RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1919, Page 1

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.]

The new organisation provided for a common policy and common action for the N.Z.R.S.A. throughout the

country. The various clauses of the draft constitution were taken seriatum and the discussion which took- place on them was at times very sharp. It was decided that the following clauses regarding membership should be accepted:—Membership shall consist of five provincial asosciations (hereafter called 31 ember Associations) to be named by the Boundary Committee. A local association shall not be affiliated with a member association, but such, local association shall not he affiliated with more than one member association at any one time. The second portion of the membership clause was adopted. The clause is :—“the constitution of member associations is, and shall remain, mutati mutandis, as set out in the schedule hereto.”.

Air Sievwright (Wellington) said he was going to move an extraordinary resolution in order to expedite, the business. His motion , was:—“That this meeting adopts the report, in order to give the matter an opportunity of being worked under by the various provincial organisations.” He said that unless the Conference got on to the matter of pensions, there would not bo a quorum to decide the vital questions which were on the agenda paper.

A long and heated discussion took place, in which the Ch airman intimated that no mention had been made at the House of pensions. Air D. Oolquhoun (Dunedin) moved an amendment that a committee, consisting of two delegates from the large centres, should go over the Constitution and select points for debate. After further discussion Air Oolquhoun’s amendment was lost.

At the Chairman's suggestion, the Executive were called together to disci ss the situation.

At 6.30. p.m., the Conference reopened and a motion confirming all the business to date mas carried unanimous-

I An investigation revealed the fact I that there was a quorum present, but I owing to the departure of delegates for I th eir homes there would not me a quorum for the evening session. It was proposed that tile delegates present constitute an Advisory ComI mittee to deal with all matters not yet decided on by the Conference. Air Harper then proposed a motion restricting the Advisory Committee, and explained that the Association would have to carry on under the old Constitution.

The motion was carried unanimously

I Air ,T. Faklrich asked he Conference to make provision for finance, and he moved that the capitation fee for lieadI q' arters, be increased to 2/6 for new members, and that renewals remain as at present 2/-. He called the delegates’ attention to the financial statement and remarked that it was impossible to carry on with borrowed money. A general discussion followed, during which it was moved and carried unani-. niously tliat the 'Executive borrow £SOO. This concluded the business.

DEPUTATION TO PARLIAMENT. WELLINGTON, October 22. A deputation from the New Zealand Rotujmed Soldiers Conference waited on members of Parliament this morn-

Hon. Sir 0. W. Lang, 'in the absence of Air Massey, occupied the chair. Tiie deputation presented tile demands arrived at by the Conference regarding land repatriation and allowances.

The speakers were the President (Dr Boxer), Messrs Long, Alitcliell, Colquhoun, and Leadle. Hon. D. Guthrie, replying said that the question of quicker administration of the policy of settlement had not been neglected. A soldier who wished to inspect a section need be under no expense because his expenses would bo paid. The country must take a risk of sending soldiers on the land, but it was a dangerous doctrine to preach, that a soldier, no matter what happened, must be supported by the Government. All the available land will be offered soldiers first. For years the Government has endeavoured honestly to stop aggregation, but time after time the provisions had proved tiseless. A new clause had now been completed which it was hoped’ would be effective. It was now proposed to take the land

from the aggregator at Government valuation plus 10 per cent. He denied that fit men were compelled to return to their pre-war occupations. He agreed that it was reasonable to ask that an allowance of £SO for equipment should' be if possible increased to £75, but he considered that to press for an increase in loans for business, from £3OO to £SOO would involve a risk of the system breaking down under its own weight.

Air Coates said’ in reference to the proposal to make an increase in officers’ pay retrospective, that the matter had been considered, and it had been decided that the matter should stand. Ml* Alassey said that the discussion ad been useful 1 and had cleared up many misapprehensions. The Government had never hesitated to do all possible for the returned soldiers and would continue to do so.