WAR RELIEF

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 120, 7 June 1937, Page 10

WAR RELIEF

Activities of The Hastings Branch CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW The chairman of the Hastings branch of the Hawke 's Bay War Relief Association, Mr W. Hart, in his xeport of the branch 'a activities for the past year, etates: — During the year 21 meetings were held, and 989 cases were dealt -with, including applications by returned soldiers or their dependants for monetary assistance, applications for medical treatment and applications for assistance to obtain pensions. Many appli.cations wero for assistance of a non-financial naturo arising in a general way out of the difficulties ■with which returned soldiers have found tkemse'ives faced. No application within the scope of the work. of the association has been declined escept for very good reagons. Apart froni assistanco of a pecuniary nature that has been accorded, estensive assistance has been given, involving in many cases no money payments. We feel sure that the value of our work in this direction has been fully recognised. Many letters received during the year show full well that our returned soldiers amply appreciated what has been done for them. Numbers of o-ur young returned men are beginning to break down in health; although over 18 years have passed since the war ended the cause of this is probahly due to the strain of war service, the effects of which they have istaved ofi: during earlier years. Our sympathy is always with the man whose health is impaired. During the year the sum of £1882 11/2, including grants £1370 18/2 and loans £511 13/-, was expended on soldiers or dependants of soldiers, and the sum of £1280 2/6 was received in repayments of loans made dn this and in previous yeabs. The policy of the association in dealing with each application on its merits according to the circumstances of the case has been adhered to. Pension Cases. It is interesfcing to note that during the year wo handled 99 pension cases, and had the satisfaction of having pensions granted to 45 returned soldiers. ln addition, we wero successful in obtaining pensions for 68 dependants of returned soldiers. Our seeretary, Mr F. H. Goldfinch, again attended before the War Pensions Appeal Board at dts sittings in Wellington as advocate for soldier appellants, and was successful in having the appeals upheld in most cases. The work ontailed in this depariment of the activities of the branch has increased to a very great extent, but the results show that it ds delinitely worth while; any curtailmeut would be a distinct loss to returned soldiers. Our grateful thanks are extended to the officers of the Pensions Department for the help always given to us so readily, and to the War Pensions Board for the sympathetic manner in which our representations in behalf of returned soldiers have been recevved. Yisits have been made on many occasi.ons to returned soldiers in hospitals or ill at their homes, and they have been supplied with comforts in the way tobacco, etc. Members of the Eeturned Soldiers' Association have co-operatcd in this work and as usual cloee touch has been ma-lntained with the Hastings Eeturned Soldiers' Asteociation. Assistanco was given in arranging for the funerals of 10 returned soliXors during the year. We are indebted to the executive of the' Hunter Soldiers' Assistance Trust Board for the manner in which our representations on behalf of orphans of roturnod soldiers have been received. We are also grateful to the executive of the • Mayor's Distress Fund, to Deaconess Holmes and to Nurse Milroy for the co-operation and help extended to us in . our work on behalf of returned soldiers. The members of the committee have attended the meetings regularly and the time and help they continue to give gratuitously in the interests of returned soldiers is greatly -^appreciated. Mr L. J. Maekersoy attended 21 meetangs, Mr F. Perrin 20, Mr W. Hart 17 and Mr'.F. J. Hull 17; Lieut.-Colonel A. J. M. Manson (who was elected to the committee- during the year) attended 13 meetings. Our thanks are extended to Mr L. J. Mackersey, our delegate to the provincial executive, for his services in attending the executive meetings in Napier, and to tha provincial executive for the manner in which our recommendations have been received.

We must rocord with smcere rogrer that sinee the end of the financial year we have lost by death our estccmed provincial seeretary, Mr H. J. Russell. Ile had been secretaTy of the association since its incorporation, and at> all times liad carried out his duties faitlifnlly and in a highly-efficient manner. By his death the association has susta'ined a severe loss.