RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

FRIDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, May 31. At the Returned Soldiers' Conference on Friday the Organisation Committee recommended the creation of four districts, each of which should call a conference of associations to tet up a district committee to consider the appointment and control of paid organisers. It was proposed that a rebate of 6s should be made for each member transferred from one association to another during the first three months of a financial year, except in the caw of Roto--I'ira.

Tho proposed basis of representation o£ local associations at the conference was one vote for every 200 financial members or fraction thereof, provided that no more, thata five delegates be allowed to . .tend, and that no association should exercise more than 40 votes. It Was; proposed that each of the four centres in conference should elect one vice-president and three members, except in the case of Wellington, for which members were recommended. The committee also recommended that in the event of, any district -committee or local association desiring to alter the constitution of the N.Zit.S.A., to allow such association to take political action that a referendum be taken of all local associations throughout New Zealand.

Mr. Laing moved the adoption of a, remit brought down by the executive, the main point of which was that district organisers should be controlled by headquarters and not by district committees.—T|e remit was rejected on the voices.

An addition was agreed to that any district committee 'or loo&l association could enter another diatrjet committee concerned to combat any proposed alteration in the constitution; that headquarters should be empowered with the consent of a district committee to make or combat any similar proposals,

It was decided that the maximum number of delegates to a conference should be three, and that associations vjitli a membership up to 1000 havo one delegate, up to 2500 two, over 2500 three. It was) also decided that the basis of representation be one vote for every clause proposing five hundred members. The referendum on political action was held over until the next conference. Christchurch, May 31. The discussion of' the Organifation Committee's .report was continued in the morning at the Returned Soldiers' Conference. The basis of representation which was agreed to provides that no association shall be permitted to exercise more than twenty votes.'. The executive was instructed not to accept affiliation of any association numbering less than a huiidred members, this not to apply to any association affiliated or in process of affiliating.

The Finance Committee estimated the income for the incoming year at £3750 and the expenditure at £3,883 15s. • The following officers were elected: President, Dr. Boxer; treasurer, Mr. R. iT. Aldrich; executive: Auckland, Messrs Watts, Long, Pollock, and Ching; Wellington, Messrs Batten, Harper, Curtayne, Bell, Corles, and Jacobs. Palmerston North was fixed as the centre of the district. Canterbury! Messrs MoCallum, Leadly, Anderson, and Scott; Otago: Messrs McLean, Laing, Graham, and Miller.

A motion to ask the Government to set up a commission to inquire into the question of employing permanently dis-' abled men in Government Departments and other industries; was carried. THE REPATRIATION QUESTION. [ Christchurch, Last Night. The conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association was resumed to-day (Sunday). On the suggestion of Mr. McManus, Mr. Batten agreed to strike out the recommendation in the repatriation report that an apprentice should not marry until ho is a competent tradesman. A motion that all soldier apprentices should receive the award rate was lost. A further motion that disabled men learning new trades should receive award rates was also lost. Mr. Batten "pointing out that this would mean a rush to the highest paid trades, in which there was no guarantee that a. man would ever become fully competent. The policy should be to train men to become independent of Government assistance. It was resolved: -"That having regard to the present great scarcity of houses in New Zealand, the conference urge on the Government the immediate and pressing necessity for State action towards building homes suitable for occupation by returned men and their dependents, and that it be not confinedto; ereoting blocks of lipases on .special Government areas, but to distribute houses in as many quarters of the towoi rs possible." Jk