and the arrangements that had been made for affiliation With the New Zealand RetuYned Soldiers' Association. Tho finances of the association were in a satisfactory position, the accumulated funds, after the discharge of all liabilitios, amounting to £58 Us. 6d burmg the year 813 members had joined the association, but a number ikd been transferred* ito other local associations. The association had placed in suitable employment a large number of its members. The report thanked maiiy persons and organisations for the assistance they had given to the association. The cliairman of the association moved the adoption of the report. He mentioned the steps that had been taken to form local associations among returned soldiers in various parts of New. Zealand. The organisation had been feeling its way. The present members were really only the advance guard of the returned soldiers, and they had, to make their plans accordingly. They must try to gain experience without making any rash moves, and gradually develop a policy that would be suited !to the needs of ail. Proper care was I necessary in order that the association j might, become the influence for good I'that it should be. . Referring to the celebration of Anzac Day, Mr. Harper snid that the association had. wade its protest against the celebration of the bistorio day on any date but the, proper one. .The Government had been s;skwi to. legislate, if necessary, in order tSat Anzac Day might be celebrated officially for the future on the-historic day, April'2s. (Applause.) It appeared that the date of the rminioipal elections could not be changed from April 25 for this year, but the trouble ought not to recur. The official celebration for this year was fixed for Apm 23, but tho association had arranged for a gathering of its own in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on April 25.

The motion for the adoption of the teport was seconded by Mr. J. I. Fox, who said he' was sure the association was going to be a power for good and progress.. , Celebration of Anzac Day. ' In answer to a question/ the chairman said the only salary paid by the association was that of the secretary, who received £200 a year, and was.required to handle an enormous amount of detail .work. The Returned Soldiers' Club, which was. a distinct organisation, paid the salaries of a manager, a caretaker, ■ a billiard-marker, a lift-man, and a female tea-room attendant. The wlioTe expenses of the association were covered, by the subscriptions of the returned soldiers themselves.

A member of the Main Bodv, jvho had been present at the Anzac landing, protested emphatically against the celebration of the landing on any day .but April 25. Hβ thought a memorial service should be held on April 25. The chairman said a memorial service was .being held on April 23, the official date;" Every local association was holding its own reunion on April 25. It would be impossible to secure tie Town Hall for a memorial service on ApriL 23, but a service could be arranged in a, church if thought desirable. ; . '-.-':■

The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

Sergeant I. Walker moved that the ministers of various denominations should be ask«d to hold a memorial service; in the form of a church parade, on the morning of April 25.

Colonel J. ■}% Hughes, D.5.0., seconded the motion. • Hβ said the returned men had one thought for Anzao Day, 'and no substitute day would serve. . '"■ i

The motion was carried unanimously, the, arrangements being left in .the hands of the committee. The report of tho house committee was adopted-. Election of Officsrs. The'following officers were elected:— Chairman, Mr. J. D. Harper; vicechairman, Mr. H. R. Wild; honorary treasurer, Mr. D. Ijiigige; honorary auditors, : Messrs. Watkins, Hull, bunt and Wheeler; committee, Messrs. I.oftus, Hinde, M'Cabe, Fox, Gray,' M'Wil- < lianiSj'Truemau, Hudsjii, Oman . and Morpeth; returned soldiers' delegates to New Conference, Colonel Hughes, Messrs. Batten, Fox, Hinde, and Rohlsoii. ' ' . '

Mr. ?ox said that the work of the returned soldiers' .organisation was just beginning. It was the duty of the present members to provide an organisation for the men who were to come home , at the close-of the war. The demobilisation of the New Zealand army would probably take about •two years, and the social and ■ economic problems that .would have to be faced would be enormous. "We have .come; back when patriotism is running nigh, , ' said Sir. Fox.' "Land is being provided, assistance is being offered in all ..directions. But when the war is over, and the war spirit is gone, there will be 70,000 or 80,000 returned men to be looked after, and it will be the duty of this association to see that the men who are now fighting in France and elsewhere are looked after properly. 'I believe that our organisation is going to have a permanent part in the councils of l ,the Dominion. We have a right to aslc the National Government, without party or 'favour, to prepare for the return of these men." New Minister of the Crown. Suggested. His suggestion was that the Government should be asked to appoint a Minister who would devote the whole, of liis time to the affairs of the returned soldiers. Such a Minister would have the assistance of the association in getting a. thorough knowledge of the returned soldiers' problems. There was divided control at the present time. Returned soldiers were buffeted about from one Department to another, 'and tliev needed central control. ' Mr. Fox said he wanted the people of New Zealans to understand that there, was in the Dominion a growing body of returned soldiers who were determined that what had happened after other wars should not happen 'after the present war. The returned soldiers must have|a national platform. They must see that the ideals and principles for which they'had fought were upheld. They must see that the wealth of the laud was not. withhold from the men who had fought to preserve it. He moved that it should be a recommendation to the conference to ask the Government to appoint a Returned Soldiers'. Minister. Mr. Batten seconded the motion. He said that the chief trouble to he laced by tho returned soldier was the delay in getting his affairs settled by various Government Departments. They were passed from one office to another, and finality/was-hard-to'• reach;- The

appointment of a Minister for returned eofdiers' affairs would help a great deal.' Mr. Batten urged the members of the association to remember that they had a sacred duty to the widows, orphans, and other dependants of the men who had fallen at the front. The general public might forget those people when the war was over. He would like every member of the association to pledge himself never to forget those who had been dependant on the good comrades who had died on the field.

Several speakers gave a political turn to the discussion. "We are laying the foundation-stone of a party tliat will, shake New Zealand in times to come," said one speaker.. . The chairman said he supported the suggestion, but thought that no question of party need.bo raised. Mr. Fox said that he'had set aside party absolutely in August, 1914. His proposal had no trace of party at all. He did not expect to be a returned soldier a.ll his life. A few years l after tho close of tho war the work of the association probably would be done. The motion was carried. Mr. Batten moved thai conference should bo urged to amend the rules in the direction of providing that no Returned Soldiers' Association sliould call upon its members to support any candi- * date or party' in an election for the House of Representatives. Ho said that any interference in polities would mean the downfall of the association. The raising of the rjarty issue woxild cause the association,to crumble away. Sergeant '-Walker .said the, motion went rather fRr. The association should have nothing to do with parties, but might'find it desfrable to take an interpsfc in politics. The motion was carried. Mr, Fox moved that the conference should bo asked to consider the desirability of establishing a returned soldiers' journal, which would he free from party bias and.would undertake the discussion of matters that were of importance to returned soldiers, as well as the circulation of returned soldiers' news. There were many points that required discussion. A weekly journal would assist to educate pubTio opinion and provide a channel of communication for the members of the association. The motion was carried.