RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 148, 20 December 1916, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS

CAPTAIN SIMSON'S UTTERANCES

DEPRECATED

KEEPING UP REINFORCEMENTS.

At a meeting of the ; New Zealand Executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association held this week a considerable amount of business was transacted.

Among the resolutions passed were the following: —

"That the association be represented on Military Service Appeal Boards." The question of pensions and discharges was very fully discussed, and it was resolved— '

"That no returned soldier should bo discharged while an in-patient of a hospital, that out-patients should get full pension, and that any returned soldier after discharge be entitled to free medical treatment at the expense of the State."

A number of individual complaints under this head were referred to the Wellington sub-committee for action in accordance with this resolution.

"That a. deputation wait upon the Hon. A. L. Herdman to confer with him regarding the appointment of local associations to act as agents for the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department." Applications by nurses for membership, forwarded by local association for ruling were considered, but as the rules specially state 'males' the matter was deferred to be brought up at the next conference. Tenders for the supply of badges were received, that of Messrs. Mayer and Kean, of Wellington, being accepted. Two special resolutions passed were : —

"That the secretary make public this meeting's entire disapproval and lack of sympathy with the sentiments expressed by Captain Shnson in South Africa, and especially deprecates his statement: 'Thai New Zealand farmers who have lost sons in the war console themselves with the profits made out of the war.' "

"That in the opinion of this meeting no peace proposals, however plausible, are acceptable, unless on the terms outlined by Mr. Asquith in his speech at the Guidhall in November, 1914, and this meeting impresses upon the New Zealand Government the absolute necessity of keeping up reinforcements until the war shall have been brought to a victorious conclusion."