MAJOR TASK: RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 223, 16 June 1932, Page 8

MAJOR TASK: RELIEF

Diggers “Up Against It” WHERE R.S.A. COMES IN “It is recognised that the chief object of the association to-day is the relief of distress —the aiding of the Digger who is up against it,” said the president of the Wellington R.S.A., Lieut.Colonel H. E. Avery, in referring at the annual meeting last evening to the work of the past year. The job, he said, had been a difficult one, but it had been handled to the best of the executive’s ability according to the funds at its disposal. The sum of £2273 had been spent. He wished to point out that the association had to rely on the proceeds from Poppy Day and other appeals. Its subscriptions and other sources of income were insufficient to meet its expenditure. The association had perhaps been too generous early' in the year and the executive could not see itself getting through tlie period. Therefore it had approached the War Relief Association, which had undertaken to depart from its constitutional of looking after the unfit only and had' taken over the married fit men. The R.S.A. had been left to look after the single fit men. Thanks were due to the War Relief Association' for its action. Since that time the association had been faced with a rather more difficult problem—that of the single men who would not go to the relief camps. The association’s policy was that if a single man was fit and would not go to camp the executive liad to say: “Sorry, old man, but we can't help you.” There was, however, the case of the single man who, on account of some minor disability, had been granted a medical certificate of exemption from the camp scheme. In such cases tlie men were debarred from work under the No. 5 scheme and all they could get was rations amounting to 4/- a week for each man. The executive was of opinion that this constituted a grave injustice, ~nd was attempting to have it rectified. For the moment the association was accepting full responsibility for these men. There was the question of men with pensions who were debarred from relief work. Through the efforts of the New Zealand association it had been arranged that men getting no more than 17/6 a week as pensions would not lie handicapped in relation to the No. 5 scheme. “It has been suggested,” proceeded Lieut.-Colonel Avery, “that the Red Cross Society has not helped returned men as much as it might have done. I am able to say, however, that the day before yesterday a deputation met the representatives of the society and reached .a very satisfactory settlement, under which we shall be saved probably about £lO a week. Tlie society has accepted responsibility for providing really necessitous cases with shirts, underclothing and socks.” Referring to the Otaki health camp movement, Lieut.-Colonel Avery said it was suggested that the incoming executive might help by undertaking to send 25 or 30 kiddies and put them into camp for a week or two.

Several speakers supported the suggestion, whicli was received with enthusiasm. The president announced later in the evening that one member had volunteered to send a .child to Otaki.