returned soldiers

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 127, 22 February 1921, Page 6

returned soldiers

DOMINION EXECUTIVE MEETS

CONCLUSION OF PROCEEDINGS

The quarterly meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association was concluded yesterday. Di. E. Boxer, C.M.G., presided. Mr. R. B. Bell brought forward the question of publicity of the meetings of the executive. Ho considered that not sufficient publicity was given. He had taken on a certain amount of the work, but what he had done had not been ftilly copied. He moved: “That .it bo an instruction of the executive to the Standing Sub-coniniittee and to the geneial secretary to arrange that all future meetings of the Dominion Executive shall be reported by a journalist to bo engaged to supply reports of the executive meetN. A. Ching (Auckland) seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. _ Mr. Bell moved that it be an instruction to the Executive Standing Committee to have a proper index of resolutions passed by the Dominion Conference, the Dominion Executive, the Standing Subcommittee, and District Committees prepared at the earliest possible moment. The motion was seconded by the chairman and carried. Distribution of Funds. Mr. R. J. F. Aldrich brought up the subject of patriotic funds. He thought it was inadvisable to earmark funds for particular objects. The Advisory Board was advocating a scheme whereby a large portion of the funds already in hand Should be reserved for totally incapacitated men and) permanently partially disabled men. They had to consider the possibilities of the breakdown of men whose disability might occur in a few rears, but if there was no fund marked for the support of that class of disability the men would receive no support. The funds should be used for all disabilities. Ho pointed out that, in regard to tubercular cases, they had not considered the pre-war economic status of the men concerned. The patriotic societies had treated such cases very generously, and he saw no reason to doubt that tho same attitude would be adopted as long as there was one penny of patriotic funds in the Dominion. As to the nar Funds Council, it was premature to say what they would do, but the Advisory Council was going to propose a change in its constitution, which would go towards still further proving that earmarkNig of funds was inadvisable and unnecessary. . Mr Bell moved that Mr. Aldrich a report'bo adopted, that Mr. Aldrich be thanked for his report, that the executive reaffirm its own previous decisions and that of the previous decisions of the Dominion Conference, and that it is both impracticable and unnecessary o establish a special fund for the exclusive benefit of tubercular men, or, indeed, for any particular class.” The Bov. Walker moved as an amendment that the conference adopt Mr. Aldrich’s report. This was agreed to Mr Aldrich remarked that the Minister' of Internal Affaire had said he would bring down a universal scheme for the disbursement of patriotic funds. (Hear, hear.) Insurance of T.B. Patients, Mr J Pow (secretary) said he had received a complaint that tubercular patients who wished to insure were refused a policy by the New Zealand Government Llfo Insurance Department. Tho chairman said the practice of insurance offices was not to insure tubercular patients. It would be better for the secretary to make inquiries on the ~ It was decided to leave the matter in tho hands of the executive sub-commit-teTho Rev. Walker referred to a stat ?' ment published in Christchurch, that it was proposed to petition the Conciliation Council that Anzac Day be not counted a public holiday. The c l* ain ? a , said the executive would inquire into 4 The chairman moved that, with the approval of the Wellington district, Mr D S. Smith be appointed vice-president of tho district. This was seconded by Mr R B. Bell, and carried. It was also arranged that the executive sub-comnnt-tee appoint its own chairman. A Resignation.Mr. T. Long (Auckland), in handing in his resignation, referred to what had happened at Sunday night’s meeting on the subject of pensions. He said he stood for love .of country and loyalty to the British Empire, and for the giving of sympathetic assistance to the downtrodden. That was the reason for his attitude in regard to pensions, but when ho left the meeting he wished it to be remembered that ho had no personal feelings. , , The chairman said none of them had ever questioned Mr. Long’s keenness or derided 'him in the slightest. ihey were all concerned in the future of the returned soldiers, and that was the only spirit that animated them. He moved that Mr. Long’s resignation be accepted with regret. „ This was seconded by Mr. D. a. Smith, who remarked that he had never questioned Mr. Long’s loyalty and keenness in association work. The motion was agreed to without further discussion. ’ The secretary brought up the question of utilising for the establishment of veterans’ homes and scholarships the money derived yearly from totalisator fl Tho Ol ßev. Walker remarked that it was a disgraceful thing that the war veterans should be dependant on the "crumbs that fall from the table of the well-to-do racing people.” Mr. Bell moved that the executive could not see its way to fall in with the SU Thts was seconded by the Rev. Walker nl The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.