R.S.A. NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3581, 17 September 1920, Page 6

R.S.A. NEWS

THE SETTLEMENT ACT, P ALLEGED IN FARMS AND HOUSES. WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. » In the annual report on Discharged Soldiers' Settlement, reference » m adc to dealings with houses and farms Tho report says: The Department Lu, assisted G 363 discharged eoCdiers to leiurer comfortable homes within reasonable distance from their employments There is, however, one feature of such purchases that is somewhat disquieting. In' many cases properties have been securi3d at bedrock value owing to the care exercised by the Land Board. In som? cases soldiers are already selling the houses at profit, to civilians or men not. entitled to benefits under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, and are arranging for repayment of the Government Joans. It is regrettable *hat the efforts of flw Government to provide soldiers with homes of their own are not more appreciated, and that purchasers cannot resist an offer which enables fnenT to sell at a profit. To a limited extent there has been similar dealings with farms purchased in the same manner, and it is unfortunate, to say the least, that ■when discharged soldiers are placed upon holdings which wid afford them comfortable subsistence they should sell out within a year or so, and be once more looking for land and adding to the trafficking which "has been so noticeable a feature in land during the last few years. The chance of obtaining large sums of for the good-wil 1 of their selections 'ls inducing soldiers to apply for a trans- • fer. If such application we.re approved, it would leave the vendors with money in their pockets, but without' farms. The acquisition of the freehold Is generally the precursor of application to transfer jto a civilian and! the disgradual displacement of 'the discharged soldier by farmers with money and probably more experience, is a disquieting feafure of soldiers' settlement, that should be carefully guarded against in the interests of the soldiers themselves.

WANGANUI P.S.A

DISPUTE OVER PACE TICKETS.

PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE

EESIGN.

Recently the committee of the Wanganui K.S.A. wrote to the .Wanganui Jockey Club, thanking the lat,er body for its kindness in granting tree tickets, to race meetings to returned sol•diers, and inlwming the Jockey Gub that the B.S.A did not desire that, free tickets should be issued in future. The action of the committee was resented by a large section of the K.S.A., and a requisition was circulated and largely signed, calling a special general meeing to discuss the matter. The following resolution was moved: —That a portion of the committee—namely, Messrs. Turnbull, Brown, Harrison, Connel, Crampton, Baird, and Wales, no longer enjoy the confidence of the Wanganui R.S.A., owing to the fact that during their term of . Office, 1919-1920, to wit, on May 7th, 1 1920, they voted for a motion requesting the Jockey Club, whilst thanking them for free race tickets, to discontinue the practice, and that on :his motion being duly seconded and discussed, a ballot of members be taken for or against this resolution. After some discussion, in which the action of the committee was defended on the ground that returned soldiers are not spongers, the president contending that the Wanganui Jockey •Club had continued the free issue of tickets as long as any racing club in ,the Dominion, and their grateful thanks were due to the Jockey Club. It. was tim.3 that the members of the U.S.A. took their places as citizens of this country, and ceased to sponge on the public. He would be prepared to resign if they considered he- had acted wrongly in the matter. He wanted the support of decent soldiers, as he thought ho would get it. Mr. Foster said he- considered the action of the committee was not justified. Had it not been for the returned soldiers the Jockey Club might 3iot have been in the position <they weTe to-day, and he did not think it ■would have been anything too mush if they had granted the returned men free race tickets for the .rest of their lives. (Applause.) ' The motion was carried 'by 49 vot?;s to 36, -.ind al 1 the officers affected tendered their resignations.

AN IMPORTANT MEETING. i INADEQUATE PENSIONS. • Returned soldiers and the dependents of soldiers in the Taihapc district arc urged to attend a meeting •In the Town Hall Supper Room on Wednesday, 20th September, to consider the best means of bringing un-

dor the notice o<: the Government the inadequate scale of pensions and to secure an increase in the scale to

make the pensions proportionate to ihe increased cost of living. The position is that at present the maximum pension for a totally disabled man is £2 per week, and another £1 per week is granted if the disabled man has to employ an attendant, The maximum of £2~per week was not sufficient; when the scale was drawn up, and since that time there' has been an increase of about 80 eer cent, in the cost of living. The Government recently declined the R.S.A's request for a 75 per cent, increase, and tho Association is now* about to enlist the support of the public in its demands for fair and reasonable treatment for the disabled men and for the widows, children, and other dependents of soldiers who dost their lives in the war. It was claimed that the increase asked for would involve an expenditure of £1,000,000; but. what is this sum compared to the sacrifices made by many of these men? Did the country consider what the cost would be when it sent these men to endure hardships of all kinds and to face death for the national safety? No expenditure was too great to ensure the winning of the war, and the men were promised that they would receive fair treatment when they returned. The fair treatment has not been granted, and the returned men and their dependents have been compelled to take steps to force the hands of the authorities. All interested shouf.d attend this meeting. AVIATION. RECORD COMMERCIAL FLIGHT. LONDON, Sept. 14. Mr. R. Wright, a Manchester engineer, brother of the Archbishop of Sydney, is a passenger on the longest commercial flight attempted, viz., from London to Bucharest. He reached Vienna in twenty-four hours.

AEROPLANE FATALITY. • SYDNEY, Sept. 15

The first inquest in Sydney in connection with a death resulting from an aeroplane accident, was held regarding the death of A. Tattle, Evidence showed that TatT.e was warned not to aproach, but apparently lie did not hear. He walked up to the machine to photograph it. Just as it ■was rising it struck his head.

A distinguished lawyer asserts that the most powerful brief he ever used for the prosecution of colds, coughs and lung complaints, was Baxter's Lung Preserver. And now. that we are in the throes of winter, with chi'ls and other ills constantly threatening us, 'ti s surely a wise step to keep a bottle always handy. "Baxter's" is a rich, soothing mixture, pleasant to the taste, always efficacious for bronchial and lung complaints. Also valuable for toning up the system. Invest in a large bottle of this sterling remedy to-day; 2/6 at all chemists. 1