RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4400, 7 April 1922, Page 1

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the P.aerca Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in the R.S.A. Hall on Wednesday evening, the president, Majpr E. Edwards, being in the chair. The secretary, Mr R. Hodson, submitted the annual and report. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £25 17s 6d, as against £6 0s lOd last year. After the balance-sheet was received Mr T.. E. McMillan movedi, and Mi- S. J. Bishop seconded, a motion that the ba.lance.-s.heet be adopted, and that a vote of thanks be passed to the secretary in recognition of his • earnest and extremely consistent good Work on behalf of the Association.—Carried unanimously l , amid ap- - plausc. CONDOLENCE. Major Edwards said the secretary had been 95 per cent, of the Association, in respect to the work he had done. The members would, therefore, all. the more sincerely condole .with him on the loss he had sustained since the' last annual meeting.— Carried in silence. * - • A donation of one guinea towards the Walton-on-Thames War Memorial was agreed, upon.. RETROSPECTIVE PENSIONS. The Headquarters Executive was congratulated upon the good work it had done in respect to retrospective pensions to widows and orphans of deceased soldiers. The matter is exI plained in the following letter from [ the Auckland Provincial Committee: I "On October 19 ; 1921, I wrote you drawing your attention to pages 5 and 6 of the Dominion. Executive minutes of September, 1921, wherein was set forth the reply of the War s Pe rsicns Board on the above question. Details of any such cases of hardship were asked for and by the direction of .the last Dominion Executive On the 18th ult., I Leg to ask you to treaWhiis matter as one of extreme urgency and advise me if your local association is in possession of any cases under this heading. “I would be glad, therefore, if you » would advise .me at your earliest

whether your association is possess- ’ ed of any information of such .cases.” ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted as follows: • ! President, Mr J. Walmsley; vicepresidents, Messrs S. J. Bishop and E. A. Porritt; general committee., Messrs H. J. Wilton, H. Hampton; R. Corringham, G. Harf, G. W. A. Lowell, R. HL Catton, W.. J. Byrne, El Edwards. > (Major) A. Tattersall; E. Shaw, J. W. Silcock. * In regard to the position of secretary, the president said it was not a fiaii- thing to ask anyone to dp the work in an honorary capacity, especially as 'the Headquarters required so many returnsi. and that there was so much correspondence to do. He moved that Mr Hodson be reappoint-* cd—Carried unanimously. Mr A., Bush said Mr Hudson had been -“father and mother and nurse” to the association. He moved that the secretary "should receive a bonus of .<‘l2 10s for last year’s work.—Carried unanimously. Mr E. A. Porritt was re-elected honorary solicitor, and Mr W. N.. L. .Lawrence honorary auditor. ANZAC DAY. The-meeting decided td\ascertain from the Mayor what were to be made for the Anzac Day celebrations. The president said that if a parade was held it was incumbent on .all returned soldiers to attend. It was very disheartening and not very courteous if several members lined up on the roadside and refused to join the procession. A vote of thanks to the past-presi-dent was carried iepthusiastically, Major Edwards suitably responding. Mr Hodson thanked members for their appreciation of his services.