The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1924. THE DECLINE OF THE R.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 214, 4 June 1924, Page 8

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1924. THE DECLINE OF THE R.S.A.

It is an old reproach that alter a war people forget what they owe to their soldiers and to the dependants of the fallen. This reproach, it may be claimed, is not being perpetuated in New Zealand, but in Wellington the men who fought for the Dominion from 1914 onwards are being reproached by their official representatives with forgetting what they owe to their own association. The committee of the Wellington R.S.A. in its annual report tells a melancholy story of declining membership and fading interest. The branch now has only about as many hundred financial members as it formerly had thousands, and even amongst the remaining members interest in the affairs of the association is so slack that two of the five meetings called during the past year lapsed for want of a quorum. . ... . On sentimental grounds, at least, this state of affairs is very much to be regretted. The men who served in the Expeditionary Force are linked by memories both proud and tragic, and it might be expected that they would feel strongly impelled to keep alive the memory of their war association. Some of the South Afrioan veterans* still assemble at periodical re-unions, hut apparently the veterans of 1 the Great War, in the Wellington district at all events, are very little inclined to emulate this record. Much as this is to be regretted, it is not in all respects a matter for regret. The present plight of the local branch of the R.S.A. recalls a statement made years ago by one of its early members that he did not intend to be a returned soldier all his life. In one aspect, not that this is the only aspect that ought to be considered, the declining membership of the association undoubtedly is a tribute to the way in which the work of repatriation has been carried out in this country. The committee of the Wellington branch itself observes that the objects for which tho association was l formed, viz., pensions and repatriation, have practically been accomplished. The committee adds, it is true, that there still remains a considerable amount of the most important work to be done. Continued thought and care certainly are due to disabled exsoldiers, and to men who break down even now as a result of their war service. The erection of the Wellintogn War Memorial, also, has been too long delayed. It is to be hoped that the committee which has the matter in hand will shortly be able to submit proposals which will make an end of delay. No doubt other matters to which the committee refers still need attention. At the same time, in the paucity of support given to the association, there is fairly convincing evidence that returned soldiers in general do not agree with the committee in its rather gloomy view of some of the measures taken on their behalf.

The committee contends, for instance, that the administration oi economic pensions has been a failure, and in regard to the revaluation of soldier settlement holdings it speaks in even more pessimistic strain. Not much has yet been heard publicly of the operation of the new scheme of economic pensions, but there have been some encouraging reports with regard to the revaluation of soldier settlement lands. The fears of the committee that the admitted desire of the Government to help soldier settlers may be "defeated by administrators” appear to be overdrawn. It certainly seems reasonable to suggest that if these fears were well-founded the Returned Soldiers’ Association would be better and more actively supported than the Wellington branch has been during the past year or two. The broad position no doubt is that a great majority of our returned soldiers, in town and country, are now happily re-established in the community, and on that account arc losing interest in their war associations. At the'same time it would be a great pity if an organisation like the R.S.A. were allowed to fade out of existence for lack of support. As the Wellington committee justly contends, returned soldiers should keep their association in active life if only in order that they may watch over the interests of their less fortunate comrades—those who were disabled or suffered permanent loss of health as a result of their war service., If, in spite of all appeals, branches of the association are denied adequate support, a continuation of their essential activities perhaps might be ensured if they linked up with the War Fund associations. These bodies in any case exist to protect and assist disabled men, war invalids, and the dependants of fallen soldiers.