BEST ON RECORD

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 21 April 1928, Page 3

BEST ON RECORD

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ YEAR SOUTH TARANAKI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS’ ANNUAL MEETING. Though the membership roll shows a total of over 260, the annual meeting of the South Taranaki Returned Soldiers’ Association attracted an attendance cl only 30 members to the club at Hawera last evening. Mr. M. P. Brighton, retiring president, occupied the chair until the election of officers took place, when he was succeeded by the incoming president, Mr. S. R. Veitch. The report presented on behalf of the retiring executive stated (inter alia) : Membership—At the close of tlip year 1927-2 S the financial membership stands at 262, as against 202 last year, and represents an increase ol 30 per cent. We appreciate the loyalty ol the returned men of the district in assisting us to show such a substantial increase in the membership of the association, and the executive looks forward with confidence to a continuance of this support during the coming year. As there are a number of returned men in this district who have,not yet signified their willingness to join the association, the executive appeals to those and urges them to join up, thus keeping alive.the only returned soldiers’ institution in the Dominion. The annual subscription constitutes the sole means of carrying on the association, and is devoted in its entirety to objects for the betterment of its members, and no portion of this subscription is used to maintain the Soldiers’ Club at Hawera. Ex-members of the South African war are eligible l'o-r active membership of this association, and are entitled to the privileges arising therefrom. The executive has met on eleven occasions during the year, when a large number of individual cases for pensions and assistance have been dealt- with.

Finance. — I The executive is pleased to state that the financial position of the association shows a substantial improvement. The accumulated funds stand at £T6I 15s Id, an increase of £64 11s Id, or 65 per cent, for the year. The association had the sum of £SO deposited at the Post Office Savings Hank at the commencement of the year, and this amount has been increased by a further £SO during the term, and now stands at £IOO. The accrued interest on this amount at the balance date is £4 4s 2d. The nett return for the 1927 Poppy Day effort amounted to £54 15s, which was paid to the trustees of the fund. During the year the trustees have expended the sum of £B7 Is 6d in relief of distress. The amount of the fund now stands at £lB5 6s 9d. Thp trustees wish to thank all those who so kindly assisted in. the effort. Special thanks are due to the Women’s National Reserve, who undertook control of the campaign. Can I,ecu Funds and Unemployment. —During the year the New Zealand Regimental and Canteen Funds Trust Board set aside a portion of the year’s interest for the purpose of providing employment for returned men who were out of work. This association had the honour of being appointed the controlling association for the Taranaki province. The amount allotted to this district was £3OO, and the whole of this amount was expended in providing employment in various parts of Taranaki. The thanks of the executive are due to the local bodies who So kindly assisted us in finding the necessary work and for providing subsidies on the payments made from the fund.

General. —During the past year the association had its second reunion dinner, This function proved an outstanding success in every way, and it is hoped to have a similar function during the coming winter. In conclusion, the executive wishes to express its thanks to- Hie press and all who have assisted the association in any way during the past year. BEST ON RECORD.

“This is the. best balance-sheet the association lias ever prepared,” said the president in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. The association reached its low water mark in the year ended March 31, 1920, when the membership stood at 143. Jn the succeeding years the figures were In” and 202 respectively, a lid this year the total of > 202 .had been reached. Throughout the Dominion last year a decrease of 9 per cent had been shown, and at March 31, 1927, the total membership of the Dominion associations was 6800. There were indications, however, that a substantial increase would be recorded this year, 14 associations having, by the end of February this year, exceeded their respective totals for the previous year. One. of the principal avenues of work in which the executive had been engaged in during the year had been in connection with pensions, and. it ho cl been able to assist a. large number of applications made from ex-ser-vice men and their dependents in the district.

Referring to the remits forwarded by the South Taranaki Association to the Dominion Conference, the president said that the recommendation that travelling warrants lie issued to all pensioners travelling for medical treatment or examination on the basis of first-class warrants where the®' disability was 50 per cent or over, and all other classes second-class, bad. been adopted by the conference. The second Temit, recommending that. 12 months’ full pension, plus economic and dependents’ pension, bo granted all men on their discharge from hospital, had been struck out. In conclusion, the president expressed his sincere appreciation of the cooperation extended by the executive workers and all members of the association throughout the year, and said the association was particularly indebted to the fine service rendered as secretary hy Mr. I?. 3\leCay. to whose efficiency and enthusiasm the big increase of 30 per cent in membership was very largely due.

The motion was seconded by Mr. S. R-. Veitoh, who said the association was to he congratulated on the excellent position shown. .The was adopted without discussion. RULES AMENDED.

In accordance with notice, amendments as follow to the rules of the association were proposed, on behalf of the executive committee by the president and seconded by Mr. S. R. Veiteh.

(a) To alter the. rule 5, governing the appointment of officers, so as to provide that the executive consist- of 12 instead of nine members.

(b) That the words: “honorary secretary” bp. deleted from the rule as to the constitution of the committee, and the term “six ordinary members” be amended Po as to provide for the inclusion of ten ordinary members exclusive of the chairman and treasurer.

(c) That a sub-paragraph be added to rule 16, dealing with the powers of

the committee, so as to empower it to appoint and control a .secretary or secretaries with remuneration, as the committee might deem advisable, ,such appointment to be -selected, from active members of the association, who should be deprived of voting powers on the question. Speaking to the amendment, Mir M. R. Jones said that the- principal reason for the enlargement of the committee was to allow Hie appointment of addi-

tional members from the outlying; districts. During the year just concluded on© of the most useful members of the committee had .been Mr IV. H. Corlvill, of Otakeho. who had been the oommit(ce’s only member residing in the country district. The. amendments were adopted. SER VICES APPRECIATED.

Thi2 election of officers resulted as follow: — President; Mr S. R.Veitch (Hawera). Hon. treasurer: Mr W. E* Morrissey (Hawera), re-elected. Executive committee: Messrs M. R. Jones, M €. Crighton, H. S. Master (Hawera), and W. H. Corkill (Otakeho) re-elected, and H. G. Dickie, M.P., R-. flollarcl, H. J. Webber (Hawera), W. K Ricketts (Kitham), .)• A. Dawson (Kaponga), and J. B. Harrop (Opun alee). ; Hon auditors: Messrs C. H. Suited

and G. A. Duncan (re-elected). Club management committee : Messrs :M. R. Jones, H. S. Muslin, R. Hollar'd ancl the president. Social committee: Messrs D. H Briggs. A. L. Palmer, M. .Squire, and E. 14. Piper (re-elected), and L. I. Matter. . On taking the chair, the newtyelected president .thanked the meeting for the distinction conferred, and paid tribute to his predecessor (Mr M. C. Crighton) who had officiated as presidpnfc for nearly three years, and had given valuable service of an outstanding nature to the ex-service men, and their dependents throughout the district. Joining the. local association within a few months of it’s, inception, Mr Orighton had aided in an executive capacity for ten years, u.ud for four years hud boon a highly-esteemed secretary of the association, said Mr Veitch. “As our j representative, at three of the Dominion conferences. Mr Crighton has also been prominent in deliberations affecting the affairs of the associations througlmt the Dominion as a. whole, and ranks as one of the best-friends of the ‘digger’ this district has produced,” concluded Mr Veitch. Votes of thanks were accorded the ex11resident and all officials who hud

acted during the year. In accordance with the recommendation of the retiring executive committee, the secretary was voted no honorarium of 60 guineas. ANZAC DAY PARADE.

The president (Mr Veitch) called attention to the observance of Anzac Day, scheduled for Wednesday next, tand expressed the hope that a full muster of returned men of the Hawera district would he in attendance during til© local ceremony. The meeting adopted recommendations that R.B.A. members parade with other organised units and march to the The meeting recommended that .association badges and wair medals be worn, rendezvous for the .service, but that the R. refrain from participation in the march past on the showground®. The president pointed out that the parade was to assemble at the Drill Hall at 10.15 a.m. It was decided to hold the* annual reunion dinner at Hawera during Winter Show Week. Messrs (M. C. Crighton, R McCav, H. S'.' Muslin, D. H. Bnggs, M. Squire, L. I. Marten (re-elected) and S. R. Veitch were appointed a® the organising committee.