RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 197, 15 May 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

REMITS FOE DOMINION CONFERENCE. A largely-attended meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last evening, Mr. J. D. Harper presiding. The following remits for consideration by the Dominion Conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association were carried unanimously:— ' I.—That the regulations governing admission to membership of the association be extended to include all members of the Samo'an Relief Parly. 2.—That* hs widowed mothers' separation allowances were instituted after most of the single men had left New Zealand, and had :i\o opportunity of becoming aware of the fact that these allowances had' been provided for the provision in the regulations thnt grants be made from the date of application only b« cancelled and provision made for application for grants from date of enlistment to be considered on their merits. That the scale of allowances payable to widowed mothers is totally inadequate, and one that has inflicted great hardship upon both the widowed mother and the soldier. That where the widowed mother is totally dependant on one son, a member of (he Expeditionary Force, she should be placed in a similar position to the childless wife, and draw the same allowances bv right. Payment of such allowances to be made retrospective. That where the only sons of a widowed mother have enlisted she is entitled to an allowance, and should not be compelled to live upon the allotment money of such soldiers. . . " 3.—That the Government be urged to declare Anzac Day a statutory holiday, and that the day be one of commemoration for those, of our comrades who gave up their lives during .the Great War. ''.; .•:■. 4.—That iu the opinion of this conference the daily ration allowance of. 2s. per day paid to • undischarged soldiers, who are out-patients of hospitals istotally inadequate for the provision of such men, and requests that the allowance.bo at once increased to 4s. per diem. s.—Having regard to the present great scarcity of houses throughout the Dominion the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association urges upon the Government the immediate and most pressing the necessity for Slate action towards building homes suitable for occupation bv returned nien and their dependants. G.—That this conference approach local authorities concerned with a view to obtaining free passes on tramcars for legless and blind men. The following delegates were elected to represent the Wellington Association, at the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association to be held at Christchurch this month:— Messrs. J. D. Harper, P. dc 13. Brandon, .T._ O'Sullivan, R, J. F. Aldrich, and B. W. Irwin.