RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 18

RETURNED SOLDIERS

SEATOUN AUXILIARY

The first annual meeting of the Seatoun auxiliary of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was held last night. Lieut.-Colonel R. S. McQuarrie, who addressed the gathering, said that he felt tremendously gratified at the success that had attended the efforts of the auxiliary committees, which had been functioning only a short.while. It was one of the objects of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association to' see that returned soldiers got everything to which they were entitled, and to do that it was necessary to have what was known in the army as the service of information. The commander had to know what was going on ol the other side of the line, and that could only be done by members scouting around and finding out everything that occurred, so that if any man heard about anything that was likely to affect returned soldiers either for good or for bad,' he should tell his committee about it. As an illustration Lieut.-Colonel McQuarrie took the case of' a firm which might be considering retrenching ex-soldiers.

On the question of membership the speaker said that it was shameful to realise that there were men who did well in the war, largely because of the efforts of the men under them, and who yet did not support those mcii by becoming members of the association. . It was not for the : sake of money that new members were desired, but for the moral support which they would give the association. Referring to the fact that some people had evidently thought that relief workers were not-welcomed into the association, Lieut.Colohel McQuarrie said that the idea was a mistaken one. The association held the view that a relief worker's subscription fee of 10s would be better devoted to his family, .but any ex-sokliers who were unemployed or on relief would be gladly welcomed at the socials and other gatherings notwithstanding the fact that they were not financial members.

Mr. F. E. McDonald, of the R.S.A. headquarters executive, also congratulated the auxiliary on its successful first year, mentioning that from their own social efforts the auxiliary committees Tiad been able to hand over to the assistance section of the R.S.A. the sum of £87.

The annual report, which was presented by the chairman, stated that the registered unemployed soldiers of the district were given Christmas parcels consisting of. groceries, etc., and toys were distributed to nine families on Christmas morning. Considerable assistance was given to ex-soldiers under the subsidy scheme. There was an excess of income over expenditure for the period under review of £12 5s lOd. It was stated that the success or otherwise of. the returned soldiers' movements, throughout the country was entirely dependent on the number of financial members. Problems affecting'returned soldiers generally would surely arise and could not be. tackled individually. It was only by strong membership that the association could preserve the rights of the men.

A.vote of thanks was passed to Mr. E. J. Wilson, the l'etiring secretary, expressing the appreciation of members for his services while holding that position.

The evening was concluded with a bright musical programme.

Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows:—Patron, Mr. J. E; Ramsey; vice-president, Mr. S. A. Hayden; chairman, Mr. G. B. Maun;. vice-chair-man, Mr. H. A. Fanselow; hon. secretary, Mr. R. H. Bell; treasurer, Mr. A. E. Wixon; committee, Messrs. G\ T. Kellaway, H. M. ■ McFarlane, E. J. Wilson, A. Fitchett, and C. A. Perry. -