EMPIRE SERVICE LEAGUE

Otago Witness, Issue 3509, 14 June 1921, Page 37

EMPIRE SERVICE LEAGUE

RETURNED .SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION DECIDES TO JOIN.

An interesting discussion arose at the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association on the Bth, when Mr W. E. Leadley, of Christchurch, reported to the meeting the result of the conference at Capetown, at which the British Empire Service League was launched. Mr Leadley said the return of his colleague (Mr Knight) had been delayed by a shipping strike. lie read messages of greeting sent to the Capetown conference by the King, and the ex-Officers’ Association of France, and the opening address of Earl Haig, who said that now the wav was over it was his object in life to achieve the union of the service associations in the B.E.S.L. Ho (Mr Leadley) submitted the constitution of the league for their deliberation. and trusted it would be acceptable as it stood. The outstanding ideal of the league was service; service to their comrades. their country, and their Empire. They had learnt in the war that distinctions of wealth and class wore wiped out by devotion to a common cause. What a boon

it would be ii ail classes in New Zealand came fcogetuer in mutual understanding and sacrifice to iuruaer the sueceosiuf development of the country ! ibis, they could assist by spreading abroad the gospel oi unity, co-operation, and toleration among all classes.— (“Hear, hear.’') While he did not advocate building up a large army, they should see tnat vvnat happened m 1914 never Happened again, and that their country was adequately deitnded against any possible future attack. Hie Government and people oi New Zealand had treated their returned gotdieis more generoiasiy than any other part oi the Empire — (Applause)—and ile had never been more proud ot ids country than when he found at the conference that she was in the front rank so far as the repatriation oi soldiers was concerned. In Australia there was now none of tile repatriation benefits, except land settlement, and in South Africa the only thing they had was a very poor pension scheme. V ery little had been done there lor returned soldiers, but this, he thought, was largely the fault of the soldiers themselves, as they were divided into no less than three organisations. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association was to be congratulated on keeping clear of party politics.—(“Hear, hear. ) in Canada and England they had tried politics, but found it a failure, and they now realised that tlley could succeed oruy on an non-party-political basis. No other part of the Empire could compare with New Zealand in what she had done for the repatriation of her soldiers, and he hoped the association would see that she retained that position until the last man had been repatriated. Air Leadley paid a sincere tribute to the personality and influence at the Capetown conference of Earl Haig, who was known to them all by his own request as Comrade Haig, and who, he said, had handed over the £IOO,OOO with which Parliament had presented him for the relief of distress among unemployed discharged soldiers in England. (Applause.) Several speakers congratulated Mr Leadley on his report and the breadth of vision which he had shown. Lie was accorded a vote of thanks both for his work at Capetown and for his address. On the motion of Air Leadley, the constitution of the league was referred to the Legal Committee, in order that the conference might be assured that there was nothing in it opposed to the constitution of the association.