RETURNED SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22751, 11 December 1935, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association was held last night, the president (Mr A. Thomas) presiding. MEMBERSHIP FIGURES. Nominations for 22 new members and 10 honorary members were approved. Two transfers out and two in were granted. It was reported that two deaths had occurred since last meeting, and a motion of condolence was passed, the members standing in silence. It was reported that the figures for the membership campaign were: Dunedin 2259, Christchurch 2196. RELIEF FOR OWAKA SETTLERS. On behalf of the Unemployment Committee, Mr A. Hutchon reported that £l2l 8s had been spent for special cases, including sums for the relief of soldier settlers who had suffered as the result of the Catlins fires. This amount had been subsidised by the Patriotic Society. It had been resolved to make a further sum of £l5O available for the relief of special cases of distress. The action of the committee in overspending its grant of £IOO for this purpose was approved. GENERAL. It was decided that the question of holding a picnic this year should be left to the Social Committee to arrange and submit the proposal to the executive. ASSOCIATION EXONERATED. The secretary of the National Political Federation (Otago Province) wrote stating that the Returned Soldiers' Association had been incorrectly blamed for having furnished a list of members whereby Mr A. S. Falconer had solicited their support in his election campaign. Such a list might be procured without reference to the association, and that course was adopted in this instance. Mr P. S. Anderson said this was a good opportunity of making it clear that the list was not sent out from the office of the association. The executive would not countenance such a thing. He thought that this explanation should have been made earlier, but it was not too late now. Mr H. L. Paterson: Are we quite sure of our ground in this? The chairman: Absolutely.