GISBORNE R.S.A.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12537, 26 April 1935, Page 7

GISBORNE R.S.A.

ANNUAL MEETING

APPEAL for more members. PAST year reviewed. There was another good attendance at the annual meeting of the Gisborne R.S.A. held in the Y.M.O.A. hall !■ yesterday: Among those present ■were representatives of practically all branches of the association. The president, Lt.-Col. R. F. Gambrill, was in the chair. The annual report, ,as submitted to the meeting, expressed regret at a Aht-kt decline in membership and an appeal to all returned men to maintain a personal interest in the doings of the association is made by the president, Lieut-Col. R. F. Gambrill,. who urges all who may be eligible for membership to exercise the privileges and recognise the responsibilities devolving upon • every veteran. It is pointed out that the ./personal interest of members is of .Jljrreat encouragement to the officers of the association, who will welcome suggestions’ for moulding the future policy of the organisation, and extending its usefulness. The district membership total, of ]OO2 is made up as follows, the figures for last year being given in.parentheses : Gisborne, 729 (774) ; Tnirawhiti sub-association, 97 (117) ; Ruatoria, 41 (47) ; Tokomam Bay, G 4 (65); Tolaga Bay, 47 : (46); Waikohu, 98 (56); Matawai-Motu. 49 (55) ; and Bartlett’s, nil (14). A reminder of the value of subscriptions paid early in the financial year is given by' the president, who points out that many veterans who have been financial in the past have slot their subscriptions lapse through lack of opportunity to pay them late in the year. Early payment will help to maintain the membership figures, it is emphasised, and also will help to minimise the amount of work to be covered in the later months of the rear.

PENSION APPLICATIONS

In the matter of pension appliea"’•triions, the association has had anoth■t>r busy year, there being no diminution in the number of applications

investigated. Some of-the ■ applicants had to be advised that attributability could not he proved, in their cases, in which the applications were not • prosecuted. A total of 48 applications were received, and 38 investigated, while eight more are in course of investigation. Of the 38 in which the'preliminaries were completed, 24-claims were •made, the balance being advised not to proceed. Thirteen claims put before the 'Pensions Department were successful, and seven refused, while : four are now awaiting decision ; while in the case of four claims refused by the department, appeals have been lodged and await decision. In, respect of many of the successful claims, besides 'disability pensions or increases being granted, econpmie and family pensions were , also made ' available. Tinder the heading of relief, the rethat the amount disbursed in whirs for clothing, firewood, groceries, and other similar measures totalled £407, the payments not including those in connection with hospital comforts, and for burial expenses, the latter being recoverable from the Pensions Department.

WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

Subsidised casual labor ivith private employers afforded to 242 men £I7BG in wages, towards which the association contributed £748, the total number of days’ work being 2738. Unsubsidised work where full wages wore paid by the employers totalled 72 days’ work for 48 men, and 51 weeks for 11 men, while nine men were placed in permanent positions. In addition, 12 “Diggers’ ” sons were placed in permanent positions. “.It must be again recorded, with pride, that in the majority of cases, the ‘Diggers’ sent out to jobs have given of their best, thereby ensuring a continuance of the support given tp us by the public in this direction,’’ states the report.

Referring to the Central Relief Depot, the report further states that through the activities of the sub-as-sociation, for the third year in succession, a total of about 125 head of cattle wore made available for general distribution of meat rations through the depot, the funds of the association benefiting from the sale of hides and hy-produCts to the extent of £lO6. Appreciation of the generosity of donors of beasts, and of the action of the Gisborne Refrigerating -Company, Limited, in killing and storing the meat free of all charges, is recorded.

CHRISTMAS GIFT SCHEME

The 769 parcels of gifts distributed among the children of unemployed ex-soldiers, covering an area between East Cape and Nub aka,. provided welcome additions to the Christmas festivities in a large number of homes,

the effort being well supported Inprivate donations in cash and •in hlpdj and assistance - being; forthcoming from the members of the Gisborne Business Women’s Club. in making up and parcelling the gifts. A party of ladies headed by Mrs G. Barton also helped materially by furnishing a sum of £lO, the proceeds of pi ivate efforts, while a further sum was received from a lady who, though bedridden, disposed of needle'll ork and thus collected a substantial donations.

The success of the basket-factory, the products of which are a credit to the association ■ the improvement in the library arid reading-room equipment, sporting and social activities sponsored by the association; and the services of a large number of helpers in town' and country are roferled to in ‘the latter stages of the" report, which concludes with mention of the gradual thinning of the ranks of “Diggers” by deaths. Among those to whom personal reference are -made in the obituary paragraph are Messrs. W. Simmons, formerly secretary of the Nuliaka. branch, and Bert Mossman, of Waerenga-o-kuri, both of whom rendered yeoman service for the cause of the distressed soldier.

PRESIDENT’ S COMA TENTS

/ J' l moving the adoption of the animal report and balance sheet, the president referred to the drop in membership, this having occurred for the first time in ten years. It was due largely to the fact that the organiser among the Tairawhiti members had been unable to give time to this division, with a drop in consequence. Town mebership, however, was also down and there se.emed no real reason for this, except that people were inclined to bo casual about it. He appealed to returned men to amend this casual attitude and not to forget to join 'up. There was greater need to-day than ever before for the association, for many were dropping by the wayside. Most of the burden of the association fell on the secretary, Mr. W. Oakden, and the executive, and they owed a. great deal indeed for the tremendous amount of work carried out- by these members. The secretary, they all knew, did more than seemed possible for one man. (Applause). The speaker pointed out that the balance was down as compared with last year. : 'There had been some windfalls during the year, but the calls on the association were greater than ever. He referred to the Christmas gift scheme and made an appeal for support from members in this connection, while 1 voicing his thanks for assistance given towards the scheme. Hides and skins from the cattle drives brought in £lO6 odd last' year, without which they would have been in a bad way as far as finance was concerned.

1 The president conduded with warm thanks for assistance given last year by the executive and for the work of the hon. auditors (Messrs. Bull and Edwards). The motion was seconded by Mr. A. S. Muir and carried without discussion.

Nominations of office-bearers were exactly equal to the vacancies, all the retiring officers having been nominated for re-election. They were as follows: President, Lt.-Col. R. E. Gambrill; vice-president, Mr A. S. Aluir; three vacancies on the executive, Dr. H. Goulding Rice; Messrs. A. H. Lange, G. C. Jones; hon. medical officer, Dr ! Rice ; hon. auditors, Messrs, Bull arid Edwards.

POSITION OF C.D.C. FUND

Reporting on the 2 3 °sition of the C.D.C. fund, in response to a request made at the previous annual meeting, the president pointed out that the principal asset was a mortgage of £9382, on which there was accrued interest -of £1228. The principal was safe, but some of the interest would probably he cancelled by the Mortgagors’ Commission. A mortgage of £2OO was owing In' a soldier not now in the district. There was a small freehold property at Kaiteratahi and also a 'farm property, which had been mortgaged for £SOOO, in the Waiooka, both these having been taken over a.s mortgagee. The only source of revenue last year was from a sum of £IOOO borrowed from the War Funds Council, of which '£B72 was left in the hank. It was obvious that the funds were not in a rosy condition and the situation appeared rather hopeless. The expenses of administration of the fund last year, excluding interest on the loan from the War Funds Council, totalled £lls. The actual amount 'spent, last year was £612, of which £277 was expended through the R.S.A.

GENERAL MATTERS

It was agreed to hold the annual re-union in Show Week as usual this year. Regarding the Silver Jubilee celebrations on May 6, it was decided to parade as a body and 'then to disperse on reaching the band; rotunda where the actual ceremony will 'take place. Votes of thanks; were passed with acclamation to the auditors, to Dr. H. Goulding Rice for his work as hon.

modical officer, to the Women’s National Reserve, to the donors of Wreaths, to those who helped with the parade, to the Y.M.C.A. lor the use of the hall, and to the press. Mr G. H. Seddon, in proposing a vote of thanks to the president, referred to the splendid work of Mr. Gain-brill and stressed the association’s great fortune in having such

a man to occupy the position. These sentiments were applauded to the echo.