"DIGGERS" MEET

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 147, 23 June 1937, Page 12

"DIGGERS" MEET

RECORD GATHERING

ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE

OFFICIAL OPENING

A record number of branches of ths | New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association was represented when the twenty-first anniversary conference of the association opened in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall this morning. Over one hundred remits dealing with matters affecting returned soldiers and matters of national interest are to be considered by the delegates, end the conference is expected to continue until Friday evening. When the delegates congregated this morning, the president of the association Cthe Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C.). welcomed the Acting Prime Minister (trie Hon P. Fraser), the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) Major-General Sir Andrew Russel KC.B., K.C.M.G., who was president of the association for many years, was also present. The Mayor welcomed the delegates to Wellington and referred in particular to Major-General Sir Andrew Russell who was for many years president of the association. His successor, said Mr. Hislop, was following worthily in the footsteps of their old 3.0.C. Tae ceremonies held in the various centres, where the R.S.A. paraded, showed that the returned soldiers were still to the fore and the conference showed that interest in R.S.A. affairs was as great as ever The returned men were working together to pass on the knowledge they had gained from the past to the New Zealanders of the future, and as long as they worked to establish a true national spirit and to help their comrades their association would be worth while. The Mayor then declared the conference open and the president introduced Mr. Fraser and Mr. Jones. MINISTER'S TRIBUTE. It was a pleasure to be present at such a conference, Mr. Fraser said, and he hoped that the meeting would be beneficial to both the association and' thfi country as a whole. In' the past the R.S.A. had addressed itself not only to its own problems but alsn to national matters, and that interest was appreciated by the Government. It was a matter of pleasure to the Government that it had been possible to do something for the returned soldiers of New Zealand. He expressed the r.ppreciation of the Government for the way the R.S.A. had stated its case and the way in which appreciation had been expressed .for what was done. Frankness and a plain statement of facts was a feature of the association's representations to the Government, and he hoped! that would continue. The returned soldiers had given great service during the war, and the R.S.A. had given great service during the years of peace. The experience and training of the ' returned'soldiers had made .them valuable organisers during the depression, and the ability of the association to organise had been shown once more during the King George V Memorial appeal. Whatever decisions the conference reached, said Mr. Fraser, they would be considered fairly and sympathetically, and the Government would do whatever was possible. (Applause.') Mr. Fraser concluded by wishing the conference success. ■ ~. ..■■:. Mr. Jones said it was a good thing that the association could "gather at least once a year to discuss the problems of returned soldiers. . He had always found ths association's executive helpful with matters affecting returned men or others, and he was glad, as Minister in charge of War Pensions, to have been able to remove the anomaly that existed' through the time limit on the marriage of returned soldiers. There were probably other anomalies that he could attend to and he would be glad to consider any questions brought forward from the conference. The association was to be thanked for assisting with the selection of the Coronation contingent, Mr. Jones said, and he was very pleased with the result. The contingent had brought credit to New Zealand and everyone had reason to be proud of every member. Mr. Perry thanked the Mayor, the Acting Prime Minister, and the Minister of Defence for attending the opening of the conference,' and said that he felt sure the conference would find questions to place before the Government, and all of the delegates were confident that such matters would receive proper consideration. After the -visitors had withdrawn Mr. Perry announced, that his Majesty. King George VI had accepted the position of patron of the association, which had become vacant at the death of his late Majesty King .George V. (Applause.)

The conference then dealt with machinery matters to facilitate the conduct of proceedings, and considered the annual report.