RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 17155, 23 September 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING. The monthly general meeting of mambars of the Duncdin Returned Soldiers' Association was held in the association rooms, Dowling street, last night, Dr T. Harrison (president) presiding over an attendance of about 50 members. MONTHLY REPORT.

The General Committee reported : During the month ended September 22 the membership of the association has been further increased by the admission of 361 active members and five nurses. Mr A. C. Laing has resigned his position as secretary as from the 20th inst. The duties are being temporarily carried on by Mr G. M. Smith, with the voluntary assistance of Mr Laing, until a permanent appointment is made! During the i»onth your committee have given some attention to the formation of «"~Disooiint Society in connection with the association. A great deal of information upon the subject has been collected, and it is probable that some definite action will be taken at an early date. Your association have been well represented at various public functions held in the City. Representatives of your committee have attended various functions and ceremonies in an official capacity, and have, at all_ times, endeavored to keep the association's aims and policy oofore the public. The response by the returned soldiers to an appeal for a muster to form a guard of honor at the recenfc civic reception given to Admiral Jellicoe was very disappointing. Only about 30 men were present. Equally disappointing was the response for members to help to dispose of Jellicoe buttons in aid of the building fund. With the active help of members,"there was no reason to doubt but that £IOO could have been cleared from (his source alone. As it is, it is doubtful :: the cost of production will bo realised. At the last genend meeting a resolution with regard to politics was referred to the committee. The corornitteo decided to telegraph the Prime Minister and Sir J. G. Ward asking that soldiers' allowances, gratuities, and soldiers' grievances be settled this session. Replies were received from the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward stating that every endeavor would be made to settle the matters referred to this session. After due consideration, no further action has been taken by the committee. The attention of your committee was drawn to the fact that a deserter from the N.Z.E.F. had been granted a license as a taxi driver. A deputation from your committee waited upon the full council to protest against the granting of this license, and your committee have pleasure in reporting that the council have now decided that the license ."?hall not be renewed t7pon the expiration thereof in six months' time. It has been decided that in future no licence to carry on any business in (he City shall be issued to any military defaulter. The question of deferring four weeks' railway warrants was again referred to the Minister, and a reply has been received from him to the effect that the matter is now under discussion with the Railway Department, and that it is hoped soon "to be able to announce some satisfactory arrangement. The Government have now seen lit to approve of payment of retrospective children's allowance, and there is every pro speet of other allowances being made retrospective. The committee also report %vith pleasure the decision of the Government to pay a gratuity of a flat rate of eighteen pence per day to all soldiers who have seen active service. CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS.

The President said the efforts of the committee had met with success in a great many cases during the month. It was to be regretted that the secretary (Mr A. C. Laing) had resigned after being with the association such a short time. The position was the secretary had been offered a. position in town better than the one he was holding, and had applied to be relieved as from Saturday last. The terms of the agreement provided for a month's notice on either side, but in view of the fact that Mr Laing had offered to give hia mornings free to the association, that had been waived. In bringing Mr Laing from Wellington, the association had gone to a great deal of expense. It had cost them about £3O in all. Mr Laing had offered to refund a portion of that amount, but it was thought equitable, in view of his promise) as to the future, to let that pass. In the meantime Mr O. Smith had been acting as secretary, and would continue to do so until a permanent appointment was made. The position ha<l been advertised, and would be decided in two or three weeks. Under the terms of the next agreement the new secretary would have to remain six months with the association, the appointment to terminate by one month's notice en either aide. He was sorry the main body of members of the association had been taking very little interest in the affairs. The returned soldier was not helping his own cause as he should. Their building fund was increasing very slowly, and it was due to a large extent, not to the apathy of ths general public, but to the attitude of the returned m«n themselves. Ee thought the gratuity wag a very generous allowance.

Mr Brown moved and Mr A. J. Foley seconded that tho it-port of the committee be adopted.

In reply to a question, the. President said ho thought the committee had been justified in the action they had taken respecting the granting of a taxi-cab license to a deserter. They had decided to protect their members who had been honorably discharged in earning their living. The report wna adopted. SOCIAL COMMITTEE.

The Social Committee reported that arrangements were complete for the fancy dress and tennis dance, to be held in the Art Gallery Hall on Thursday, October 2, and that tickets were still available. The third round of a billiard tournament was now being played at the Anzac Club, and a billiard match had been arranged with the Commercial Travellers' Club. Mr W. Woods suggested that a rifle club be formed in connection with the association, and that this matter be a recommendation to the Social Committee. The report was adopted. Y.M.C.A. COLLECTION.

Mr Brown said that while the Division was in Germany the Y.M.C.A. took rp subscriptions for memorial huts which they proposed to erect in each centre in New Zealand. Each man had given about five marks.- The money belonged to the men themselves, and he thought it was timo they heard what was being clone with it. He would move that the Y.M.C.A. Headquarters be written to and asked what was being done with the money. Mr W. Murphy seconded tho motion, which was carried. Mr D. M'Donald moved that the Y.M.C.A. be requested to hand tho money subscribed by the* Otago men to the building fund. An amendment by Mr E. Mercer that no action ibe taken till an answer wae received from the Y.M.C.A. as to what was being done with the money was carried. PICNIC. Mr Jones moved that the first annual picnic of the association bo held at Portobello on Labor Day. He thought they could get an attendance of about 1,000 and organise a number of events, for which,prizes could be offered. Tho motion was seconded and carried. GRATUITIES.

Mr Denny moved and Mr Ramsay seconded—"That the men who, in the earlier part of the war, had been placed under the care of ths Public Health Department, and had been discharged from hospital, receive the gratuity up to the time they were discharged from the hospital."—This was carriad.

Mr Nicholson moved —"That in view of the fact that a number of soldior patients in the various hospitals in New Zealand will not receive their discharge for some considerable period, the Minister of Defence bo urged to make provision for the payment of the gratuity until the date of their discharge of the soldier patients undergoing treatment." Mr Holme moved as an amendment—"That the question of gratuities be dropped as from the date of peace, and that the association take into consideration fcho matter of obtaioing » living wage for

soldiers who were in hospital as from Jane 28. 1919, to the date of their discharge." The amendment was carried. GLEE PARTY. Mr M'Nish drew attention to the glee party which was being formed in connection with the association. Great interest was being taken in the movement, which, when the new club was erected, would-be a decided benefit to them. There were still vacancies for members, and those willing to assist were asked to hand their names to tho secretary. PATRIOTIC FUNDS. Mr R.- P. Jones, moved that attention be drawn to the unsatisfactory quality of clothes issued to soldiers by the Patriotic Association. Mr M'Nish pointed out that the matter had been taken out of the hands of the Women's Association. While the _ women were in charge, the men got a fair deal. Mr Holme asked if the association were justified in taking action in connection with patriotic gifts. Mr Jones said the people had given the money, and expected the men to get of the best for it.

A suggestion was made that the following be added to the motion: —" That the association consider the public money is being misspent in buying this class of stuff."

The motion, with this addition, was carried.