RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 196, 18 July 1935, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Feilding branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association was held last night, the president (Mr T. K. Hay) presiding over a record attendance of some sixty members. Moving the adoption of the report (already published) the president commented on tho good year the association had experienced. Unemployment was still affecting members, but. had been dealt with as well as possible by the committee. Financially, the association was quite sound and Mr Hay envisaged a continuance of its good work in the future. The report was adopted and officers elected as follow:—President, Mr T. K. Hay; vice-president, Dr. F. H. Cameron; lion, secretary, Mr L. D. Miller; executive, country members, Messrs B. McLeod, "YV. G. Booth, H. Richardson; town members, Messrs F. J. Allen, R. H. Buchanan, F. P.

Fawcett and C. H. Tate. Mr H. Bowater spoke of the good work Mr Hay had carried out during tho year as president. He considered that the way in which Mr Hay had acquitted himself in the various duties he had been called upon to perform had entitled him to the highest esteem of the members. (Applause.) Mr Hay briefly replied, thanking tho executive committee for its co-opera-tion in all the work undertaken. Discussing the question of membership, the president appealed to all returned men to join the association. It had some 95 members, of whom 30 belonged to the Halcomhe sub-branch, so it actually worked out that Feilding had 05 members. This was not enough for a district -the size of Feilding, and for the association to continue to function. succesfully a greater membership was essential. Mr Hay was certain that if the association ceased to function its activities would be a loss to Feilding, and it was therefore the duty of all returned men to accept their share of the burden the association was carrying, particularly in the interests of those who were -still suffering from war injuries. PHYSICAL TRAINING.

Dr. F. H. Cameron referred to the question of defence, stating that whilst he was not so much concerned with the matter from the military aspect, he deplored the lack of physical training which a non-military outlook in the country brought about. Today, he said, it was extremely rare to find a youth who had a chest expansion of over three inches, and it had occurred to him that the association, might interest itself in a move to bring about some form of military training other than the purely voluntary systems that were in vogue at present. The influence of the League of Nations might he felt in the world tor many years to come in the avoidance of conflict, but at tho same time it was something to know that there

was a nation of physically fit men to draw from in case of need. Mr S. Thompson thought the cure would be found for physically unfit boys in the Government finding work for them instead of their being left to walk about leading an inactive life. Mr C. 11. McClure spoke ot the position as it affected the hoys undergoing training at the Feilding Higli School. All those boys were measured twice during the year and it was not uncommon to find their development was such that at tho end of tho year tlieir chest expansion was five inches. Nothing further was said on the subject, the discussion lapsing. GENERAL MATTERS. Tlie president reported on the social evening lielcl by tire association. a short time ago, stating that it had been very successful and would probably he repeated next year. On the motion of Mr F. J. Allen, it was decided to recommend to the committee tho holding of a picnic on a date to be arranged. The secretary (Mr L. D. Miller) gave a resume of the business translated at the recent conference of tho N.Z.R.S.A., and was , accorded the thanks of the meeting. It was agreed to hold the annual reunion on August 3. Thanks were accorded ail who had assisted the association, either by help or donations during tho year; Mrs J. E. Barltrop for making the Anzae Day wreath; an anonymous donor of cash, and the Feilding Borough Council for subsidising the unemployment grant of the association. On the motion of Mr H. Bowater, the meeting agreed to forward a remit to the next conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. re-affirming the principle of optional co-operative sharing ot profits and losses caused by tire rise and fall of produce prices, from a named price ’ convenient to both parties.