R.S.A. CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 11

R.S.A. CONFERENCE

MEETING IN PALMERSTON NORTH. REMITS CONSIDERED. At t.h first annual district conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association under the scheme adopted last year, which was held in Palmerston North on Saturday afternoon. there were present: Messrs B. J. Jacobs (Pulmerston North), 11. G. Dickie (Waverley), G. D. Hamilton (Levin), Bilby (Puhiatua), A. E. Prentice (Wairarapa), W. G. Rulherfurd (for Waipawa), W. J. Pascoe (Wellington), A. A. Ford (Hastings), and Colonel A. H. Herbert (Eketahuna). Mr Jacobs was elected ti the chair. The scope of the conference and the business to be transacted were briefly outlined by tho chairman, following which the remits from the various branches were considered. END OF FINANCIAL YEAR. “That the end of the financial year of the R.S.A. be altered frorp March 31 to some more suitable date, as Anzao Day, Poppy Day, general meetings, change of officers, etc., all come at the same time and tend to disorganise general business,” was a remit from Lovin. In speaking in support, Mr Hamilton stated that; a change would be in the best interests of the organisation. Mr Pascoe opposed the remit, on the grounds that March 31 was the recognised and most suitable date. Further opposition was forthcoming, and the remit was withdrawn. QUESTION OF DEFENCE. A remit from the Waverley branch was as follows: “That headquarter's bo urged to continue its efforts to secure an efficient defence force that will be adequate for the worst ernergney.” In support, Mr Dickie said that everyone knew that the best method of defence was to be prepared for war. He had seen tho feverish efforts that, were being made by the Americans to render Hawaii safe from aggression, and he was pleased that tho New Zealand Government had taken over the Sockburn aerodrome. Greater interest should be taken in the soout and cadet movements, while the rifle clubs could be accorded better support.

It was decided to send the remit on, SOLDIERS’ SETTLEMENT ACT.

“That Cabinet bo urged to put into operation the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act in so far as it relates to loans for the erection of dwell-ing-houses. This association feels that all repayments of loans should bo made available for re-investihent as and when they are received,” was a remit from the South Taranaki branch, which was unrepresented.

The chairman commented that the remit was self-evident, and it was decided to send it on, with unother from the Palmerston North branch relating to tho same matter: “That the Government be urged to reconsider the granting of loans for the erection of soldiers’ dwellings, the amounts to bo advanced from repayments.”

In speaking on the latter remit, the chairman said ho thought that, if repayments were utilised for this purpose, it would satisfy tho needs of returned men. Mr Pascoe printed out that, in connection with tho repayment of loans under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, money was now being made available for disabled men and men coming out of hospital. “Of course, you know that repayments don’t go very far when the Government is lending out in the vicinity of £IOOO per man.” The chairman commented that the present system of loans to workers for the erection of dwellings was tho outcome of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act. Another remit from Palmerston North bearing on the same Act was as follows: “That the Government be asked t|o adjust soldiers’ loans on the complete repayment of amounts of £IOO, if required.” Colonel Herbert opposed the remit, stating that the association should not ask tho Government flor too much. “If a man makes a promise he should stick to it.”

Mr Pascoe stated that the remit was in opposition to the previous one, and, after further discussion, it was rejected. Two remits from Wellington bearing on the Act were carried as follow: —“That the Dominion conference take steps to approach the Government with a view to having an amendment to the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act carried that, whereas a returned soldier during the past few years has been under so severe a trial in re-establishing himself in civil life and in his domestic responsibilities that he has fallen into arrears with the department, these arrears be now capitalised, and that the monthly instalment for the future shall become due on the larger amount”; and “that the scope of the Canteen Funds Board and War Funds Council should bo so altered as to allow them to so invest their funds that the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act can bo re-opened to allow ex-service. men who, owing to no fault of their own, have been unable to avail themselves of the privilege of the Act, to do so.” MISCELLANEOUS REMITS. * “That with a view ‘to benefiting and educating local associations a resume of policy questions and cases dealt with and settled by headquarters be published regularly in tho Review,” was a remit formulated by the chairman and approved. A Wellington remit, “that, as a means of finding ar outlet for tho employment of partially disabled men, steps be taken to form a corps of commissionaries on similar lines to the corps in Great Britain,” was approved “That this conference affirms the protest against the action of headquarters in canvassing for membership for the central association in any district except where a local branch of the R.S.A. dioes not exwas the text of another remit from Wellington. Speaking in support, Mr Pascoe said that the central association should only canvass for members where branches had gone out or in districts where none existed.

Support was forthcoming from other legates, and the remit was carried.