RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 June 1925, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

'THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. PRESERVATION OF ANZAC DAY. By Telegrapii—Press Association. Dunedin, June 17. The Dominion Conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, with delegates from all parts of New Zealand, commenced this morning wit'h Colonel Stewart presiding. The delegates were welcomed by the Deputy-Mayor. The annual repo-rt stated that the canteen fund totalled £172/360, an increase of £9464. The association commended the board’s decision to grant £lOOO annually for ten years from the interest to the Trentham scholarship fund. The total fund in hand is £104,83’3. The report also contained a warm reference to the late Premier. The report, refemng to the Auckland picture proprietors preparing a petition to hold the observance of Aiizac Day on the nearest Sunday w T as strongly opposed, stating: “The feeling of sentiment and gratitude seems to have deserted certain sections when such movements are supported. It remains for the association, representing dead comrades, to see that those feelings are revived and the law not altered one iota.” The I report also declared that the immigration of British-born people was essential and that the nominated system was inadequate to meet the needs. At the present rate of progress to obtain half a million immigrants it would be necessary to wait about 76 years. It advocated additional systems such as special selections in Britain with a view to farm training in New Zealand for the eventual settlement of Crown and farm lands. The report was adopted. Dunedin, Last Night| The annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association opened to-day. Colonel Stewart presided over 24 delegates from all parts of the Dominion. The annual report was adopted without discussion. The greater part of the afternoon was occupied in dealing with committee business. The following remit from the Canterbury Association was carried: “That the Government be strongly urged to retain the Cashmere upper sanatorium as the military sanatorium for the whole of the Dominion.”