RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 180, 19 April 1918, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS

4 ANA'UAL MEETING OF WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the "Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was held last night. Mr. J. 1). 'l-iarper (chairman of the association) presided, and there was a large attendance of members. The annual report slated that the ii-cm-bership of the association at the end of March, 1018, was lliliG. This total included 180 unimanciul members and 77 members who had re-enlisted and returned to the iront. The association had maintained its activities in various directions during the year, and had bec-n instrumental in obtaining employment for a number of its members. No fewer than 6200 letters had been, received and dispatched during the year. Much information had been given to soldiers and their dependants. The balance-sheet showed that the excess of income over expenditure for the year ended March 31, 1918, had been <£376 17s. The accumulated funds now amounted to i:435 Bs. Ikl, The chairman moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. ' He said that the association had reached a fairly satisfactory financial position, owing chiefly to the success of the Anzac lecture and the Anzac ball. He mentioned the arrangements that had been made for the commemoration of Anzac Day this year, lie urged members lo be more careful than in the, past of the association's badges. These badges were the distinguishing mark of the returned soldiers, since the silver war medal could be worn by men who had done military service in New Zealand. The association's newspaper, "tiuick March," was lo bo issued first on Anzac l)ay. The chairman made an appeal to returned soldiers to support the association and help to prepare the way for the great army of men still to return to New Zealand. A member of the association urged strongly that attention should be given to the needs of shell-shock returned soldiers, who were o.t present confined in mental hospitals'. Some special provision should be made for these men. Colonel Samuels said he agreed that the association should work in the interests of unfortunate fellow-soldiers now in mental hospitals. These men should be placed in a special institution of a suitable kind, where their friends could visit them and they would have a lair chance of returning to normal mentality, lie thought that many grievances of returned soldiers would be removed if there was some official to whom the ii.en | could state their cases. Many men had just claims which ought to be fully and sympathetically consiilered. The Government should l.ot bo allowed to think it had done with the returned soldier when it -gave him a small pension anil a SOs. suit. JJv. Harper said lie had visited the SeacHlf Mental Hospital, where returned soldiers were, kept unite separate f'oin ordinary mental patients. 'I. lie lvaritane Home was a beautiful institution, and there was another home for convalescent shell-shock cases. He thought the Government was doing well by these cases. With regard to grievances, the association was prepared to take up the case of any soldier who had u genuino grievance. His oh'U experience satisfied him that the men would get fair and sympathetic treatment. It was important that the cases should be brought direct to the association, and not taken first to other organisations. A member of the committee said that the officers of the association were always ready to advise dependants of absent or deceased soldiers what action should lie taken to secure their rights. Another member said lie felt strongly that men who had been in mental hospitals ougli; to pass through a convalescent institution before they were sent into the cities with their accumulated pay. \ The following officers were elected Chairman, Mr. J. D. Harper; vice-chair-man, Mr. A. Curtnyne; lion, treasurer, Mr. D, A. Higgie; lion, solicitor, Mr. T; Neave; lion, auditors, Messrs. Watkins, Hull, Hunt, and Wheeler; committee. Messrs. D. Uaiighlo;*, B. .). Aidrich, W. G. Morpeth, W. F. W. Trueman. F. Scott. M.J). l.oftus, C. Gougii, E. J. Seal, and J. I. Fox.