SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 259, 29 July 1937, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

Annual Conference OPENED BY MINISTER OF DEFENCE *‘Wc arc always sympathetic to the man who is suffering through no fault of his own, and who has served the people,’’ said the Minister of Defence, Hou. F. Jones, when opening the annual conference of the South African War Veterans’ Association of New Zealand yesterday. Mr. Jones said that the Government was always eager to help the men in any way it could. ■ If the Government could provide free medical attention ami also introduce a scheme of national superannuation it would feel that it was then in a position to help not only the returned soldiers, but all the other people throughout the country. Cost was always a handicap to people seeking medical aid, and by the introduction of such a scheme the Government would be able to ease the position for many people. Mr. Jones stated that the Government was pleased that it had been able to include Sergeant S. Steele, a South African first contingent veteran, in the Coronation Contingent. Sergeant Steele had been a credit to the party. The membership of the association would of necessity be gradually decreasing, but the members could, feel proud that they were still keeping the association alive. They were doing a line work in assisting their comrades. Annual Report. The annual report of the association showed that the number of South African veterans in receipt of South African war pensions up to March 31 ot this year was 97, an increase of seven on the number for the previous year. Ihe number receiving pensions for disabilities contracted in the war was ob, including dependants. During the year a branch ot the organisation was started at Rotorua and there was also a movement to form a branch at Taihapc. Palmerston North was en-

deavouring In his address to the conference, the Dominion president, Mr. T. McM hirter. said that the executive had Passed through a trying period during the last rear. The balance for the year, tn spite of this, was the best that had ever been reached. . . , He asked the members to bear in mind the thought of a united South African Veterans’ Association. He hoped that the members would maintain a united spirit among themselves. The association had taken many years to build up to its present strength and members were doing an invaluable work in assistin- their fellow veterans who were not in as fortunate a position as themselves. Mr: McWhirter presented the past president, Mr. J. I. Goldsmith, with the association's gold badge. Mr. Goldsmith had done n great work for the association, said the president. Coins and Stamps. Mr A. J. Harper, J.P., Hutt Valley, presented a Kruger sovereign to complete the association’s set ot South African coins of the war neriod. Captain Clark stated that it was also desired to obtain a complete collection of postage stamps of the same period. , , , The reports of the various branch delegates showed that the association was flourishing. Many of the delegates reported increased membership, and in a large number of cases every veteran m the district had been enrolled. . The Hastings delegate, Mr. M. McNair Miller, stated that the South African WaiMemorial at Napier had not been repaired since it was damaged by the earthquake. The branch had written to the Napier City Council asking that a new head be placed on the figure or the memorial removed, but no reply had been received. A North Taranaki remit urging that any benefits in respect to war veterans' allowances be granted by the Government to any veteran of the South African War, provided that he had the residential qualification of 90 years iu New Zealand, was carried unanimously. A further remit asking that pensions be paid to veterans who came to New Zealand after having lived in some other country was also carried. The same branch also asked, that when a South African veteran had qualified for the old age pension, no deduction should lie made from ihe additional allowance of £l3 a year because of other sources of income. It was pointed out that were this possible a single old age pensioner would be entitled to draw £9l instead of the £7B received at present. Au Auckland remit, that the Government be requested to review the pension legislation with a view to having the S.uth African veterans placed on the same footing as men who served in the Great War, was also carried.

The Invercargill branch asked that the Government be urgently r«;ueste<l to grant the old age pension when a veteran had reached the age of 55 years, .since it had now been practically established that a war veteran’s average life was under 55 years.

The Tauranga branch also asked that the pension be raised to £5O. a year, iu addition to the old age jiension. ‘‘That the Government be requested to renew the grant of £250 and that the grant he increased to £5OO, to enable associations to assist, especially those who cannot prove war disability ns a cause for receiving a pension,” was a remit passed under the name of the Invercargill branch. The conference is to continue to-day.