SOLDIERS' INTERESTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19070, 18 July 1936, Page 15

SOLDIERS' INTERESTS

IMPORT OF CONFERENCE .jraw reunion date set .(HSBORNE RS.A. MEETS . Meeting on Wednesday evening, the executive of the Gisborne , Returned Soldiers' Association deaLt with the conference delegates' report, the; annual disinct reunion date, pensions business and a number of other matters of interest to ex-service men. There were present at the:meeting Colonel R... F. Gambrill, president, Messrs. G. Bradley Smith, A. H. Lange, C. A. Harries. G. Cmwshaw, P. W. Bushnell, P. Gordon, and W. Oakden, secretary. . : , -The report placed before the committee by Messrs. A. H. Lange and P. Gordon, onthe business of the recent conference, enlarged considerably on the information published recently in press reports of the gathering. A number of. points were dealt with in detail, more particu-larly-those relating to the care of men not physically fit for hard manual toil. or otherwise handicapped in the race to-take full advantage of the new economic drive. Reference was made in correspondence to. the project for : commemorating the life and work of the late Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., which movement has been sponsored by the association iri the first plqce. An .offer was received regarding the cost.of erecting a statue to. Mr. Williams, tbis.being an unsolicited communication, while another letter set- out., a suggestion for another type of*memorial., Roth, letters,:were-. set aside for. tefeiehcfeito a. general iheeting w'liich is.to he called at an early date. .The president ; of the Gisborne association was complimented by the committee on "his election as one of .the district vice-presidents of the New Zealand association.

SOLDIER SETTLERS' PROPERTIES Writing on..a subject already dealt with more than once by the committee, the Te Awamutu association asked that pressure should bo exerted to have soldiers' properties under mortgage to the State retained,under the supervision of j the Land Department, instead of being transferred with other State investments to the State Advances Corporation. It was pointed out, however, tt&t no results had followed earlier efforts in this arid that little good could come of reiteration of arguments already submitted. The president added that from the soldier settlers' point of view conditions under the .State Advances Corporation probably would not be open to the same objections as were advanced when the Mortgage Corporation legislation was utider discussion. ;An inquiry was received from Mr. P. IT. Instone, of Manaia, for particulars of,-veterans of the 7th Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery, resident in this district, the letter indicating that the information was desired for record purposes. It was agreed to forward -ny information available. Mrs. Marcel Macrae, of Waioeka, was nominated by the Motu-Matawai subajjspciation for associate membership, til* nomination being approved.

■;■■•< BENEFIT CONCERTS "TjiP* president expressed satisfaction vyitb'fhe part taken by the association >iT promoting the benefit- concert held list- Snnday evening in aid cf the reinjives' of the late Mr. Harry Murphy. TfOnorary bugler to the association. JVn,.,offer of.the promotion of a concert for* the funds of the association was received, through Mrs. W. A- Bowie, it being intimated that members of the Storage- Club orchestra had agreed to give assistance, and that many excellent itjfehis, including sketches and dancing, would he included in the programme. TJtie offer was gratefully accepted, the date for the entertainment being August

.The reunion date for.the current year was fixed as August 8, in accordance with the wish expressed by a majority qf.the members at the annual general meeting on Anzac Day. This date falls in the week associated not only with the outbreak of the Great -rFar, but also wsth the commencement of the August offensive on the peninsula, and with the stemming of the last [great, German drive, on the Western Front in 1918. Sir George Richardson has been invited as chief guest.for the reunion, and the social committee of the association is preparing to cater for the largest assembly of returned men recorded in recent years.