HELPING EX-SOLDIERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 97, 27 April 1933, Page 9

HELPING EX-SOLDIERS

PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION WANGANUI-WAITOTARA AREA. The annual meeting of the WanganuiWaitotara Patriotic Association took place yesterday, Air. Hope Gibbons presiding. A satisfactory condition was revealed by the annual report, which is as follows: “The operations of your Alanageinent Committee have been similar to those in the past, except that the difficulties of the times have entailed greater responsibilities. We also have the privilege of the veterans sitting with the committee, the present nominees being Alessrs. W. H. Cannan, C. Stanley Brown and F. G. Seddon. We have to thank these gentlemen for their help to us. “During the year the Canteen Board has included the Wanganui Empire Veterans’ Association among those associations receiving its grants, and considerable help towards unemployment has been received thereby. Your association has also received £285 from the National War Funds Council, onehalf of which has been passed over to the veterans for the same purpose. As this money earns £ for £ subsidy from employers, it is a great help to unemployed returned men. “Since our last report, Flock House has been opened to sons of New Zealand ex-soldiers and your committee had the privilege of entering the first trainee. In all, four lads have already entered the institution from Wanganui. Your chairman, Air. Hope Gibbons, is a member of the Central Committee of Patriotic and Returned Soldiers’ Associations which keeps Flock House supplied with trainees. “Our thanks are due to all affiliated societies throughout New Zealand for their help during the year, together with the Government. IDepartments with which we come into touch. We have also to thank the members of our Emergency Committee for the time they have given to all claims during the year.” The report was adopted. Officers for the coming year were elected as follows:—President, Mr. Hope Gibbons; committee. Messrs. A. G. Bigncll, J. H. Burnet, W. A. Veitch ALP., G. Spriggens, F. Webb-Jones. T. E. Thomas, E. A. Campbell, Colonel R. Hughes.