R.S.A. REAFFIRMS POLICY OF COMPULSORY SERVICE

Chronicle (Levin), 18 June 1947, Page 7

R.S.A. REAFFIRMS POLICY OF COMPULSORY SERVICE

■Press Association

By Telegraph -

WELLINGTON, June 17. Reaffirmation of its policy that eompulsory universal military service should be adopted in New Zealand, was made by the Dominion eonference ot N.Z.R.S.A. at tonight's *session. The eonference urged the Government "to provide an adequate Army, Navy §nd Air Foree # def encb of New Zealand immediately satisfaetory arrangements can be made with the Commonwealth and Empire Governments as to what fchese requirements will be.'-' ' Some amendments to the policy- oi the R.S.A. on the disposal of national patriotic and canteen funds were made. The national patriotic fund amounts to £1,308,000, of which £400,000 is earmarked for the sick and wounded fund. Provincial patriotic counclls have a fund of £1,500,000 held by 14 provincial bodies, The canteen funds amount to £1,000,000. The eonference again agreed that the funds held by provincial councils should remain with them. It was decided that any policy of expenditure of these funds, however determined, should merely constitute a principal, the enunciation of which should be left to the councils. The establishment of a central fund was again advocatqd. The eonference stated that as all rnoney reeeived by the National Patriotic Fund Boaro originlly formed a central pool for expenditure on a national basis, it wa> logical to assume that any such surplus money and/or realisations from the board 's assets, should be deait with as a central fund. It was con sidered advisable to have a central organisation holding this fund as a reservoir to which provincial patriotic councils , would apply for funds when necessary. This would ensure, in future years, an equitable distribution among service personnel regardless of the movements of population. The eonference eonsiderably amended its previous recommendation on representation on the board to control the central fund. It agreed that its representatives should be reduced from four to three and the Home Servicemen's Association increased from one to three. There should be no amalgamation oi the canteen and national /patriotic funds. The eonference again decided that the canteen fund should be plaeed in charge of the Canteen Fund Board. on the same principle as applied in the 1914-18 war, with the exeeption that foi the new fund the expending agents should be the B.S.A. and Home Servicemen's Association. The R.S.A. 's proposals will be put forward at a eonference on how the funds should be disposed, called in Wellington for to norrow by the National Patrioti'^ Fund Board. Representatives of all interested organisations will attend this eonference,