RSA Conference Commenced Today

Northern Advocate, 17 June 1947, Page 6

RSA Conference Commenced Today

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Rousing cheers .greeted the Governor General (Sir Bernard Freyberg) when he opened the 31st Dominion conference of the NZRSA today. It happened to be the first anniversary of his arrival in New Zealand to become Governor-General. One hundred and one branches are represented at the conference which asked His Excellency to convey to the King an ranee of the unswerving loyalty of the 136,000 members of the association.

The president of the association (Mr B. J. Jacobs) conveyed felicitations on Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg having celebrated their silver wedding. Sir Bernard advised members to avoid entirely any question of getting into party politics, saying that he knew that was the view taken by Sir Andrew Russell who led the Ist NZEF. His Excellency said that the work being done by re-establishment centres was absolutely first class. It filled one with the greatest confidence. He had been impressed with the bond of enrneraderie existing among men in rehabilitation centres. CARE OF VETERANS Speaking about the care of veterans incapacitated by sickness and old age, he spoke of the work being done in Australia in this respect and asked that he be included in any committee that was going to sit in. New Zealand to consider problems here.

The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) addressed the conference saying that the housing question was recognised by the Government as a highly pressing problem. He accepted with thanks an offer by the president of the association for every cooperation in speeding up house-building. "We invite your assistance,” said Mr Fraser. "I am not for the moment going into (he question of compulsory service." he added. "We have to see, but if I had been in the British Labour Party conference I would have been voting with the majority without any doubt at all.”

Australia had decided not to apply the compulsory system but New Zealand had to consider first whether it was essential here and would be beneficial. Those questions would be considered. REHAB. SYSTEM For the care of returned servicemen New Zealand had the best rehabilitation system that the Government knew of. and the best pension system in the world. . If there was anything else fhc Government could do to improve matters, it would be glad to do it. Referring to preference in employment for returned men and the difficulty asosciated with the term "other things be'/ig equal,” Mr Fraser assured the conference that in Government appointments at least returned serviceman would certainly not be overlooked. >

Earlier in the proceedings men who had served in World War 2 were asked to stand up and approximately half the delegates rose.