WELLINGTON DISTRICT R.S.A.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2645, 14 May 1923, Page 6

WELLINGTON DISTRICT R.S.A.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The annual conference of Wellington District Returned Soldiers’ Association was held at the Anzac Club yesterday. Mr. B. J. Jacobs (president) occupied the chair. The following delegates were present: Messrs. B. J. Jaqobs (P.N.), Dr. D. G. Gow (Levin). L. Redmond (Feilding), T. McDonald (Wellington) F. D. Gaffaney (Stratford), C. E. Johnston ( WavetTey), D. G. Strachan (Wanganui), IT. E. Burdekin (Waits ra), C. G. Harker (Waipawa), A. A. Ford (Hastings), John Mason (Napier), A. H. Herbert (Eketahuna), J. F. A. Hebenton (Masterton), G. W. Wardrop (Woodville), non-voting delegates, Messrs. John I. Fox (P.N.) and L. R. Steinberg (Eketahuna). ANNUAL REPORT.

In moving the adoption of the report, the president stressed the importance of building up strong local associations. He was strongly of the opinion that the association should be carried on as a living body, not as a weal< and decaying one. The central body must necessarily be weak if the local associations are not strong.

The annual report' stated, inter alia, that the committee had to report that the pensions commission has finished its work, and the Government had promised that' the report would be taken during the next session. It was rumoured that the report was In favour of an increase in pension for badly disabled men, involving about £BO,OOO per annum. There had been a decided falling off in members in the district during the past year. The committee recognised as time went that the financial membership would still decrease and local associations should now devise ways and means of keeping their members together as a large membership gave the necessary strength for the organisation to succeed in reaching its objectives. The committee took the liberty of mentioning what the association had done as regards representations made to the Government t'o set up a pensions commission, land revision board, and also in securing railway concessions for disabled men receiving pensions over 50 per cent. Viewed from all points, the maintenance of a healthy financial membership lay mainly with local associations. With organised propaganda by associations among their members, this year could be one of increased membership. Some of the reasons advanced by local associations for the decrease during the year were: (1) Some members considered tha they did not get value for their subscriptions. This was purely a local matter, and. committees should do their utmost to remedy; (2) many members had fortunately not found it nectessary to seek the assistance of the association, or they had got all they are entitled to from the Government departments and through selfishness, had abandoned t'he association which helped to procure the benefits enjoyed by them and others; (3) the association officials in some places exerted but little effort in the membership. Members should DC hunted up for subscription renewals. More of t'he personal touch was required. The only association in the Dominion that showed an increase in membership during the past year was the Waipawa Association. Their financial membership stood at 107, against 75 the previous year. Apart from this fact, it was also mentioned that this particular association also secured £2O 10/—in arrears of subscriptions. This sum was secured by an organised appeal to members.

The financial membership of the district stood at 2863, as compared with (>692 last year. The Talhape and New Plymouth associations had failed to pay any qapitation and the former association had not rendered any returns whilst the latter association had only rendered returns to August 31 last. The Wellington Association had only made a payment of £5 on account of capitation owing to December 31 last. The amount due at that date was 125 7/ —and no returns had been furnished since that date. The Wairoa Association was owing 14/- for capitation. Looking at the matter from a Dominion point of view, the position looked very bad and showed the great necessity, which existed for deciding upon some line of united action which would'improve the situation. The financles of the district revealed that the expenditure has exceeded the revenue to the extent of £IOB 4/5. The balance in the accumulated fund was £IBO 15/8. Toward the close of the financial year, the district commenced activities in the direction of organising for the distribution and sale of poppies. Last year the- gross receipts from sales amounted to £4749 14/-, but owing to the considerable reduction in the number of poppies received from France this year, it was not expected that the gross sales would exceed £3OOO. During the year Mr. R. J. F. Aldrich, Wellington, and the hon. treasurer, Mr. H. N. Cooke, found it necesary to resign from your executive committee. The retiring officers are: President, B. J. Jacobs, Palmerston North; viefc-president, H. B. Burdekin, Hawera; members of committee: J. F. A. Hebenton, Masterton, A. A. Ford, Hastings, C. Comer, Hawera and E. Lenihan, Taihape. The report and balance-sheet, which showed an excess of evpenditure over income of £IOB 4/5, and a balance of assets over liabilities of £lB9 6/8, were adopted.

ORGANISATION AND CONSTITUTION.

The first remit for the Dominion Conference considered was one from the Palmerston North Association; “ That this association considers the time has arrived when the district scheme should be abolished.” Mr. J. I. Fox (P.N.). in moving: the remit, said the scheme had originally been established as a compromise between the Auckland and Wellington associations. He deprecated the prophesies of a short remaining age for the R.S.A. uttered by Sir Andrew Russell. Nevertheless, it was felt that the association was drifting into decline, because of faulty organisation and constitution. Pie advocated reversion to the branch system, which had been very successful in the association’s early years. He advocated a Dominion Conference of associations

to recast the associations constitution and policy. Mr. J. Mason seconded the motion, emphasising the decreased expenditure which would result from the abolition of the district scheme. He paid a tribute to the excellent service rendered by the local headquarters. Mr. A. H. Herbert supported the district scheme and moved an amendment that the question be deferred until the Dominion Council meeting. Mr. C. G. Harker seconded the amendment.

Dr. Gow opposed both motion and amendment. He asked how many of the small local associations would bo able to send a delegate to the Dominion Council ? After considerable further discussion, the amendment was carried and the motion lost. REMITS. The conference then went into committee on various remits, the following being Carried. Organisation: From Levin Association: “That with a view to reducing expenditure rule thirty, be amended as follows: ‘The number of delegates to be appointed from each district shall not exceed three and shall be determined upon the basis of the total financial membership of such districts as follows, Eac/li district having up to 2000 financial members, one delegate; 2001 to 4000 (inclusive), two delegates; over 4000, three delegates.’ ” From the Wellington executive: “That sub. 2 of rule 17, be amended to provide that it shall not be essential for a local association admitting to its own membership a member of another affiliated local association to collecft any arrears of subscription due to the association from which he is desiring to transfer provided he pays his then current years subscription t'o the association to which he is transferred.

From the Eketahuna Association: “ (1) That the Government be urged to take immediate steps to settle the unoccupied sections at Rongokokako, in the Tararua and Mangaone survey districts.” (2) “That the attention of the Minister of Lands be drawn t'o the delays which occur in dealing with applications, and correspondence from returned soldiers settlers.”

Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act; From the Hawcra Association: “This association urges the district conference to bring before the Dominion Council the local associations protest against the department's present policy of loading vocated soldiers houses with arrears of interest and costs of previous owners, when offering the dwellings to other soldier applicants, and in addition, this association strongly that a revaluation of such dwellings on present day values should be made.” From Stratford Association; “That with a view to inducing mortgagors D.S.S. Act house advances to reduce the capital indebtedness, it be a recommendation to the Government that provision be made entitling any mortgagor in addition to the regular instalment to repay principal sums of £IOO or multiplies thereof and that upon any such repayment the future interest and capital repayments be calculated on the reducing balance and that the term be not reduced.” •• From Wanganui Association; “That the Government be urged to allow veterans of other wars the privilege of taking over D.S.S. Act loans on house properties offered for sale.”

Pensions: From Hawera Association; “ That if be a recommendation to the in-coming - Dominion executive if necessary to have strong - representations made to the department to give more sympathetic consideration to nerve and T.R cases where application for a pension is made some considerable time after the applicant’s discharge from the' N.Z.E.F.; that where treatment is refused by the D.G.M.S., and the Defence Department adequate reasons be given.” Unemployed disabled men. From Hawera Association: “That this association strongly urges the district conference to bring before the Dominion Council the matter of procuring suitable employment for the above cflass of ex-soldiers in Government departments.” Railway concessions. From Marton Association; “That disabled men receiving 30 per cent, pension be entitled to a free second-class railway pahs in lieu of a first-class pass at second-class rates." POPPY DAY FUNDS. In connection with Poppy Day funds it was decided, on the motion of Mr. F. D. Gaffaney, that local associations in the district retain the funds raised in the district in trust for the relief of unemployment, after allowing for the levy to be made by this district association on a pro- rata basis, to provide for expenses incurred by the district and the headquarters levy on the district for Dominion expenses and the cost of the poppies sold thVoughout the district, local associations to forward statements of receipts and expenditure. ERECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted:— President, Mr. B. .1. Jacobs; vice-pre-sident, Mr. J. F. A. Hebenton; delegates to Dominion Council: Messrs. Hebenton, A. H. Herbert, and H. G. Burdekin; executive, Messrs. L. Redmond, A. A. Ford, J. F. A. Hebenton and D. G. Strachan (Wellington head quarters has also to elect one member); executive sub-committee, the president and treasurer and Dr. J. G. Gow; hon. auditor, Mr. F. W. Connell. It was decided that it be a recommendation to local associations to forward copies of any printed propaganda to the district headquarters for circulation in the district. 1