RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15075, 19 May 1919, Page 3

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of Erie Nelson branoh of the New Zealand Returned i° -L iers' Association was held at the club-house on Saturday evening. Mr vv C. Harley, tne president occupied the chair, and between fifty aid sixty members were present. , Tn° chairman said that the association ?i i j very 6uccessful year, althoiigh tney had not had much support from the public. The bazaar was not the success noped for. Soldiers and their immediate relatives had spent freely, But they nad not had the -support expected from thereat of the public. Their funds were limited. Other associations had honorary members, but the' only honorary memoer of the local association was Mr J- a Cock. The executive did not altogether favour honorary members. The association during the year had done much to help returned soldiers, particularly the hon. secretary (Mr N. A. Vercoe; who had devoted a great deal of W?,Ji <1? the work ol" t]le association. fZ I °|,. the association's success was due to his efforts. The membership of onl increasing rapidly, iulcL W + °f *fV ose who had come bad stanamg out. If any member had a. real SSTffl ? ould. de Pe»<l *pon the 2*ociation .backing him to the limit. was t,S° ]>t and J balaiice-shect, which motion n?if as adopted; on the BevSge Dr- McXIII° P' SeCOnded b * m inter 6 a l?J ortT- Of committe« stated renort ? Pres? llting the annual tee f s ni? ¥f lCf- sheet y°ur committK ~f ■ l e-d *? be able t0 state that durin?°t Cl! atT haS StGadily Progressed cmiing.the eleven months that have Sfhi T 6 last S^eral meeting the nhl f^ Wf- S? ful in furthering Nr;2f J S- f°r ,whlch dt was foi™ed Numerous cases have been investigated mrtntT UP Vf ?» Government S parlments. on behalf of members, and sultfS^ alU Cases re-sulte-attamed. The finances of the asS lli * 8 &***& the .balanSS % i? a SOund Po^oll- The ■'SfiSfiQ Sw WS a substa^ial balance 2 • ?(. Weare > ho^ever, at present m the position of having to draw upon our capital to provide the neceswry running expenses. Your committee have aimed at the creation of a mai:^, iia nc 3 fund., the interest from ""■>\- would be sufficiently great to pr.n-,.1,. a t any ratej the bulk Qjf th o>i>i,.,f|,ture; and it will be necessary joi. you v incoming committee to keep tins *j*Hdily in view. The membership run or the association has steadily climbed, the number thereon at the dlst March being 279. This number includes only those members who were financial at the 31st March, 1919 Prior to;Slst March, 1918, ninety-sis badges were issued by this association and only 44 renewal subscriptions were reoer/ed on account of these. Of the balance some have been traced to other associations, but a good proportion are still unaccounted for. Twenty committee meetings have been held, and a great deal of detail work done. Durine the year Messrs. J. Henry and W. Benzies resigned from the committee, and Messrs. J. Pauling and J. Stewart were appointed to the vacancies. The establishment of the club is one of the most satisfactory results' of the past years work, and the association is to be congratulated upon the acquirement or our most excellent premises for this purpose. ..Your committee early recognised the need for suitable and central club rooms, and the matter of provides them was made possible by Mr J H. Cock's splendid offer of £2000 To this gentleman, and to the Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund Soicety which acquired the premises and'contents, and leased them to the association for seven years, with a right renewal for a further three, rent free we tender our hearty thanks. The club was formally opened by the Mayor (Mr. TV. TV. Snodgrass) on the Ist February last. It is being very largely used by members and has justified its existence in every way. The club rules provide that the Management Committee shall be the executive of the association, with the addition' of three members to be elected at the annual general meetings. The three members at present acting upon the committee are Messrs. J. Stewart H Low and L. Norriss. Mr. L. Greenl away, a member of the association, was appointed to the position of club steward, and has carried out his duties in a m£ st efficient manner. A canteen at wiiich members imiy secure- morning and afternoon tea, cigarettes, tobacco it dnilks> etc-, is contained in, the club, and is well patronised. Articles ar% s°l d at a shade above cost price and the profits accruing are divided between, the club funds and the steward. The association has been successful in obtaining employment for a number of its members. Members were entertained at a complimentary lullo^ll^ the Wizens of Nelson on the sth August last 3 when there was a record gathering of returned men from all parts of the district. On February drcl members were entertained at a, social evening by the yictory £od ge of l|reemasons, when one .and all obtained a maximum of enjoyment. We desire to express pur hearty appreciation of the kindness of the citizens aiid the members, of the Victory Lodge upon these occasions. On the 12th July last the association's annual ball was held in the Provincial Hall, and proved one of the most successful functions of the kind ever held .in Nelson. During the year regular visits have been made to our, members in hospital. Your cpmnntte- reports with Regret th& death of a member, 25/540 G. Griffiths. During the year the Government has, as you know, constituted the Repatriation Department, whose important functions embrace, the establishment of returned"men in .suitable businesses and employment; the training of men in new occupations; the provision of vocational training; the purchase of furniture and tools of trade; the granting of sustenence allowances, etc., etc. Local committees, upon which the association has been granted representation, have been set up in. various towns. Your representative upon the local committee is your secretary (Mr N. A. Vcrcoe), and Mr. R. B. Witty] a member of our executive, is the department's repatriation officer in 'Nelson. Although the work of the committee has but recently commenced, "a1 number-" of apDlieations have been satisfaefcoritly dealt with. Your com-mittee-desire to record the thanks, of the Association to the Committee of the Soldiers' Rest Room for the kindness and hospitality extended by them to members, and for gifts for * the club;" to the Red Cross Tea Room Committee for gifts; to the ladies' committee at the annual ball; to the Nelson Jockey and Trotting Clubs for free passes to their meetings; and for the following donations:—Messrs J. H. Cock £1000, W. W. Snodgrass £50, T. A. H. Fiell£2o. T. Walker £10 30s, Colin Campbell £6, -?. 13. Harrison £5 ss. H. 0. Lpdger £o and T. Hunt £3 3s; also to Mr Percy iulams for gift of stags 1 heads and" pictures for the Club. In conclusion, your Committee feels that the Association .is .fully justifying its existence. Much' good work lias boon done; much of great importance lies before us, the measure of our success in which depends upon the individual interest of members. The Association needs the best thought and the best work that you can give it. Render it this' service" and it will be of inestimable value to returned men and

to dependents, and a healthy influence in our national life. A notice of motion providing for an alteration in the rules deleting the word '"honorary" before "secretary," was uni auimously passed, on the motion of Mr Harley, seconded by Mr R. B. Witty. ' The election of officers was then proceeded with and resulted! as follows: — President, Mr W. C. Harley fre-elected) ; secretary, Mr N. A. Vercoe (re-elected); hon. treasurer, Mr F. J. McCabe (reI elected) ; committee (after a ballot), Mr R. B. Witty, Major H. S. Robinson, Messrs H. Saunders, J. Stewart, and A. |Kidson; club-house committee (after a ballot), Messrs F. Pauling^ L. Norris. [ and H. Low ; auditor, Mr T. B. Cargiil 1 (re-elected). , - The rules dt the association provide for a committee of six members, and it •was resolved, on 'the motion of Mr P. C. Hurst, seconded by Mr D. O'Connell, p that the vacancy left be filled by a coun'trv member. 'Subsequently it was resolved that the executive be recommended to appoint'Mr O'Connell. On the motion of Mr Hurst, seconded by Mr McCabe, it was unanimously resolved to support the retention of the v/ord "non" before "political" in the constitution^ The action of the committee in appointing Messrs Witty and Vercoe to represent the associationtat the conference ot tho R.S.A. in Christchurch was confirmed, on the motion of Messrs Older- , shaw and Cargili. i A hearty vote of thanks was accorded ! the club steward, Mr L. Greenaway, for his services. • . ■ ' • "Mr. Hurst suggested that notices •should be posted on railway stations and m the steamers informing returning soldiers that-there' was a brancii of-the • association in Nelson and a Returned . Soldiers' Club. :- ' ■( Major Robinson also suggested that a pamphlet should be printed setting outi the aims and objects of Vne association, to be handed to each man as he camo back. As the department sent an offircer to meet each draft .of returning men, he could arrange for the distribution. • . Both suggestions were noted. Votes of thanks were accorded the retiring; officers, and after a number of other matters of interest to members ; had been discussed a, most successful j meeting terminated' with a vote of thanks to the chairman.