BETTER TIMES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 217, 13 August 1937, Page 12

BETTER TIMES

PATRIOTIC SOCIETY. PRESIDENT REVIEWS YEAR. “I feel tlia.t the dominant note of this report should bo one of rejoicing that our ex-soldiers are enjoying better times, and I trust that this condition of affair's will long continue,” states the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) in his report, as president of the Manawatu Patriotic Society ; to he presented at the annual meeting. “For some years my annual reports have contained the expression of a reiterated hope that the year then in prospect would hold for us the measure of return to more prosperous times to which we were all looking forward,” states the report. “This was not expressed because of any desire that the payments the society was being called upon to make would be in a.ny way decreased, but merely that I felt that all members of the society recognised that the reduction of the numbers of calls that were being made upon us with those improved economic conditions would bo the greatest indication we could have that the lot of the ex-ser-vicemen in whom alone, in this society, wo are interested, was happier and more satisfactory than it had been. At this time last year in my report it was indeed most heartening to realise and to say that apparently the time of better conditions was then at hand. So this year I feel that the dominant note of this report should he one of rejoicing that our ex-soldiers are enjoying better times, and I trust that condition of affairs will long continue. Not for a moment, however, should we consider that our task for the men is any easier or should wo think that none of our fellows requires the same care and sympathetic consideration that has been extended to them in the past, for there still must remain, even in tho best of times, a big field of work among our men. “The general improvement is reflected most substantially in the requirement of grants from our funds to alleviate the distresses and hardships that arise from lack of employment. The amount of the allocation during this year administered through the Returned Soldiers’ Association was £620, compared with sums as high as £I6OO in some of the years that a.re just past. Surely that is the greatest proof of the fact that our men are now enjoying ( tlie benefits of improved conditions. Comparatively, too, the same applies to oases of relief of distress arising from unemployment that have come to us from societies outside Palmerston North. Our thanks are indeed owing to the Returned Soldiers’ Association for their assistance and co-operation in regard to the long years during which the society lias devoted so mucli of its funds in relation to the relief of unemployment distress. DISABLED MEN.

“In other avenues of the work of the society, however, there is not the same comparative reduction in cases requiring our attention. There must of necessity continue to be innumerable calls upon the-Society for extraordinary aid, particularly in the case of disabled men. These still are received and are dealt with as equitably and generously as in the past. We must see that there are always funds available for them. We are indeed fortunate in this respect that the policy of administration has always been so complete and designed to provide satisfactorily for the future. The only thing is that with the passage of the years the individual cases are becoming more difficult and I am sorry to say, in many instances, more distressing. “During the year it was realised that the club buildings and the caretaker’s cottage have been starved for maintenance and repair, and considerable work had to ho undertaken in this respect. In order to make some provision for this in the future, the sum of £2500 was transferred to trustees of the society to be utilised by them (the income so far as possible) for club and cottage maintenance so far as may be required from time to time, and otherwise for the alleviation of distress amongst ex-servicemen through the society and the R.S.A. It was felt that this was a proper provision to make, having regard to the wonderful duty to all ex-servicemen performed by the club and by the R.S.A., who have been administering it. “The society has for some few years been interested in the training of the sons of ex-soldiers at the Flock House institute. The Government has now taken the place over and from now on we shall not be called upon to provide any assistance in this respect. It is, however, a pleasant reflection that the boys who were sent forward from this society have given every satisfaction and appear to have been satisfactorily embarked upon a vocation for life. “As in the past, sums of money have been received from the National War Funds Council for relief purposes. As hitherto, these have been transferred to the R.S.A. for administration by them. The excellent relationship existing between the two organisations has indeed been of the utmost assistance to both. . . . “The society continues to receive ma.ny applications from ex-servicemen and dependants for general assistance and, on investigaton, many such applicants are found to he the responsibility of other societies in New Zealand. _ In every such case the responsible society has been communicated with and I am pleased that in nearly every instance satisfactory relief was given. We continue to have numerous ex-soldiers calling ,at the office for accommodation, clothing and meals. The applications for relief of this nature. I am pleased to say, are not so numerous as they were.”

Mr Mansford tenders thanks to Mr James Blackwood. honnraTv treasurer: for the able assistance he lias rendered the society for so many vears and trusts that he will he able to continue his good work. He also expresses the appreciation of the society for the assistance rendered l>v the other patriotic societies in New Zealand, the Beturned Soldiers’ Association and the Pensions Department.