TREND OF THE DISCUSSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 207, 27 May 1919, Page 6

TREND OF THE DISCUSSION

TEE POLICY OF POLITICAL ACTION. (By Telegraph-Special OorreßDondent.) Christohurch, May 26.

The third, annual conference of the New Zenland Returned Soldiers' Association 1 opened in the Christohureh City Council Chambers yesterday, when tho delegates wero addressed by Dr. Thaeker, tho Mayor, who extended the city's welcoma and hoped that the conference would bring tlio deliberations to a successful issue. Dr. Thaeker briefly referred to tho various questions which directly con. corned returned soldiers. Dr. Ernest Boxer, the president, thanked tho Mayor for his address. In moving the adoption of tho annual report, Dr. Boxer censured the delay in introducing a repatriation scheme. It was not till tho armistice forced the Governments liands that they rushed through a repatriation scheme. The Government was slow to realise tho nil-important question of repatriation, and, in fact, never gavo it a thought till GeVmany suddenly collapsed. Ho reiterated the association's plea for the one Minister in charge ol re'pa'triation, and submitted that tho present repatriation scheme was_ not competent to deal with the situation. Tho speaker went on to applaud the work of the patriotic bodies, and condemned tho Government for allowing these bodies to do the State's work. He also referred to the Government's action in taking over the balance of'the funds of the patriotio societies.

This censure met with general approval, the opinion being Hint the State should, not utilise the' "patriotic funds for the purpose of repatriating soldiers. The delegates then went on to discuss the report and tlie work of the association during the year. It was generally conceded that the new year was going to be the greatest year in the history of the association. Whatever the oonferenco might do would either make or break the association. The, lAost important issue at stake was a remit respecting, the alteration of the constitution of the association by making it political. Undoubtedly the "debate on this question will be somewhat strenuous, for the two sides a,re very strong. The Auckland delegate. 1 ; aro undoubtedly the leading lights favouring political action; and hitve a, strong platform, which, with the exception , ol' three plnuks, is in the main the constitution of thei association. Their proposals, if carricd, will bring the association into the political arena, and the association will then pick and choose, its candidates for election. Other Associations are supportihg Auckland, and whiist some liveliness was anticipated when the conference sat. all ideas of aggressive action appear so far to have been sunk, t.ho Wellington association standing firm agaiiist the policy of political action, and on the surface it appears evident that when , the vote is taken tho Auckland proposition will be negatived. Destructive criticism of the executive work for the past year met with a strong counter-attack. This was led by, a delegate from Blenheim, whoso opinion that the individual associations were largely to blame and not the executive received tho support of the majority. A section expressed the feeling that- the executive were not doins: all they could,_ but the expression of this oninion was in reality a confession of inertia on'the part of the complaining associations. At the conclusion of the discussion on the renort various committees were set up to deal witli the different matters. News of the i-escup of Hawker was received during the afternoon, and it was decided to send a cable messnge to England congratulating him.