SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LI, Issue 5343, 2 December 1919, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION

The South African Veterans' Association held a meeting in the Soldiers' Club rooms on Saturday evening, Mr J. Poynter presiding over a large and representative attendance. A considerable amount of discussion took place upon the attitude of the Government towards the request of the Association that its members should be allowed to participate in the benefits provided by the soldiers' settlement scheme. The Premier, in reply to a telegram asking this to be done, wrote: “That it was impossible to allow South African veterans to participate in the soldiers settlement scheme at the present time; but as soon as the bulk of the returned members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force lias been dealt with the South'African veterans would be allowed to come in." . , , : ~ . , The meeting decided to continue the agitation for recognition at the eailiest possible moment. It was pointed out that men who had fought m South Africa were all of mature years, and were therefore more likely to be successful than younger men with ess experience. and that the longer tins was denied to them the fewer the number that would be enabled to enjoy the benefit of the scheme. It was turthei decided to circularise other branches of the Association, also the Dominion executive, and branches of the beamed Soldiers' Association, asking then support, and that all candidates ioi Parliament be asked to pledge hemselves to further the aims and objects of the Association in this direction. The president mentioned that one member present had lost a leg through the effects of a railway accident m South Africa, and bad not been supplied with an artificial limb; so it was decided to press Ins claim on the Government for recognition and hm supplied with an artificial leg the same as supplied to the returned soldiers. It was also mentioned that some had still back pay owing to _ them ; others had not yet received their medals, bo that if any South African veteran has any claim to make, and will communicate with the secretary the Association will back them up and forwaul then claim to the proper quarter At the conclusion of the business of the meeting, Sir James Carroll, who had been addressing the returned soldiers, was invited tq give the associa--11 Messrs McDonald and Pitt placed the matter before Sir James, and made the suggestion, winch mot with the *x\ proval of those present. that when any land was thrown open for settlement for the returned soldiers a certain, percentage should be set aside for South African veterans. Sir James Carroll, m replying, said that as one of the old veterans and «a medal man it gave him great pleasmo to be present and meet the membeis of the Association and have an m\<n n talk over- their aims and objective. He considered that their request for inclusion in !he soldiers' settlement scheme was ri-dit and reasonable, and that the where old comrades could torn °M?W. Pitlmentioned many soldiers in | serve d In South present time w ”° a rmv and conAfrica, in Domintingents of otlie question would ions, and that the they naturally alIS> ,' . C ome under this ISVi in favor sir a* }\l » "ntR ’ssHffl tto ...no «•* K ’” B and country. . said be also was Sir James, in J replv he fottsa w in favor, of this. arise, but some difficulty mig t think but at the same time he ctici no ithout that this could be got ovei much trouble.