WHAKATANE R.S.A.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 20, 2 November 1945, Page 5

WHAKATANE R.S.A.

RAISING OF FUNDS

MEETING HELD

A meeting oi. all interested was held in the Borough Council Chambers last Friday when ways and means oi raising funds for the \.hakatane Returned Services' Association were discussed. Present were Me.sdames B. Xornian, S". Tippett, Dave Wilson, 11. Wilson, A. Hall, Miss P. King, Messrs Les 13ro\vn f C. F. Tiiomas 11. IJrabanl A. Norman, l\ Breckon* Dave Wilson, L. King, 15. Barry G. Otley, N. Patterson, C. A. Head and A. Hall.

Mr W. Law and Mr Robins of J Tiornton were also present. ' Mr Les. Brown presided and ex- 1 (lained the purpose of calling" the ! neeting which was to obtain the ! ipinion of local residents in the ' natter of raising funds for the ' Vhakatane. U.S.A. and requested ! uggestions as. to ways and means > if obtaining this object. Mr Brown explained that most of the Old 1 diggers of the last War were now Setting on in years, and felt that : hey would like to do something ;angible as some final effort for the jenefit of the younger Returned Servicemen and Women. He men. ioned that 2400 had been examined n this country, And that approximately 1700 had gone overseas. Up ;o date approximately 700 bad re. :urned and already M 0 had joined :he Association, which Avas looking forward to the whole of the men ivlio had been overseas eventually ije.coming members. "Probably," he said, "the general public consider that sufficient appeals have been made, but we the Old Soldiers feel from our own experience that public memory is very shortlived and we feel that now is the time to improve our funds. It is not now that we may have to render assistance, but 10, 15 or 20 years hence when the necessity of these funds will be felt." Mr Brown stated that he thought all would agree that assistance would be required, and the Association wanted to be in the happy position of being able to render that assistance at the time it was needed, and immediately it was needed not a few weeks later. During; the war the Association had attended to quite a great number of matters for the boj'.s whilst overseas, and also, when possible, bad assisted wives and widows. When the last roll call came it attended to the necessary matters' and saw that the Digger received a decent . esting place. When cases arose whereby the relatives were not in a position to meet the expenses this was done by the R.S.A. or the fees obtained from the Government, .so that no Digger was deprived of a decent burial.

f '()ur idea " lie said "is. to I'ormu--9 9 late some scheme whereby a Trust Fund can be formed, for possibly scholarships for soldiers children to enable tbem to obtain an appropriate education or career. We feel that J we. want funds that we can admin.

ister without any restrictions oi regulations. We had in mind running a King and Queen Carnival lor the purpose of raising these funds." Suggestions were then called for by Mr Brown from those present. Mr Barry mentioned, that there were certain sums in the Patriotic Funds and these funds were under the complete control of the local people. He thought that the R.S.A. should play the main part in administering these funds and mentioned a meeting to be held at a later date when a decision will be made as to the utilisation of them. He also stated that he considered that should these funds be handed to the local R.S.A. there should be no reason for it to go to the effort of raising more funds ? as they should be sufficient for purposes required. Mr Thomas remarked that some of those present had not been able to go overseas during the war, and some of the old Diggers felt tbey would like to do something to help themselves. Mr Brown suggested that a local committee be set up for the Bor-

ough only. It was decided that .g committee or committees be I'ormecl to go into ways and means of raising funds within the Borough, and that all those present who were resident in .the Borough form such committee

with power to add. It was resolved that the committee meet again in .seven days and that the next meeting be held on Thursday November 1 at 7.30 p.m. in the County Council Cbambers ) when all those friends within the Borough willing to assist are cordially invited to attend.