RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17217, 21 January 1918, Page 2

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

A mooting of tho llotumed Sol (lit; re' Association was hold on Saturday evening in tho cliili Minis. Mr W. Clui-ku occupied tbo diuir, iintl liiero wu» a. jjood atteiKlancu of members. Tin; secretary (Mr (J. Sniii.li) submitted Uio following report: —Tlio eoimuiUgo Jia.s pleasure- in presenting its rei>ort lor tho period since- November 6 last, 'iho moiiiber.ship. has shown a very substantia.! increase, 159 members having been admitted during that time, bringing the total rueinberehip to 662, consisting <>f 563 aclivo arid 99 associate members. There are also 14 honorary nwvmbers. Owing to pressure of business making it diifficsilt for him to attend meetings, Vγ M'Killop resigned his position as president of the. association, and l)r T. Harrison was elected unopposed _ in his stead. It was decided that tho Building Committee should lx> a. separate body from the General Committee. The following were elected as a Building Committee, with power to add to their number: —Captain R. P. Jones, Messrs 11. T. Cameron, .1. H. M'Nish. N. J. White, and G. Smith. A pamphlet of the. aims and objects of the association lias been drawn up for distribution amongst returning troops, arid the secretary has now to meet all trains a.tid steamers carrying soldiers. Some time- ago tlie committee caused a list to bo posted in the office* nnd tho Anzac Club calling foT volunteers to train for funeral parties, but up to the present this has _ not been filled, and members who are willing .to act are requested to hand in their names to the secretary The committee has continued to make strong representations to the Government, dSrootly and through headquarters, to have the increases in pensions and allowances made retrospective, but until Parliament; meets again, nothing further can be done in tho matter. The Government has also been strongly urged to grant tho Gallipoli Star to all men who served on the Peninsula irrespective of the force sailed with. During the quarter the association was "ranted a representative on the Relief Commit ten of the OV-ago Patriotic, nnd Gone.nl Welfare Association: The comrrijttee wishes io thank the ladies of St. Kilda who organised the social held in the St. Kilda Town Hall, in aid of the funds of the association, it having benefited _by ±,26 17s 4d. Tlie committee also wishes _to thank the South Dnnedin Volunteer Fire Brigade for the gift of a board table. The report was adopted Captain Jones read the following report of the Buildint Committee:—Tho sub committee, as authorised bv the general mooting 7nct on December 22, and seen red Mr Adams's nrooerty. on the corner of Morny place and View "street. £150 boimr paid bv div of deposit, and the prioe being £4xoo. 11U Worship the Mayor has consented to call a meet inn of prominent citizens to nurther the collecting campaign. The hon. treasurer of the association. Mr K. u. Cowio. has consented to accept the position of treasurer of the campaign, and the committee has decided that he be paid an honorarium for his services. The committee lias decided that the campaign for funds be opened in February, when it is hoped that £20.000 will be raised. This amount is to provide for the freehold, building and furnishing, and ako a sinking fund. The architect, Mr W. H. Dunning was instructed to have tho plans prepared for January SO. Mr David Cooko has boon appointed 'solicitor to the Building Committee of the association. Mr L. C. Hanan. a returned soldier, has been' appointed as organising secretary of the building campaign at a salary of £359 per annum, the agreement being for six months, _ one month's notice on either side to terminate the engagement. ft has been decided that collections be made in the whole of the Otago district. Sub-committees have been appointed to arrange details for the furnishing etc.. of the secretary's office. It has boon decided that canvas signs bo erected on both sides of the building, 'ilio report was adopted. Mr L C Hanan then outlined a comprehensive' scheme by which money could be ra T?ie : Chairman (Mr W. C%ko) said it would bo impossible for the Bui dmg Committee to succeed in its undertaking unless it received tho co-operation of all returned soldier* He urged the members to work whole-heartedly ..together, and thus command success. . Mr Ha nan's schemes wore appro ved, and all details were left in. tho hands of the Building Committee. i The Mayor (Mr Clark) then attended tho .meeting, by invitation, and received a most 'gratifying welcome. He said he thought the greac bulk of the people would be in most cordial sympathy with the efforts of tho association, and he was quite confident that they would find that the people, not merely in Dnnedin, but. in Otago, would be prepared to assist to the best qf their ability to make the building of the memorial club an accomplished fact. But they must not run away' with the idea that it would be all plain sailing—that there would be no opposition. He was sure, however, that they would overcome all difficulties, and make a success of their project. Now Zealanders hud never failed to attain their object on the battlefield, and had never failed to hold it. Let that be their motto. If tho returned men joined in loyal cooperation, and sank all their little differences—if they were absolutely enthusiastic, for the proposal—then the plan would bo carried right through. Tho first thing they had got to do was to convince the people that theirs was a sound business proposition, and that it was in tho best interests of the returned men. The association was gradually gaining ground, and as the days went by he hoped they would find it in very much closer touch with everything — not' only with the returned soldiers, but in all matters relating to the community. The speaker concluded his address amidst loud

applause. The Chairman returned thanks for the good advice given them by the Mayor, who was accorded musical honours as ho loft tho room.

Tho following letter, under date December 31, was read from the Minister of Defence r —"Adverting to your letter of October 19 last, and my communication dated 16th of the same month, respecting a resolution passed at the general meeting of tho Dunedin returned soldiers, protesting against the granting of positions at the base to men who have gone forward with recent reinforcements, instead of giving su<:ti positions to men who have been in tho firing line, I have now to inform you that a reply on the question has been received from the General Officer Commanding r.he Now Zealand Expeditionary I'orce, in United Kingdom, which rc:ids as follows: — 'The erders on this subject are as_ under: Except in the case of medical units, no officer, N.C.0., or man who is medically ■(it for general service is to be employed on such base duties in England as would prevent his being available for draft overseas, unless he lias had previous service in the lie'd. In the appointment of instructors in N.Z.EJ- , '. units in England, preference should always be given to officers and. NCO \s who have been wounded or invilided sick from their units, their length of service iii the field being taken into consideration. If, however, it becomes necessarv to appoint instructors who have had. no "field service, those must be replaced at the first opportunity by men evacuated from France through sickness or, wounds. No m.ui is applied to base duties _m England unless he has seen field service overseas There may be isolated cases, but I am of opinion bliat such cases include only men who are medically unfit for service in Tine 0 member, with more emphasis than politeness, said the statement contained in th.> letter was untrue. Ho said that at the present time there were New A-aland Soldiers in London on tho postal staffs who wore in receipt of certain pay allowed by the New Zoalsiid Post Office. J hose had neve- been at Uio front. Those men had not f he same comradeship as those men who had been at the front, and Komo o them had no hesitation in -pinching parcels containing cigarettes _ Several of the soldiers spoke of instances where men without, any active service were oeeurin" jobs, nnd being put over the heads of with service, particular cases being mentioned at Quarantine Island and the 'The.' 1 Chairman said tho Minister had been asked to ."ivo the number of nwn in the camps under tho control of the New Zosi--I'ind Government who had not gone, to the front-that should be up to June. ZO. The Minister's reply was based on a fresh issue that had been introduced by General <..odIc.y This matter had oTily boon brought out since they had taken it up. They knew that in the' last four months there had been a cleaning out in Kngland. Tho. committee understood there was still a big lot of men who had never been to the front. The letter was received.