MEETING OF RETURNED SOLDIERS!

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2067, 13 December 1919, Page 2

MEETING OF RETURNED SOLDIERS!

V— — A meeting oi Returned Soldier.-T** was held in the Town Hall supperroom on Tuesday evening. There were about, 25 present, and Mr Moorhouse wa- voted to the chair. The Chairman said he did not know who convened the meeting, or . what it was convened for. Mr W. Johnson said that he and two others convened the meeting for > the purpose of: allowing the returned soldiers to express their views as to what should be done with the money held by the Patriotic Society. - A number of the men had not been 1 as well treated as they should have been, and there was a good deal of dissatisfaction. t ■

The Chairman said it was alright for the men to express their views, hut a meeting of returned soldiers was convened by the Patriotic Society some time ago to get the opinions of the men, and no complaints had been made then. The' returned soldiers had two representatives on the Patriotic Society Executive, and he thought the proper course for the present_meeting would be to frame a resolution and put their suggestions to the Patriot ic Society Executive through their representatives on (hat Executive.* Ho didn’t think the returned soldiers could demand what should lie done with the money. Personally, he thought the money should be invested to the best advantage for a long period of: years and the interest: used for the relief of necessitous eases that may arise in the future. Air Johnson moved that the Patriotic Society be requested to submit a scheme to a future meeting of returned soldiers whereby the money in hand would he divided up amongst returned men and the dependents of deceased soldiers in proportion to the disability they are suffering and the circumstances of the eases. lie said the money *was collected for the soldiers, and they should certainly gel it.

Mr L. Pudmore seconded the motion. lie said there was no guarantee that the whole of the moneys held by the various Patriotic, Societies would not in the near future he taken by the Government and administered by one body, which would mean that a returned man in need would have to go through a lot of red tape before he could get assistance. In such circumstances Foxton men .might not get their fair share.

Mr Hudson : They might get more. Mr.Podmore, continuing, said that, if the local money could be kept intact he would favour the chairman's suggestion; but there were numerous schemes afoot, and no one knew what would lie the ultimate end. A returned soldier from the Wellington district said, that the Dannevirkc and Bulls Societies were distributing their moneys as fast as they could, making substantial grants to crippled men, etc. Theie reason was because they considered the Government would ultimately take control, and they were making sure that the local men received the benefit of the money subscribed for them. The Dannevirkc fund was almost depleted. He thought the best thing for the meeting to do would he to set up a small committee to go into the whole question with the Patriotic Society. Mr Tunnicliffo said that some time ago he had stirred up a certain amount of trouble with the Patriotic Society, ami the public had stood behind him and come to his assistance finally. He was satisfied with the subsequent explanation he got from the Patriotic Society, and had since found out that it was the soldiers’ own fault when they did not get heller assistance from the Society. The soldiers had decided to turn up in strong force at the annual meeting of the Patriotic Society, hut when it was held only three were present. If the men attended the animal meetings they would be able to get better representation on the Executive. The Chairman said that at the last meeting of the returned soldiers convened by the Patriotic, Society it was proved beyond doubt that the Patriotic Society had the interests of the returned soldiers at heart.

Mr Johnson said I lull locally there was over £3,000 in hand, and a number of them thought it would be belter to cut the funds up according to the needs of the men and the dependents of the fallen,

The Chairman moved as an amend men i, and Mr Tunnicliffe seconded, that il lye a request from this representative, 'meeting' of returner soldiers of the Fox (on district to tin Foxtou Patriotic Society that th moneys at present held in trust'by the Patriot iff Sociey he put down at interest to the best advantage, for a period of years —.say, 30 to 50 —in order that funds may be available from the interest during that period for the purpose of assisting in deserving eases where financial assistance is required by returned soldiers, or their dependents, owing *to> or us the result of illness or incapacity as the result of the effects of active service. The amendment, on being put, was carried.

The question of the formation of a Club was brought forward by Mr Mackie, and after discussion it was decided to take steps to form a Club, and the following committee was set , up to go fully into the matter: | Messrs Mackie (convener), Podmore, Bryant, Betty, Dudson, Moorhouse, Westwood, Barber, Jacobson, and Austin.