RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1917, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

NEW ZEALAND EXECUTIVES MEETS. PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH NEWSPAPER. The executives of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association met this week, when those present were: Messrs. M. 1). Loftns, C. W. Cook, J ,D. Harper, N. Broad, and R H. Wild (Wellington), 11. X. Haycock (Palmerston North), Waddiugham, E. F. Andrews, and Kev. Wells-Smailes (Auckland), W. Clark (Dunedin), D. J. B. Seymour and N. B. M-Callum (Christchurcii), and C. W. Batten (general secretary). It was the first meeting attended by Auckland delegates. The Rev, Wells-Smailen presided. The Secretary reported that the Wellington members of the executive had made an arrangement with Sapper Moore-Jones for conducting a lecturing tour of his sketches. The exhibition had already been opened in Christchurcii and as a result of the organising ability shown by Mr Seymour, who had undertaken its supervision, was already a signal sueess. A hearty vote of thanks | to Mr Seymour was passed. In regard to the proposed association newspaper, the secretary outlined a scheme which he had discussed with a local journalist with a view to getting an efficient organ published at once, since it was at this time that a paper was most needed. Briefly, the scheme was that the financial control be a limit ed liability company, with returned soidiers as share-holders, and the policy of the paper be controlled by an editorial board consisting of three representatives of the association and the editor. He considered that such an arrangementwould relieve the association of the great financial risk which always attended the publication of a paper, and would result in an organ of greater interest than a purely association control. He wanted news about returned men spread amongst civilians as well as mem bers if any benefit was to be secured, Considerable discussion then took place, all members taking a keen interest in the debate, which centered round the policy of allowing the financial control lof the paper outside the association. Mr Andrews and Mr Haycock strongly opposed such a policy.

It was decided that the executive gather particulars and views of local associations to be considered at next meeting. Mr Haycock gave many instances of unsatisfactory conditions in the preseni land settlement scheme. He moved that urgent applications be made to the Minister of Lands—

(l)That the Land Boards be prevented from acquiring any more poor land, for Settlement Act to acquire small hold ings of first-class land nearer to the towns. (2) That the association be provided with returns showing (a) the price paid by the Government for the land to be cut up for settlement; (b) the market value of the land before and after sub-division; (c) the cost of the land to the Returned soldier; (3) that the association be provided with a report showing the basis on which the cost to the'returned soldier is fixed; (4) what principles are followed in deciding the ■fitness or otherwise of the soldier applicant." This was seconded by Mr Wadding ham and carried.