RETURNED SOLDIERS

Southland Times, Issue 20614, 12 October 1928, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS

INVERCARGILL ASSOCIATION. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in the club rooms on Tuesday, October 9. Present: Messrs J. Tait (chairman), H. R. Wilcox, A. Wachner, R. Lepper, A. C. Bulling and the secretary (Mr M. Stanton). It was decided that Christmas gifts be again distributed on Christmas Eve to children (16 years of age and under! of deceased soldiers on similar lines to last year. Santa Claus will call at the homes of towrn children on the eve of Christmas and gifts will be posted to children in the country in time to reach them on Christmas Eve. A re-union dinner will be held on Tuesday, the first day of the Invercargill Show in December, when it is expected that returned men from all over Southland! will be present. The Hospital Visiting Committee reported having visited the hospitals and distributed reading matter. At present there are eight patients in the Southland Hospital and none at Kew, the last patient being discharged from the latter during the week. Further gifts of magazines, etc., from those who haVe spare reading matter would be greatly appreciated. A letter was received from the secretary of the Tuatapere branch advising that at their annual meeting they had decided to form a sub-association and join up with Invercargill, and enclosed a list of 75 members. An invitation was also received to their Armistice Ball, which will take place on November 9. The secretary reported that unemployment was again becoming serious and difficulty was experienced in placing men, particularly those suffering disability as the result of war service. Two cases of pensions have been adjusted and five cases are under correspondence. Several cases requiring financial assistance were referred tn and dealt with by the War Funds Association. Subscriptions are still coming and new members- joining up, but there are numbers of local returned men unfinancial and an appeal is made to those in a position to do so to send along their subscriptions.