RETURNED SOLDIERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1221, 7 June 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

CLUB ROOM AND HALL. IMPORTANT PROPOSAL. REUNION TO BE HELD. An important meeting of the Te Kuiti branch of the Returned Soldiers* Association was held last night. Mr J. D. Vernon presiding. Tbe attendance was large. The chairman announced tbe intention of bolding a reunion in tha near future. Funds were better now, thanks to tbe ladies* good work at tbe recent social They had many important matters to discuss, and be thought a good deal of it should be held over till then The Te Kuiti branch was now a practically going concern.

I A PUBLIC HALL. ! Mr Vernon said they bad £450 : for ■ club, bat it was much too I title to erect a building, furnish it ' and arrange for its upkeep. There |to a a no decent ball in Te Kuiti. The only one at present was the Municipal Hall, and that was too smalt. Many thoaght an ordinary club for returned soldiers might not last—though he thought it would—and that they should erect a hall with tooms which could he used by the soldiers for billiards, etc. If it was found that the club portion of the building was not much used, the hall would always be an asset, not only for the soldiers, but for all the people in the town. One was a littf* chary about asking people for subscriptions for soldiers, but as the townspeople would be suited by th# scheme, the position might be differently viewed. The people had given the £450, and bis proposal would si«e the people the benefit of their kindness. A LAND COMMITTEE.

A lot had been said about forming a local committee for returned men applying for land. The chairman said that be had interviewed the Crown Lands officers, and be was convinced that the local committees would not be a success, as there would be too great an opportunity for log-rolling. People who could not set! their land *o anyone else desired to foiat it on the De »artment. If any soldier wanted land he could be examined here, and it would not be necessary to go to New Plymouth or Auckland at all.

REPATRIATION COMMITTEE. Mr Vernon announced that be bad been appointed to the Repatriation Committee, and he undertook to do bis best in the interests of returned soldiers. Me looked on repatriation as matter of right, provided a man was giving a square deal. Anyone with a difficulty should see bim. A SYNDICATE ACTIVE. Sergt.-Major Bathaway remarked that a syndicate bad plans for tbe building of a ball, be had been informed. Mr Vernon: We baven't tbe funda they bave in outside districts. A member objected to erecting • ball on a native leasehold section.

Mr Vernon agreed. Be said it was practically impossible to raise money on such a lease. A member expressed the opinion that the people would support tbe idea of a ball.

Mr Vernon: Everyone I have spoken Co is moat enthusiastic about it. Sergt,-Major Hatbaway moved that tbe question of building a club room and ball be discussed at tbe smoke concert.

"iv'e been working at tbis for two y»ar»," added the sergt.-major. "Let there he no further delay. People ask what has been done with the money given a*. Let the public see that we are really doing something." Tbb was seconded by Mr Holden and carried.

Mr Kaveney proposed that the reunion be held on Thursday week. Tbis was agreed to.