RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 210, 31 May 1920, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS

N.Z.R.S.A. CONFERENCE

DELEGATES WELCOMED BY MAYOR

Tho fourth annual conferencq of tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association opened in tho Accountants Chaiu- , bers. on Saturday nignt. Dr. 1;. Boxer, of Hastings, president ol' the association, | occupied the chair, and there was a targe attendance of delegates. Before tho business commenced, the delegates were aocorded a civic welcomo by Hie Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.). Mr. Luke said he felt it a distinct honour to be asked to bo present among, men who had done so much in the advancement of tho cause of humanity and justice. Everybody in New Zealand, and everyone who was associated with the New Zealanders overseas, had a great admiration for the work that was dona during the . war by them, and in these remarks he included the nurses. (Applause.) Tlicro was a strong bond of fellowship between the members of the association and tho mercantile marine and the Navy, who had made it possible for the British and Allied soldiers to do their iob. 011 belialf of the citizens, ho accorded vtlio delegates the heartiest of welcomes. (Applause.) As a member of Parliament ho could assure tho delegates that the deliberations of the cun ferenco would be watched with the closest interest by the members of tho Legislature. The R.S.A. could "do a considerable amount of good for those unfortun- j at.e fellows who had not yet recovered from wounds and sickness. One of the mast important functions of the Government and the peoplo was to seo that justice was done by tho limbless men and those who had been gassed. In his position as Mayor ho had found that, notwithstanding pensions and the aid given by various relief societies, there were some very hard cases in connection with limbless men. He felt that it ought to be the first and most impov tant function of the association to seo thnt ft fair and square deal was meted out to those men. Mr. Luko appealed to members of the association and tho public in general to look with a sympathetic eye upon those men who, through the strain of war, were unablo to face difficulties and disappointmentslll tho manner that their more fortunate fellows could do. The people should also sen that men who were unable to follow their occupations on account of wax disabilities did not suffer hardshin m tho way of find inj? homes for themselves. They ought to thank tho war relief and oift V associations throughout tlio Dominion who were doing a tremendous amount of hard work. He honed that as a result of the conference tho conditions pprtaining to returned soldiers generally would be still further advanced ami improved. Mr. Luke concluded by

saying flint the people must thank tho women of New Zealand who had borno such splendid.sons as the New Zealand soldiers, and who had faced {jroat trials and sorrows with heroic fortitude. (Ap-. plavse.) Open Rebellion Averted. Dr. Boxer thanked the Mayor > for welcoming the delegates. The association was very much concerned about the welfare of the men who were less fortunate than others. There were thousands of

min in the country who were suffering the greatest possiblo physical trouble for which they got comparatively little sympathy. He had sympathy, for the man who had lost a leg, but there wero men who wero as much incapacitated, and, in his opinion,' far inoro incapacitated, then these. lie referred to those who had been gassed and had developed a condition known as C.P.D.1., D.A.H., and tuberculosis. ' These men carried no outward indication of their incapacity, jet they wero more incapacitated than men who had lost a _ limb. }ij thanked Mr. Luke for tho indication tha'; members of Parliament and tho Government did not look upon the association askance. Ho thoiurht that Parliament and tho Government had come to understand that the association had

been governed, by reasonable and sano suggestion and thought. Many of tho association's ideas hnd been given effect "to by the Legislature, and he considered tlint they could look back upon the past years with .1 feeling that tho thought and worry given to tho association had not 'been thrown away. Had there- been no R.S.A. he stated emphatically that the Government would hayo been faced with a great amount of discontent, and oven open rebellion, 011 tho part of ex-soldiers. Ho said quite deliberately thnt the association had saved the country from open rebellion on the part of disgruntled soldiers. (Hear, hear.) lie thought the country owed tho association a debt of gratitude. for the work it had done. He did not want to blow tho association's trumpet, but he felt that it was "up to" tho country to recognise that the association was not working for nothing, that it was not a party of "cranks," but that • it was doing tho best for men less fortunate than others. (Applause.) On the call of Dr. Boxer, delegates accorded a hearty voto of thanks to Mr. Luke by acclamation. \ Before leaving the room, tho Mayor asked the delegates to be present at the reception to General Birdwood on Thursday night. Tho presentation of delegates' credentials and the roll-call followed, after which various committees were sot up lo deal with finance, laud, legal, medical, organisation, repatriation, pay, allowances, and pensions, and other matters. The Annual Report. The annual report stated that during

the past year the following celebrated visitors and soldiers were enrolled as members of the association:—H.R.ll. tho

Princo of Wales (life patron); Viscount Lord Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet (lifo

member); Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor. Brigadier-General Richardson, BrigadierGeneral Hnrt, and Bri»adier-General Stewart. During the year the total membership had risen from 25,C00 to over 57.000, but this must be considerably increased during the coming year to put all tho associations on a sound financial footing. At last conference there wero 15 affiliated associations, and now tlicro are GO. During the year there sprang into existenco a British scction of the association, composed of genuino cxN.Z.E.I?. men, and N.Z. members of other forccs, who have seen active service. This branch lias its headquarters in ii Chancery Lane, and in linys to come should prove of .great benefit to any New Zealand soldier visiting Britain. So far, it has not been found practicable to arrange for this branch to pay capitation, or to supply it with the badge. However, authority has recently been cablcd for manufacturing the badge in Engliyid. This brgich is regularly supplied by the association with all information thought to lio of use aud interest.

The past year, the first since pence was signed, had, strange to say, been one of unrest as regards internal organisation. The constitution of tlio N.Z.R.S.A. was thrown into the melting pot, stirred about vigorously by various members, and allowed to solidify into n new being. A now scheme of organisation was adopted and a new constitution drafted aecordingl". Difficulties bind arisen, howover, and tlio Standing Committee was reluctmitiv obliged to cease further operations, and decided to refer ihc wholo mattor to tlio New Zealand executive, with the opinion that the decision of coni'ercnce would bo necessary. In carrying out the instructions of the New Zealand Executive and Conference, Headquarters has found numerous instances of duplication of action, caused by local associations acting independently." These duplications and deviations from tlio proper methods of making representations to tlio Government and public bodies, must hamper and oven affect Hie issues at stake. At present Headquarters is more or less tlio scaprgoat of every association ill tbo constitution. After stating at length the work dono by the association's Land Committee, which had drawn up a number of suggestions for presentation to the Govern, mcnt regarding settlement of discharged soldiers, tlio report passed on to Hie question of repatriation. Repatriation matters had had n tortuous path during the year. Among the matters considered under this heading was tlio restriction of Asiatic immigration, which was .still being considered by tlio Government, although it was stated that tlio needs of repatriation would come lirst. I This was ratlior a delicate question, as I tlio Hindu was a British subject. In

respect to gratuities several cases of anomalies had been found out, and a special committee had been st t u l' '° deal with theso matters. So far, the most far-reaching anomaly was that of next-of-kin, who could not prove prewar dependency. Up to April 30, 1920, tile number of gratuities paid was 8G.76C, of a total value of d£5,097,009 . 13s. Id. The report detailed the negotiations that havo taken place with the Government from time to time on the matter of pensions, and said that a scheme had been asked for, and was at present bonig considered bv the Government, by which T.B. men who had broke down or wero totally disabled, would have their pensions supplemented. In a reference to Anzac Day, the report states that the well-organised services held last April would go a long way to helping the day being declared a statutory holiday. Owing to the rise in the price of silver, the price now charged by the manufacturer for each badge of the. association was 2s. id. This results in a loss of 4d. on each badge, since the prico charged recipients is 2s. The number issued up to April 30 was 57,003.