RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 October 1934, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSN.

MEETING AT GREYMOUTH The half-yearly meeting of the Grey Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in the Town Hall meeting room last evening, Mr. H. Herring (Treasurer) presiding ovex* an attendance of 17 members. Apologies fox* absence were received from Messrs A. H. McKane (President), and T. Crankshaw. The President’s report fox* the half year, as follows, was read and adopted: —i neg to report for the half-yeai’

ended September 30, that your executive have met monthly and have attended to all matters that have been placed before them. Pension cases are still coming up foi- consideration, and your Secretary, Mr. T. P. Ryan, is attending to them in his usual efficient manner. The War Pensions Board held a. sitting in Greymouth in July, when a number of cases were reviewed. In

many cases, pensioners, already in receipt of pensions, had their pensions increased and in some cases made permanent. It cqn be mentioned here that your Association received no complaints about their treatment from the Pensions Board. There are a number of jnen at present. in ill health throughout the district, which we cannot attribute to war disability, but .their cases have bpen taken up, and all possible is being done for them. In several cases the dependents of the aboye mpp are in straitened cir- . cumstances. The finance at your Association’s disposal does not quite meet their needs aijd you will have placed before you a proposal, which has the sanction of the Grey Borough Council; that is, to hold a street appeal day in the near future, and we ask for your assistance in a practical way. This will be the first occasion on which the local R.S.A. have approached the public for many years, and it is to be hoped that generous support will be forthcoming. A matter worthy of note during this half-year is that we have an additional two subbranches, Lake Brunner and Ahaura.

They are very welcome additions and I feel sure they wi|l uphold the traditions of the R.S.A. and attend to all returned men within their district. Our membership stands at 180. and I would like to remind those men who have not paid their subscriptions, to do so at an early date, as this year we want to pass our 200 membership mark. The finances of your Association have improved in spite of the heavy calls, and sub-branches have received sums in proportion to their requirements and of the district in general, and the various amounts are set out in the balance sheet prepared by the Treasurer, Mr. Herring. I have once again to thank all members for\their assistance during the past half-year. The Treasurer’s report was read and received as satisfactory. It was'decided that a. telegram be [ sent to the headquarters of the R.S.A. requesting them to place before Sir lan Fraser, tpe plight of Imperial ex.servicemen nqw resident in the Dominion, and asking him to use his endeavours to have a medical board established in New Zealand to deal with their cases. Arrangements were made for the appeal to be made on Saturday, November 3, for the fund to assist distressed returned men. It was decided to ask the West Coast Women’s Institute to assist the appeal, and that circulars be sent to citizens, asking their' support.