STRONG PROTEST

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5603, 9 April 1943, Page 2

STRONG PROTEST

TE AWAMUTU R.S.A. At the annual meeting of the Te AwaMutu branch of the Returned Services’ Association held on Wednesday the following motion was adopted unanimously.:— ‘ That this full meeting, comprising returned men of the last war and this war. is strongly opposed to Mr J. A. Lee adopting the word ‘ Soldiers ’ in the name of his political party, or any party or political organisation acting in a similar manner without the authority of either or both of the soldiers’ organisations now in existence( the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association and the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Association). “We are surprised that no statement regarding the name of Mr J. A. Lee’s political organisation has been made by the Hon. W. Perry, president of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, or Mr E. L. Thwaites, president of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Association, and we urge that these organisations officially refute Mr Lee’s claim to use the word ‘ Soldiers ’ in naming his political party. “We are further convinced that any political organisation claiming to represent returned servicemen, without the full backing of either or both of our organisa- . tions. will be to the detriment of returned servicemen’s women’s interests, and will in no way encourage the vital necessity for these two organisations to work in perfect harmony, so necessary in the interests of those returned and returning from the war.”