RETURNED SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22063, 20 September 1933, Page 11

RETURNED SOLDIERS

ACTIVITIES OF ASSOCIATION At the Returned Soldiers’ Rooms last night there was a large attendance of exservicemen to hear addresses on the activities of the local association. The chair was occupied by the president (Mr A. J. Gordon), The chairman said that the object of the meeting was to acquaint members with what the association had done, and what it was attempting to do. The committee would like members to know all that was being done by it., Much of the work at its meetings, however, was confidential, and therefore did not appear in the press, and for that reason it had been decided to carry out a series of meetings in the city and suburbs to give everyone a chance of knowing what the association was doing in the interests of members. — (Applause.) Mr P. S. Anderson (immediate pastpresident) , dealing with the affairs of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, said the association was affiliated with the greatest organisation in the world —the British Empire Service League. The head of the New Zealand Association was their old divisional commander, General Sir Andrew Russell, it was fitting that those who had led in the time of war should also lead in the time of peace. The association was established in 1916. Its leaders were guided by experience. They knew that men who had taken part in the South African war had been pretty well forgotten by those in whose interests they had fought, and they were resolved that that should not be the fate of the men who took a worthy part in the Great War. The constitution of the association was drawn up by a Digger who to-day occupied the honoured position of a judge of the Supreme Court —Mr Justice Smith. The work of the association was very extensive, and the General Committee in Wellington had no easy job to carry it out. Much of its time was given to the affairs of the returned men, Mr Anderson touched on a number of the works the association had in hand. Speaking of the Pensions Appeal Board, he said there were hundreds of men rigutly enjoying pensions to-day who would not be receiving those pensions if it had not been for the work of the association. The board had done very effective work in numerous instances, many of which had been brought under its notice by their energetic secretary (Mr Ferens), and was worthy of the support of every member. On the subject of Anzac Day, he said there was no doubt a difference of opinion about it. The man who lost a day’s pay might take a different view from others, but the association felt it should set an example to the rising generation and fittingly remember those of their comrades who had not returned. — (Applause.) Mr A. Thomas (vice-president) gave most of the time allowed for his speech to the efforts to raise funds on Poppy Day and to the useful work, carried out with the funds. He informed the meeting that in future the money obtained for the poppies would be exempt from sales tax. So far £15,000 had been raised in Dunedin on the Poppy Days, which, together with subsidy, amounted to about £50,000. This money, had been used in different ways—the railway work at Pelichet Bay, the formation of playing areas, and so on. Rhododendron Dell and the azalea walk were also carried out by returned soldiers. The biggest work undertaken, running into an expenditure of £2OOO, with Government subsidies, was the widening of the road from Normanby to the Upper Junction. At present, returned soldiers were working at Chisholm Park, forming the municipal golf links. It would be admitted that much useful work had been done there, and that much yet remained to be done. The outdoor work done by the men had greatly benefited them in health, and a number of them had been transferred to No. 5 scheme, in which they were placed in special groups. Mr Thomas referred to other works on which returned men are employed. Speaking of Diggers in the country districts, he said no returned man with a claim need be in want. Let him place his case before the proper authority in the nearest town, and it would be looked into without delay.— (Applause.) Mr O. L. Ferens (secretary) spoke generally on the work of the association and of the benefits conferred on members through its efforts. Let them, for a moment, he said, weigh in the balance the work it did, and try to realise what the plight of the ex-serviceman would be if there were not such an organisation as the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. Who would there be to perpetuate the grand spirit of other years and fight for and protect the war-scarred veterans? —who to watch the interests of those 17,000 deceased soldiers’ dependents in this Dominion? —who to lend the helping hand when calamity fell? —who to fight continuously, the long years round, in the interests of returned soldiers who were suffering from war disabilities, and of those prematurely aged, whose disabilities could not be connected with their wan services? —who to assist the ex-soldier in land matters, housing matters, and in, many other avenues connected with daily life? Those who were not connected with, or members of, the Returned Soldiers’ Association were the first to come along when they had problems to be solved. Who bothered about the man with the medals who was unemployed? A man could not decently, as an ex-member of the Forces, remain aloof. How many thousands would be proud of the privilege of wearing the badge—a member’s protection against the other fellow’s cultivated forgetfulness, protection for those who were wrecked in the war, protection for those who gave their sons, husbands and fathers during those years of 1914-1918, protection for the good name of all ex-servicemen, a never-ending reminder of that old-time comradeship formed during the stress of war, which would carry them on until the day was ended? “ Service before self, United we stand, to watch the interests of our returned men.” —(Applause.) The musical items of the evening were much enjoyed. Supper was served in the interval.