RETURNED SOLDIERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22140, 20 June 1935, Page 14

RETURNED SOLDIERS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE PAST YEAR'S PROGRESS [bt telegraph—press association] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The annual conference of the Netf Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association was opened to-day. The Dominion president, Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, presided. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, performed the opening ceremony. The annual report stated that the membership of the associations had increased by 2811, bringing the grand total to 24,451 as at March 31. The Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., referred to the provision of £2OOO a year by the Gorernment for running the Soldiers Civil Re-establishment League. He said the association had found Ministers of the Crown anxious to help, and now , that times were improving they conld look forward to more rapid progress. He felt sure that something would be done to remove pension anomalies, and headquarters hoped to get some legislation passed in the interest of "burned-out men.

A hope was expressed by the president that the delegates would behind the War Veterans' Allowances Bill and do their utmost to see that it received a good reception in Parliament. The petition of the Takapuna ExServicemen's Club to be affiliated to the association was rejected. It was resolved to admit- as active members men of the Mercantile Marine who served in transports in war zoileJ and were granted the British War and Mercantile Marine Medals. It was decided to ask the headquarters executive to obtain particulars of the New South Wales rally held recently in Sydney, with a view of holding similar gatherings in New Zealand. A remit expressing concern at the situation of many ex-Imperial men in the Dominion, and recommending that the matter he placed before the British Empire Service League, was affirmed. Several remits regarding anomalies 'affecting the eligibility for assistance or widows of ex-Xew Zealand soldiers were passed. The Hon. W. Perry stated that there was reason to believe tlwit some progress would be made at the next session of Parliament toward obtaining the necessary legislation.