YEAR OF SERVICE RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1934, Page 6

YEAR OF SERVICE

RETURNED SOLDIERS

ASSOCIATION'S WORK^

EEUEF OF DISTRESS

■f'--,': ■■'- . ■ ;J ;;___

General satisfaction with the activities of tho past, "year, particularly in connoq^qn' mth': the' .relief • of■rdSstness among: unemployed ex-servicemen, was expressed at tho annual meetings of the Koturncd- Soidiers >I'Associatiou1'Associatiou last evening; Colonel A. Coivles, who presided,, said that members had cause for/gratification at the. work done; the. extent of which was. perhaps not fully realised by the public. As an exhibition .of comradeship it was unrivalled by any other organisation. Eeal holp, not charity, .• had _ been given, and he was proud to-be president oi; .the association. Those'taking' part in tho work had themselves gained a, great: deal from tho spiritual aspect, and, in a sense, a lead had been, given- to bigger organisations. He believed that true comradeship. on a. national scale would do much to: overcome the country's troubles, r • \ . • ■. > ? During tho. discussion on the. annual report,., a., summary pf ; which.-, hsJs already been. published, a ..member .asked if some 'help eonld be given ." to unemployed' ex-servicemen in tho matter ;of subscription fees. ; Colonel. Gowles: replied that the feo :of 10s: could not be: reduced ■ It was the considered opinion of the executive; that-if a man' was on-relief it was better for hint to. spend the money on. himself and hia family than' to. join the association. The executive was doing- everything possible, to relieve distress among- returned soldiers and' had succeeded- to a great extent. It no- difference whether a man was a member: of the association: -or not. Last year>. the.1 assqeiation'■ had; spent £5300 and scnemes ivere in: view which would probably inciease- that amount, -to £7000. ■.; :,;- : ■■■ it' [■,':.■ ,/ v:>-v. : ; :■ J; : -. '.. Colonel-R.. S.rMcQuarrie,/vice-presi-dent, reported iv detail oh-the' work done for ;nnemplciyed men, statingi'that subsidised wolfc'had been found for 741 men; and unsubsidised for about 100 menv The total number of: days of work- provided' was' : approximately 3345." Thews were 973 t :men on the association's unemployment-register. A considerable' number 'of then ltad;:also been found- permanent positions.' ■'■ The amounts in- the past; ,tlireo years were..-£2273', £3248, and: £5396 respectively;-;"'"We want'to look upon our work with a feeling of responsibility, and to maie the; public, realise that what .we did as soldiers has made better men of us," ColoneL McQ.uarrie said-. "Whether we get praise- or blamefor whatever we put. our hands to we should find comfort and satisfaction iji our causer'"' ■" , . ■ ..-,.- -.

Mr. W. Perry, Dominion vice-presi-dent, cong*a;|JllaJM;. thU^as^dciatipn' 'ok 'ifs'<C a'c'tisifte'B.' '■*;■'He" ireferre^t?StOv* this :s{reiigtlt^J;tbe; ithtiirespectiii^'^fijeh, *i&4 .^^heiaS-byiSthp ■autntoitie^.^Th'^ifii'tflle'sftfcrMiß^itthpi world todayjvas lack of. co-operation', heY said,?--bui the..members; of the N.Z.B.S;Av -Vere not, gujijjiy} in^.that. re spect. There were, however, nia'njr 'inei) who could' afford to'jpi^ l^t swho.:preierre'd |j^^emain- '(Sh.itKersi- instead of k^m'Jm® ■ haa l ougfi^gd^Jai^.Gffeat ■■■ War &-' iMttiinioSi headqua^jiri 4|^^i§n^nftM?nS^cbnf erences h'a#b|;(^||^]#^^it|'«#s'|(pioy-:: ment p^bfeiij^for s^^evyjea^iAplistfana Bad ,au^c'6^pj{f:in cessioi^<;ftio^^'the//'iG^ye'rnmerit« fiurHoa;-%o^rs.,S^|;v rjM- i:o:s!§£'X.' l'|^;:^l^'l«!i^QH^B.§^ < ■■;^^Qnitp 'Tece.n^|-TMri?;Jerify;^sai^a. :d^-: puta|jon hj^pwaateai/'' on\J?thei:gi!Prime jMinijter ind§i|^a jmeht andsisn^mitfed' a scneinfi'iitlie detiails could ■^jJo^Jfiiscips^, but..whiijh!,7 ifiScarried intpf,jderation, would?:h'felip- enormously to. solve the prpblems ysp far asj-'^employed ex-service-Tneni.SveTe'- concVjrie&- (Applause.) Mr. Perryviddedv'tfiati-.hie was; hopeful that the SoldieM^CivK / Re-Establishmen;t lieague' means of fihdin|; Acgrk fot'inatty Aore. men.;' He urged tfßse_. ( prese^.|^tP.-'.,remain Jpyal, v tp^ the N.Z.B;S.A".. anjt 'exprfesseo;'tapprecia'ta.pii of •the/v'suppprt given" iii* the.. past. '(. '■ ■ I Eeplying ta;'a suggestipn-'th'at. thp incoming;-: exeQtitiye^ , .undertsM] & qampargn "with'»th; e r''objeqt': ofe' olStainpig ■jrpik for. ftmemployed iy^turhed spldiersy-Cbloriel* McQuarrie saiicl that(aii Js|ssu*aitee* Jiad been.* given fby the ';, G-overnpicnt that^ ex-"servieten|ej wpuid'.b"? ig^yon- pre'f ference, l .:parti ; ciilajly pn.^ .'nt^Mtenanee^, J Wdf recpns-trueti?,on w6TS.:'^'Xa'iin§irucii6^ L"t*6 r'^t^S^"e^e4t had.been sent.throughont the Dominion. It was' also stipulated-thai) -any- mep takert oii at •Parlium:ent- >House must, be retupxed.s.oldiers..,",'', ~.',. ' -i: The-followiirg officers Aye-re .'elected'1:' Prewdes;teifi.()}gn«lnv.Av^Gp;Kle.s^..^ic€F&sVo^iMfcs/?!ss. hotf. solicitor, Mr.iJ. S.,Hftßna-"flau.ditor, Mr. : IT?.* i%. , -Buxton;, ;i] .e^e.eutivo '• coni'r mittee/'Dr. ;M^- McKae,"thei .Rev,; l W.! (Bra^well Scott/Rtsssrl- Hi TJ Marshall, if&B.. Hewitt, As ;H4 li-rTreadSvell; I!. KrSlcßonald,. t.^;Hiii;.EJ,;f?"Hal*, and A. E. Ogilviei <l ;%'.-;' a