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RETURNED SOLDIERS

WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION

PERMANENT CLUB TO BE ESTABLISHED

REPORT OF CONFERENCE DELEGATES

An adjourned extraordinary meeting of tho AVellington Returned Soldiers' Association was held last night in the Masonic Hall, Bouleott Street. Mr. J. D. Harper presided 07er a fairly good attendance. Mr. M. Badger moved that a permanent club be established, and that a resolution on the books of the association dealing with tho matter he rescinded. In doing so, ho said thore was a strong ieeling on the part of many men that a permanent club elhould be set up. There was no hope that such a club coidd bo formed by gifts from tho public, therefore,' the returned soldiers 'must bo prepared to finance the project themselves. He believed that a 6uin of .£10,00(1 could be found to start the institution, and if each of tlio 4000 or 5090 membore of the association would contribute tCI oacli a good portion of the money would tie ;n hand. "What is this club going to be?" nsked.Mr. J. Kenny. "We have threo or four different political parties in tho association now; so what is tho use of forming this club?" Mr. Badger wid the club would provido an adequate meeting place for returned soldiers, and tho offices of tho association could bo located there. Without 'a permanent club there would be no association in a very littile while The motion was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. Badger, a committee was appointed to take into consideration the questions of suitable premises, financo, and the scope of the proposed club. . .. . Mr. A, B. Sievwriglit moved: "That this meeting of the W.U.S.A. notes with satisfaction that Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Bwen have resolved to supplement Is. for Is., and .£1 for £1, tho grafcuit'es offered by the Government to the members of the; firm's staff." _ ' The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. A. Kylo asked : who pa-vo tho instructions for Mr. 1). J. B. Seymour, general secretary of the N Z.R.S.A., for Messrs. R. B. Bell and D. Smith to act ns representatives of Waives, nnd Gore, respectively, at tho conference of the N.Z.U.S.A. The chairman said the matter waa ono for the New Zeniland Association to answer, and ,ho could not reply to the question. Mr. Kylo; Wif.l you obtain the information? • Mr. Harper replied that he would endeavour to do eo. Gratuities and Pay. Mr. Sievwriglit, who was ono of the delegates from tho W.R.S.A. to the conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. submitted his report to the meeting. Ho said lie had obeyed his instructions to the full. Referring to the proposal for increasing the rate of pay of the New Zealand'soldiers to that of the- Australian Forces, Mr. Sievwriglit said that some of the speakers at the conference had said it was rather late in the day for such a proposition to be introduced. Ho thought this was a definite condemnation oi those responsible for tho Government of New Zealand during the war, and a severe criticism of the executive of the' N.Z.R.S.A. during tho past three years. Such a move should have been made in: 1916-17-18. Mr. Sievwriglit reviewed what had beon done in regard to gratuities, find referred to tho remark of Dr. Boxer at the conference that the W e " lnß '°? deputation to Parliament had "queered the pitch" of the N.Z.K.S.A. The speaker had retorted that the blunders of Dr. Boxer nnd others had already done that. He maintained that position to-day, and contended that the action of the Wellington returned soldiers in waiting on Parliament had "put-the:wind tip" theCabinet Ministers and compelled them to come down within ten days with the proposal to pay Is. 6(1. per day without distinction o£ rank. The Wellington returned soldiers had _won a great victory in regard to gratuities, arid they deserved the thanks of all for what they had done. (Applause.) • , In reply to Mr. Badger, Mr. Sievwriglit said that at the conference he j pot all the support possible from his codelegates. (Applause.) Voting 'at the Conference, Answering further questions, Mr. Sievwriglit said that on the vote regarding Australian rates of pay. Mr. Harper evidently did not hear the motion being put. and Mr. Perry did vote with him (the speaker) on the question. "Evidently it was my loud voice that drowned Mr. • Perry's," said Mr. Sievwriglit amidst laughter, "and that was the reason why it was reported that' I was the only one who voted in favour; of the motion. I got from my co-delegates all the supnprt that I expected." Mr. Kenny (to'Mr, Harper): Would you have voted with Mr. Sievwright if you had heard the question? Mr. Harper: I would -have shouted as loud as -I could. ■ ■ (Laughter.) Mr. Harper also reported what had been done in regard to organisation, political action, repatriation, and pensions, dealing with political action, he said it had-been decided that the -association should be non-sectarian and non-political, except in so far as to make it possible to submit questions to Parliamentary candidates and publish the answers thereto: Replying to Mr. J. M'Keniie, Mr. Earner said he thought that any officer of-the association standing for political honours would have to resign. Mr. Harper said that he had obeyed his instructions at the conference and had tried to keen in mind the best way in which he could assist the whole of the returned men. (Apnlnnsc.) . . Mr. Kenny moved that the report of the delegates to conference be adopted. This was seconded. Mr. M'TCenzic contended that the motion should not he passed until some definite information was forthcoming v-itli regard to tin finances of tho. New Zealand Association. Mr. Kenny then withdrew his motion, and ifr. Badger moved that further consideration of tin- delegates' Tpport shon.ld be held over till next meeting in order that a statement regarding finances could be nrepared. _ . . The motion was carried. Mr. Sievwriglit proposed that tho Parliamentary Committee be instructed to reassemble and 'bring down a platform to I>ext meeting in conformitv with the decision of the New Zealand Conference. This would give an onportnnity for the association tn nlaco it= viows on nolitical matters before candidates for Parliament. "I second tl'e motion," said Mr. Kenny. "We all hold different political view", hut there are certain matters upon which wo are all agreed as returned soldiers. If we cannot get them by constitutional means, wo must get them by direct action." (Laughter.) The motion was carried.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19191029.2.87

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,071

RETURNED SOLDIERS Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 9

RETURNED SOLDIERS Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 9

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