USING THE MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 10

USING THE MONEY

HOMES FOR VETERANS

UNEMPLOYMENT BELIEF

A lengthy discussion took place at the annual conference of the Dominion Council of the N.Z.R.S.A. to-day with regard to what should be done with the canteen funds.

Mr. M. Aldred (representative of the council on the Canteen and Regimental Trust Fund Board) stated that the canteen funds, including last year's interest, now totalled £190,000, and he strongly urged that it was most desirable that the corpus of the fund should be conserved.

The sub-committee on the remits relating to the canteen funds recommended: "That the Dominion Conference confirm the attitude taken up by the R.S.A. in the past that the corpus of tfie Canteen Fund be conserved, and further recommends that the fund be eventually used for the purpose of erecting veterans' homes as soon as the necessity arises." .Mr. Aldred (convener of the committee) suggested that the two clauses of the resolution should be put separately. This was agreed to. The first clause down to the word "conserved" was carried unanimously; and so, after a keen discussion, was the second clause. Some delegates suggested that the interest should also be conserved for the same purpose; but it was pointed out by others that the interest would not thcn'be available for dealing with unemployment amongst returned soldiers. .•■'•-'.. SHOULD NOT BE TIED UP. A protest was made by Mr. W. E. Leadley and other speakers against the fund being tied up for fifteen years— a policy approved in previous years— because the provision *. of veterans' homes might. be required long before that time. ' . . : It was suggested.-by Mr. Patterson that-it was very necessary that they Bhold look ahead and secure suitable ■sites for veterans' homes as soon as possible. ■ It.was resolved that it .be a recommendation to the executive to set up a special committee to investigate the question of a veterans' home,; and that it was desirable. that. suitable sijes should be acquired.

The. acute, position at' the present time' with regard to ex : soldier unemployment was pointed out, and the conference resolved unanimously: '<That in view of the unemployment existing among returned soliders this winter it be made a recommendation to the Canteen Funds Board that portion of the income from the" fund be applied towards relief to be administered by local associations throughout the country." It was decided that it. was unwise to. formulate any hard and fast scheme jbf employment in connection with the administration of canteen funds; each association must be guided by local conditions;