PROGRESS OF N.Z. LEGION.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 15 July 1933, Page 6

PROGRESS OF N.Z. LEGION.

levin centre well under WEIGH. A meeting of the recently formed Levin centre of the New Zealand Legion was held last evening, in the Regent Theatre committee room. There was a fair attendance. Mr F. J- W. Stallard read the minutes of the preliminary meeting, at which temporary appointments were made of Mr K, Aitken as chairman and Mr Stallard as secretary. OFFICERS ELECTED.

On the motion of Dr. L. J. Hunter, seconded by Mr E, R. Vickers, Mr Aitken was elected chairman of the district.

Mr Aitken then took the chair, and returned thanks for his election, but added that he would have liked to see Dr. Hunter occupying the position. He hoped that the doctor would be a delegate to the National Council meeting next week.

Mr H. Harvey nominated Mr Stallard for the position of secretary. This was seconded by Dr. Hunter and carried.

In thanking the meeting for its confidence, Mr Sttallard said that if, when the centre was larger, a younger man could be persuaded to undertake the duties, he would be quite willing to relinquish the position. The Chairman paid a tribute to the work already done by Mr Stallard in the interests of establishing the Legion branch in this district. Mr W. W. Shennan was added to the existing committee. DELEGATES TO NATIONAL .COUNCIL.

A letter was received from the Manawatu division intimating that the National Council would meet in Wellington on Wednesday and Thursday next, and that delegates would attend from ali the divisions and centres throughout the Dominion. The communication stated that no restriction was placed on the number of delegates from the various centres. Eeraits were invited, conveying recommendations from members and committees.

It was decided, on the motion of Mr Stallard, seconded by Mrs Logan, that the delegates to the National Council be the Chairman and Dr. Hunter, with power to add to their number. MEMBERSHIP PROSPECTS.

The Chairman stated that, since the public meeting the previous Friday, there had been a slight addition J:o the number of members, which was approaching fifty. It was hoped soon .to make it a hundred. It would be a question for the committee to devise a method of organisation to increase the membership.

The secretary explained, in reply to a question, that the centre’s district comprised the area within the boundary of the Levin electoral district. WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT*.

A suggestion for a remit was made by Mrs Logan, on the lines that, if Parliament were constituted of 30 members, six of the seats should be reserved for women. She referred to the value that would be derived from women’s advice —for instance, in regard to hospitals.

The Chairman said there was no doubt that various 'representations' would be made in the Legion by women members, and they were eligible for committee work. If a good number of women became members of the Legion, their presence would be felt and they would become a factor in that organisation. There was no seconder for the proposed remit. THE SOCIAL SIDE.

Mr Stallard spoke of the possibility, when the membership of the centre was somewhat larger, of holding an entertainment combined with the reading of papers by members and discussion of the subjects therein presented. FUTURE POSSIBILITIES.

Mr Geo. Thompson stated that he had been a member of the Legion for some time. He thought that another meeting should be held when the delegates returned from the National Council. They should be able to give information that would be of such interest as to largely increase the membership. Mr Vickers thought that the Legion should be able to do much towards overcoming the increasing lack of sympathy between the country and the towns.

The chairman considered that the ideals of the Legion were so high that the majority of the people did not look on the movement as something real. If the high ideals at which its leader, Dr. Campbell Bcgg, was aiming could be brought into effect, they should bridge the gulf between the town and the country. It was hoped that membership of the Legion would become general.

Hr Stallard referred to the accentuation of “town v. country” senti ment through the activities of political parties —features of the national life which the Legion sought to eliminate.

No further business having to be transacted at this stage, the meeting terminated. ■■ ■- .