R.S.A. MEETS

Chronicle (Levin), 28 February 1947, Page 4

R.S.A. MEETS

REMITS TO DOMINION CONFERENCE DJSGIJSSED Claiming that the representation on the Dominion executive of the R.S.A. was too large and eonse.quently unwieldly, the vice-presi-dent of the Levin branch, Mr. H. B. Burdekin, placed before the quarterly meeting on Wednesday night a remit. to the forthcommg" Dominion Conference, that the: constitution of the N.Z.R.S.A. be altered to provide that there shall be only one representative from each district on the Dominion executive instead of two as at pres- i ent. When commenting on the present system, Mr. Burdekin said it was a new form of representation Vifruch had come into eff ect last year. Of the six districts each nominated t-Wo representatives domlciled in Wellington to represent them. Five others also residing in Wellington were elected by the confSrence. This had the eff ect of creating an unwieldly body. A smaller representation would result in half the talk and unpleasantness and more work being done. The system had been originally put into operation in order that -the work would be more evenly spread, but he considered that as the more difficult work was completed the need had disappeared.

When putting the remit to the meeting, the president, Mr. H. J. Lancaster, said he agreed with the opinion expressed by Mr. Burde-, kih. He did not like the system of having the district representatives living in Wellington as he considered they were of little use to the, district down there- The remit was; carried unanimously. . An injustice arising from the difference in pension laws in respect to Imperial and Dominion • servicemen, was pointed out by the vice-president when presenting a further remit to the conference for consideration by the branch members. Many types of injurics or sickness treated favourably by the New Zealand Pensions' Board were not considered pensionable ih " the United Kingdom and in consequence many servicemen nor-mally domiciled in New Zealand, but who had been seconded to the British Army, or, more particularly in this wa.r, the Royal Air Force, were not geting the same treatment as their own countrymen. Representation had frequently been made to have this anomaly rectified but so far all that had been conceded was the building up of a pension recognised by the British Pensions' Board, to the New Zealand rate.

The remit suggested by" Mr. Burdekin met with a favourable reception by all present, many speakers stating that this was a matter that required further strong representation. It read as follows : "That representation be again made to the Government, that where an ex-serviceman was domi- j ciled in New Zealand, prior to a j war and served during the period i of such war in some branch of H.M. j forces other than the N.Z. Fprces, j and while serving in such forces received some disability which, had he been in the N.Z. forces would have been pensionable, but as the result of the difference in the pension laws of the different parts of ""he British Empire such serviceman cannot secure recognition of his claim for a pension, then such -^x-serviceman be accepted bv the New ^Zealand Government in all respects, as if the disabilitv had been received while a member of '"he N.Z. forces and shall be awarded the same pension as if he had been in the N.Z. forces a.t the "ime of suffering such disabilitv.' The remit was carried unanimously.