R.S.A. CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 16 May 1925, Page 5

R.S.A. CONFERENCE.

FIRST UNDER NEW SCHEME. *, HELD IN TOWN TO-DAY. The first annual district conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association under the new scheme adopted last year opened in Palmerston North this afternoon. The present conference takes the place of the old district conference as held up to 1924. At the last annual Dominion conference the organisation of the association was amended insofar as district headquarters were no longer continued, the work of tho districts being handled entirely by the largest Returned Soldiers’ Association within the respective areas and it is under these auspices that tho present gathering is taking place in Palmerston North. The effect of the alteration is to make for a substantial economy aa no longer has a district headquarters secretary to be retained, his work in the case of this district being handled by Mr W. J. Rutherfurd, seoretary of the Palmerston North Association.

It is anticipated that the present fixture will not invplve nearly the amount of business transacted hitherto at its predecessors conducted in Palmerston North. Financial matters do not nave to be considered to any material extent —that is a matter for the Dominion body now —and the principal business will comprise the consideration of remits from branches to bo forwarded on for the Dominion conference. Two delegates are to be appointed to represent this district at that meeting. Nevertheless the order paper, as regards remits, is a fairly lengthy one, the matters chiefly dealt with in the motions received being administration of the association, defence, immigration, and soldier settlement.

In former years the last-mentioned question has been a very contentious one, but on the present occasion, judging by the tone of the remits, it would appear that there is movo general satisfaction than hitherto about the position of the returned men on tho land.