“SOME TOO PROUD TO ASK”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17958, 9 December 1932, Page 4

“SOME TOO PROUD TO ASK”

HELP FOR EX-SOLDIERS ACTIVITIES OF THE R.S.A. The activities and functions of the Returned Soldiers’ Association were sketched by Colonel A. Cowles m replying to a toast at the annual reunion of the Wellington South African v\ar Veterans’ Association. Colonel Cowles said that the Returned Soldiers’ Association took no credit and no virtue for what it was able to do for soldiers who had served their King and country well. It was the association s duty to do that work and it was a pleasurable duty. The money tlm association had had been subscribed for the benefit of the soldiers, and the executive was taking fine care that the rnen tor whom the money was collected would receive it before they died Further wars could look after themselves. (Applause.) , . . At the present time the association s activities were directed largely to Hie relief of distress among soldiers and their families, and in that work the association was backed up very well by the public The association had a certain amount of money to spend and it was attempting to spend it on-'those who wanted it most. The most unfortunate class of soldier the association came across comprised tliose who would not represent to the association bow very hard-up tliev were. Some returned men had been discovered who were too proud to ask for assistance, and the association had to use a certain amount of tact in giving them something to help them along until better times arrived. The disappointing feature of the position was that the association’s efforts were only a palliative and not a cure, but the cun- did not lie with the association.