CHANGE OF NAME

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 121, 24 May 1941, Page 11

CHANGE OF NAME

THF N 7 U S A

MEETING PRESENT NEEDS

CONFERENCE REMITS

When the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association was formed twenty-five years ago it was designed to help the thousands of soldiers who were returning from the Great War. j This it has done in many ways, and the present desire of returned men is to turn the aims of the association more and more towards the interests of those who are returning and will return from the present war. On this occasion, however, airmen and sailors —both naval and mercantile marine— are playing an equal part with the soldiers, and if the association is to meet their needs it will have to become more than a returned "soldiers" association. It is probable that the majority of returned soldiers in New Zealand | are in favour of a change of name for j their association to give equal recognition to those who serve in all forces, and the Dominion executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. is bringing forward a suggestion for a change of name when delegates from the branches of the association meet in conference in Wellington next Wednesday. SUGGESTIONS PREPARED. Two suggestions are to be placed before the conference. One is that the association should become the Returned Sailors', Soldiers', Airmen's, and Nurses' Association, and the other that it should be the Returned Services' Association. While there is a feeling that all of the Services should be represented in the title of the association, there is also a fairly general desire that the name of the association should ! not be too cumbersome, and it is proj bable that the Returned Services' (or I Servicemen's) Association will find favour with many. This shorter name has the advantage of covering all who serve in the war or future wars and also the additional advantage of having the same initials as the present association, N.Z.R.S.A. The longer name would have to be followed by a change in badge and in other ways, as the i initial letters, so largely used in the Dominion, would change to N.Z.R.S.S.A.N.A. The interest being taken by returned soldiers in the future of their younger comrades now overseas is shown in the remits sent in by branches for the conference. About 130 remits have been received and 82 of these bear directly on the welfare of those in the services and their dependants. The remits in general deal mainly with war pensions, defence, and the reestablishment of returned or returning men.

The conference, which will be held in the City Council Chamber, will be opened on Wednesday morning by the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop). and will continue throughout Wednesday and Thursday, and, possibly, Friday. Over 100 delegates and officials will attend and over 70 of the 92 branches of the association will be represented. On Thursday the delegates will continue the custom established a few years ago of placing a wreath on the Citizens' War Memorial. They will march from the Town Hall to the memorial for this purpose.