UNKNOWN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 21, 20 October 1919, Page 4

UNKNOWN

PRESIDENT'S ACTION' ENDORSED. louring the discussion on the gratuity que. J lion at the special conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday some criticism was direct* cd against lihe president of the association (Dr. K. Boxer, of Hastings) for his action in sending to the Prime Minister a telegram deprecating ths action of the Wellington Association in connection with gratuities and the march to Parliament. Dr. Boxer, in .it- 1 -. said that lie dosired to lie perfec'' frank and fair te delegates over the 'tor. He then explained tihe deci' - i«' ; the Christchurch conference on the •••aiuity question, i.e., Hint the grntuitv «■ io be considered in no other light than I'iat of a gift. This being the case lie recognised that hhp action of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was in direct defiance of tho association's determined noliev, and as president of the association he took it upon himself to convey to the Prime Minister the regrets of the association for such action. The telegram was sent three dsys after the march to Parliament, and the telegram did not in the slightest degree 6eek to prejudice th* situation. Mr. A. B. Sievwright (Wellington): It did.

Dr. Boxer claimed that it did not, but the march to Parliament "queered o»r pitch." (Itear. hear.)

Mr. Sievwright: I say that the mistakes of the executive sub-committee also "queered onr pitch." Mr. T. Long (Auckland): I wish to nnk Dr. Boxer a question. Did he at the time of sending the telegram to the Prime Minister know of tho action of the 'Dominion sub-committee?

Dr. Boxer: No, I was not aware of that. Mr. "Hong: I accept your statement. Dr. Boxer proceeded to explain that it was not till he had had an importunity of perusing the minute book that ho became acquainted with the action of the executive sub-committee respecting the gratuity.

Mr. Sievwright proceeded to question Dr Boxei' about a circulnr-lett"r sent out by the Dominion secretary (Mr. D. Seymour) to nil associations respccfng the notion of the local association, when Mr. D. Colquhoun (Dunedin) moved that the president's action be apnrovcd. This was seconded by Mr. N. B. M'Cnllum (Christchuroh).'

Mr. J. A. Cowles (Masterton) said that the march to Parliament was, in his opinion, a disgrace to the returned soldiers of New Zealand.

Mr. Sievwright: Nonsense. Mr. Cowles: "I am not in tho hal)it of talking nonsense." lie proceeded to state that ihe had been congratulated by hundreds of people upon the association having a president who was able to take such a stand on the gratuity question. Delegates were quibbling over a wordexecutive—and lie could not see the reason for such quibble. Was the president of the association e'leh time ho desired to second a telegram, he asked, to first run to the nearest solicitor to ask if it was r.ll right and that there, was no loophole in it which a "nagging fellow" could get into? (Applause and uproarious laugihter.) Mr. Cowles complimented the president Upon sending the telegram. ,Tlie motion that Dr. Boxer's Action he approved was then put to the meeting and carried, Mr. Sievwright being the only dissentient.