RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION
CAPT. SIMSON'S PROPOSAL THE SCHEME OUTLINED Returned soldiers to the number of about 80 assembled at the Y.M.C.A. rooms yesterday, on'the invitation of Captain Donald Simson, to hear him explain his proposal for tho formation of a Returned Soldiers' Association, and the services, he anticipated, it would be. able to render the. men back from the front. Captain Simson, in placing bis scheme before the meeting, spoke in characteristically racy fashion, with pointed criticism now and again and tlb free use of colloquialisms. "I suggest," he began, "the formation throughout New Zealand in each centre where returned soldiers are likely to congregate and .settle the formation _of a Soldiers' Association, which will interest itself in all matter's affecting the soldiers as such, and as citizens of New Zealand. same ,timo, the movement will have its social side, and I propose that in connection with tho association a club should be formed. Half a dozen men could be appointed to carry on the club provisionally until they had a fair membership. Then a committee could be eleoted. As had been done in lnvercargill and Dunedin, a .secretary or . caretaker might be appointed—preferably a returned soldier unfit for further service and'almost unfit for civil employment." The circumstances which had suggested the necessity for such an institution for the benefit of the returned soldiers were then detailed. There were, he said, hundreds of returned soldiers who, although having scores of relatives and acquaintances, had no home life. "Yom friends have their own affaire to attend to," proceeded the speaker, "and after a while you begin to pall on them. Then you have nothing else to do but wander about the town.- The Government will not give you a free railway pass yet. The concession has been guarded with certain conditions which will,require to be altered. The'public are beginning to know the returned soldier as the man wearing an overcoat or helmet who hangs about'the streets apparently with no object in life. Citizens, having 'shouted' you a drink, and thus done their duty ,to the Empire, go . about their own. affairs. Business men eh' countering a group of soldiers .exclaim; 'Here are some returned .soldiers with 'a grievance or some grouse.' I am, of course, giving you the worst side of the picture. You are getting very much in tlie same position; as . the returned soldiers ; in previous wars, who came to be regarded as a bit of a nuisance. Now no officer and no man in the ranks appreciates the work of the soldier more than I do. I know his faults and 1 know his good points, and if I can 1 am to prevent him becoming a pest to himself and to everybody else. This is what will happen if things are allowed to go on as they are, and you spend_your fortnight's or three weeks' leave in hanging about the streets. You know that is what you are doing—-the majority of you. It is going to be the ruination of good men, and will spoil your character and temperament an citizens .when you go out of khaki. I am not giving you mere idle expressions of opinion, for I have closely studied such problems arising out of the war." That meeting, explained Captain SimBon, was merely the preliminary to a larger meeting at which the scheme would be discussed in detail. Criticism of.. the Government,.was easy, but was useless unless-something practical were at the same. . time ; suggested. There were 3000 returned soldiers in New: Zealand now. In. the case of each !of these men there were three responsible people who would back them up in any fair and reasonable suggestion or complaint. When he had convinced these 12,000 people of the reasonableness of hia pro-'' posal, he was further going to solicit the support of each and every one of the 30,000 men at the front. Their duty at present was to provide the nucleus," and the movement would grow. There was no distinction of class or wealth in in the trenches, and the soldier learned to appreciate the good points of his neighbour. The effect was bound to bo a good one unless- the soldier, returned from the front disabled or in- had health, was neglected and allowed to form wrong conclusions. That was why he suggested that- a returned soldiers' association should be formed. While perhaps 75 per cent, of the returned soldiers so-called grievances were only pin-pricks, the remaining'2s per cent, required attention and remedy. When they had got tho association formed and recognised, that would be the voice of tho returned 6oldier. "If a number do not- play tho game,'.' he added, "you will have to 'chuck them out,' or they will 'down your cause.' The 3000 returned soldiers are not all heroes' or angels. You know that as well as I do. Sonie of thorn ajo going round the streets 'telling the tale' as it is called, borrowing money, and misbehaving themselves in. various ways. If you do not take this in hand and take,the responsibility of checking it you cannot expect recognition as a body. Let there be no further necessity for returned soldiers appealing to civilians to help them or writing to the newspapers, or going to the Mayor with complaints. The best jury to decide these matters is one composed of returned soldiers. The v best men to deal with the troubles of '' tho soldiers is a committee of returned soldiers. But it is not "always" complaints that call for consideration; sometimes valuable suggestions are made."
Referring to the position of railway passes, lie' asked what harm it would do the returned soldier to do two or three woeks' railway travelling, visiting his own relatives and those of his comrades at the front. The, Government said he needed a rest, hut the only rest the average returned soldier got was against a bar. A voice: I beg to differ. Captain Simsoii said thero were many returned soldiers who did hot drink, and of course it could not apply to them, but his point was that instead of the Medical Board having the right under special circumstance* to allow these returned men three weeks' travelling, every man should get a free pass to enable him to visit friends. Coming to the more practical side of the object for which lie had called tha meeting, Captain Simson said: "I want to appeal to a- section of the public to provide funds for the rettrned soldiers' club—the premises to include reading room, billiard room, bathrooms, etc., on similar lines to those at Invercargill and Dunediu. An appeal might bo made to the fathers of, sa.v, 2000 boys at the front to subscribe £1 per month each for the .next twelve months. If you ha ve ten of the clubs this will give you £200 monthly to pay rent, purchase furniture, and pay a caretaker and generally defray the initial expenses. It is possible the patriotic societies _ when they seo the advantages will assist. I want to see the club free from all civilian • influences and control." (Cheers.) A soldier present suggested that they individually should subscribe themselves towards purchasing furniture and so be independent of the general public. Captain Simson said chose details could best be discussed' subsequently ■when they had formally lesolved to proceed- with the movement. A motion affirming the advisablcness of establishing a returned soldiers' association and club was carried oil a show of hands, and, tho meeting then went into committee to discuss the scheme.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 7
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1,257RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 7
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