RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 September 1919, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION.

[ ;\ll«i‘n'rlNG or CO;\L\IIT'I‘EE. " —-ll————: 9 The executive conniiittec of the Taiihape and district. Returned Soldiers’ 3 Association met last night, Mr M. McLaughlan presiding. There were pre. (sent: Messrs P. Williams, H,‘ Eaton, W. Stevens, J. Champion, and the secreI tary. ' The minutes of the previous meeting were 1'O11ds_31l(1 confirmed. I A great deal of outward correspondence relating to various matters of in. terest to the Association was approved__ WAR FUNDS, The following resoliition was carried unanimously: “That this Associ. ‘ ation urges upon the Minister in Charge of War Funds the necessity for appointing a Royal Commission to indiiire {into the administration of the various {war funds, a.nd the ultimate disposal "of the funds still in hand; and urges the adoption of a uniform policy to en. ‘sure that the balance of such funds. twill be expended in full accordance I with the respective purposes f~or'which ] they were raised.” l LAND AND HOUSES. ‘The seer-eitlary reported having car-nri-ed out his instructions to ascertain ithe local position regarding the number of returned soldiers who are in ‘need of land__ and th_e number who ‘wish to acquire hom.es of their own. The executive of the New Zealand Association had been‘ advised that over’ 50 local returned soldiers want land, } and 23 are desirous of securing houses. { The secretary also reported having sup-V plied headquarters with the inform.~a-V tion. asked forire the system of valua~ ltion, the difliculties experienced by [soldiers requiring land, and details -of’|special cases where men had been delbarred from securing land through noltlault of their «own. A copy of Colonel .\litehell’s scheme ivfor settling a. block of‘-10,000 acres by [returned soldiers Bn the co-operative principle was‘ received. The secretary; reported having asked for particulars re the location ‘of this block, and alsq-» as to" how ‘many settlers the Taihape ‘Association was entitled to nominate.. |Full consideration of the scheme was-. ldeferrcd tillthe next general meeting. The secretary reported h-aving sent a. letter to the Minister of Lands, advising him of the proposed sale of the Ngaurukehu estate of the la_te_Mr D.. iLedward. The trustees of the estatelhad also been communicated with, and; I particulars asked for. The Minister of" [Lands had replied, stating that the ,matter had been referred to the Land [Purchase Board for ' immediate atten!tion. The trustees head replied that particulars of subdivision, etc., would I not be available till October. The Minis-» lt,-er was further 'ConlllllllllCaiCd_‘\Vlthl and additional particulars supplietl_ It was urged that the land should be ac[quired for soldier settlement. in sectltions from 200 acres to 400 acres, and ;the Minister was advised that.mor_e t than the necessary number of men with ‘,experience of local conditions were i available to settle the block. The Minislter had replied to this communication ’stating that the additional particulars ,had been handed to the Chairman of i the Land Purchase Board. _ ‘ POLITICAL ACTION. Headquarters advised that the follow-» ing action, proposed by the Inverca.rgill Association in connection with the general election, had been considered by the executive and declard to be. strictly constitution:-tl:—~ (I) To undertake the organisation of members with a View to having them enrolled electors.‘ (2) To submit a number of leading questions with reference to returned" soldiers to all candidates for Parliameiit. in the Association’s district. (3) To publish the questions and answers received in the daily press with a View to guiding soldier electors in registering their votes; but no comment of any kind will be made upon‘

I such answers. i (4) In no circumstances will the { soldier be asked ‘to vote for any par- } ticular candidate, i WAR GRATUITIES. , The ofiicer in charge of War Expenses advised that I'egl:l.:itioils relating’ { to tll’e‘p:‘.;-.'niont. of the war service graI tuity were in course of preparation, and’ ’ would be published in due course, and , the Association further advised. . GENERAL. . ' I Rotoruu Association iadvised that all ivisiting members of the Taihape AS‘sociation would be Welcomed at Rotoirua, and urged that all visiting memibers should apply to the secretary of Ifhe ‘Rotor-ua branch for particulars re !si«_2‘l|f-seeing. efc.-—lt was decided that ;’the Rotorua Association be thanked ~ for its offer. The Officer in Charge of War E2':——» penses advise that no application form " was necessary in connection with appli-v -v caffons for remission of fines, -and that amilicafion should be made to the-T officer in chm-go Base Recdizdsc” 11in - ton. , g The Club proposal. outlined by the‘ special sub-committee'wa.s deferred for - éonsiderati-on by a general meeting. ' A vote -of thanks to the chair tor‘---A lminated the meeting. _é