RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association was held on Tuesday night, Mr A. C. Laing being in the chair. Two inward transfers were approved, and three resignations were received. The death of a member was reported. The report of the Finance Committee on proposals to be brought before the forthcoming conference of the War and Patriotic Funds Committees was adopted as follows, the committee being requested to redraft the clauses: Canteen Funds.—Your committee is of opinion that the accounts held by the War Funds Council under this beading should remain intact until such time as the various other patriotic and war funds are exhausted. Decentralisation.—From experience gained locally it would appear that the present arrangement is more satisfactory and effective than could be the case were the funds administered from a central authority. Wo consider that centralisation should not bo extended as far as will eliminate the present provincial societies. We consider that some uniformity of granting relief should be arrived at so that disabled men, who have not been accepted as pension charges, and ex-soldiers and their dependants in necessitous cases should receive assistance. is at present the caso in Otago, but not so in other centres). The executive referred back a suggestion that the various local societies should hav© authority from the War Funds Council to grant relief to men at present resident in their districts, but who were a charge on another district, the funds of which had become exhausted. The executive decided that the Minister of Internal Affairs should be approached with, a view to the association having direct representation at the conference. The Exhibition Company advised that the association’s application for the use of tho Festival Hall on Anzao Day Sunday, April 25), had been granted. It was agreed that full arrangements for the service should be proceeded with. Poppy Day, when artificial poppies made in France will be sold in aid of the unemployment fund, was fixed for April 23. It was decided that the officers and men of H.M.A.S. Sydney should be invited to visit the clubroom during their stay in Dunedin.