RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 9

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

A meeting of the executive of the Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in the club rooms on Tuesday evening, 11 members attending. The president (Mr H. L. Paterson) was in the chair. The secretary of the Patriotic and Welfare Association wrote in response to the Returned Soldiers’ Association’s request for a further grant towards its unemployment relief fund, stating that his association had decided to grant the sum of £2so.—The secretary was instructed to write to the Patriotic and Welfare Association thanking it for its donation. A communication was received from the Railwaymen’s Cash Purchasing Association enclosing a cheque for £5O for the Returned Soldiers’ Unemployed Fund.—-The secretaary was instructed to write to the Cash Purchasing Association thanking it foi- its contribution. Mr Paterson reported that a rifle club, to be known as the Returned Soldiers Rifle Club, was formed on the previous evening, when a committee of five was appointed, as well as the following officebearers: —Captain, Mr G. H. Ferens; x ice-captain, Mr D. M‘Kay; assistant secretary, Mr W. Stewart; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. M. White (secretary of the association). Four rifles were offered to the club, and these were gratefully accepted.—Mr E. J. Anderson thought that a great opportunity was open to the club. It would be possible, lie said, for it not only to stage matches in the open against bovs Tn training, but also to arrange matches against teams from the Invercargill, Gore, Oamaru, and Christchurch associations.—Mr Paterson was thanked for his report. The Poppy Day and Unemployment Committee reported that the unemployed register showed a total of 23 married men and 17 single men. The City Corporation’s grant was expended, but it had other proposed work which would vest approximately £450, for which a Government subsidy would be requested, in the event of the association making a grant of this sum. The St. Kilda grant had been over expended, but the Mayor had been requested t 0 retain the men as long as possible, and it was recommended that the association should make a further small grant. Some of the ment at present out of employment required urgent assistance.—The following grants were recommended:—To the Queenstown Progressive League £lO, St. Kilda Borough Council £5O or such lesser sum a s the council could subsidise to the extent of £ for £, to Hospital Board £25, and the Dunedin City Corporation £125. 1 In regard to a circular from headquarters the chairman and the secretary were authorised to draft a letter regarding the limitation of the scope in which grants might be authorised. The secretary had undertaken to communicate with applicants for grants from the Conteen Fund. He also reported having interviewed the secretary ,of the Hospital Board in regard to the attitude of the board to exsoldier applicants for relief.—The report was adopted.

The Lands Department reported that a list of the pastoral licenses expiring during the next three years had been received from the Under-secretary of Lands, Wellington. The lisft included only Otago and Southland runs. Inquiries had been made regarding the stock carrying capacity of the Otago runs, and the only one which appeared suitable for sub-division from this point of view was one in extremely high country. Only' one of the Southland runs seemed capable of sub-division on the basis of stock carrying capacity shown in the annual sheep returns. Inquiries had been made from a well-known Southland returned soldier as to the possibilities of subdivision, but a reply had not yet been received. The question of Matakanui was also discussed, and the committee felt that there was little chance of obtaining this land for sub-division —The report was adopted, and the matter of the Matakanui run was referred back to the committee for further consideration

The secretary-manager qf the Auckland Sports Club wrote notifying the association that the amateur billiard championship would be held in Auckland this year.. Play would be commenced on September 17, and the games would be terminated if possible on September 22.—The letter was received, and the secretary was instructed to notify possible competitors with a view to their taking part in the championship."