R.S.A.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 10

R.S.A.

ANNUAL REPORT

I The, report to he submitted at the ninth annual meeting of members of I the Christehurch Returned Soldiers' Association in the Jellicoe Hall on April 30th states that from a small beginj ning the •R.S.A. liad steadily progressed, until sixty branches had been established in the main centres throughout the Dominion, and a large proportion of the Expeditionary Forces were enrolled as members 1 . No other returned soldiers' organisation in the world had secured better legislation for its men than the N.Z.R.S.A. After nine years of activity, the Christehurch Returned Soldiers' Association had over 1450 financial members, and was housed in one of the finest returned soldiers'' clubs in the Empire. The question of the ultimate disposal of the club had engaged the attention of the .executive, during the year. It was hoped that the matter would be finalised at the next meeting of the National Funds Council. During the year the, N.Z.R.S.A. "Review " made its appearance. It was posted free to all financial members, and contained valuable information for soldiers and their dependents. At the first sitting of. the War Pensions Appeal Board in Christchurch, 50 per cent, of the cases heard were upheld, and &t, the second sitting 33 1-3 per cent, of the cases were upheld. The results of the third sitting were not available. The task of adjusting themselves suddenly to civil life after years of war service had been more difficult than people imagined. The number of unemployed soldiers who were seeking the assistance of the Association each year was sufficient proof of that fact. . Last year employment was found for a good number of men as a result of the-Poppy Day effort, a sum of £875 being raised'in Christehurch' and suburbs. After all expenses had been paid, the sum of £614 remained in the Poppy Day account. "With subsidies from local bodies, £1263 was available for providing work. During the winter months £204 13s 3d was raised for the relief of distress among soldiers and their dependents. A large donation was also made by a generous supporter of the Association. A keen demand for the reopening of Section 2 of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act was felt. A large number of men, who were unable to take advantage of the loans before the Act closed,' how felt that they were being unfairly treated when the Department refused to accept their applications for loans. The executive recently approached the Minister of Lands, and urged him to'reopen the Act. _ He replied that in view of the good prices received for primary products during the year, and the repayment of loans already received, he hoped to be in a position to re-open the Act still wider in about nine or twelve months' time. During the past nine years 831 soldiers had been granted free instruction at the Technical Collego evening classes. The social activities of. the club had been- carried on successfully during the year. The committee regretted to record the death of Mr L. G. Blackwell, a former member of the executive and treasurer of the Association for two years. The bal-ance-sheet snowed a credit balance of £l2 3s 4d.