YOUNGER MEN HOLDING BACK R.S.A.?

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1947, Page 7

YOUNGER MEN HOLDING BACK R.S.A.?

Criticisin oi: the iiiterest taken b\ raeu ot" World Wai' II, in tlio afltuis oi tlie R.S.A., was expressed by Mr. 1'. B. Allen, uewly-eleeted president, at the. aiinual meeting of the Rotorua associatiou. 4 ' You licivG just liGcird u rcpoit xiom the Murupara-Galatea sub-branch tell '.ug how 30 lueu have banded togetliei aud created a living orgauisation that is makiug its mark in the district, Mr. Alleu said. "I would liko to say here aud now that wero this association to show half tliis spirit theie is uo limit to the good that it could do iu tliis towu. As 1 am an ex-meiuber of the Secoud N.Z.E.F. I aiu frec to speak uiy miud, and I intend to do so. "1 wish to make it clear that 1 aui of the opinion that it is the younger members of this association that are holdiug it back. If .evideuee of this is required oue has only to look at the Auzae parade througli the towu last weelc. At least 80 por ceut of tliose preseut were old Diggers who woren t afraid to turn out in the rain and show their pride in beitig old Diggers." Although the number of young members now exceeded that of the older ones, it was pitifully notieeable that meetings were mostly attended by the latter, he said. He had oi ten lieard men in the trenches overseas conunent on the "old eodgers" running the R.S.A. and how they would "step in and show thein how" wlien they got home. The "old eodgers" were still

waiting for tlicm to do it. It was also very notieeable, continued Mr. Allen, how quite a large eoterie of younger members gathered frequently in elub rooins and critieised the association and exeeutive. "I have only oue answer for them," he said. "Let them eome along and air their grievances. At a general meeting, sneh as this, they are terribly conspicuous [ by their absence. !