RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1919, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

THE DOMINION CONFERENCE. NO LIQUOR IN-CLUBS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, October 21. The conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association carried a motion that the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act should be extended to include veterans of the South African campaign. It also resolved that the benefits of the Act be extended to soldiers discharged medically unfit from camps of military training. It was decided to ask Parliament to receive a deputation from the conference to-morrow. A committee was appointed to inquire into the conditions governing the administration of headquarters and to investigate the relations existing bo- j ■tweer the Executive Sub-Committee j and the office staff. Mr J. Petherick (Christclmrch.} moved: That this conference requests Parliament to grant the Returned Soldiers' Association Clubs charters to enable then: to scl! alcoholic beverages. He pointed out that it was the soldiers Who ha<! prevented «few Zealand from becoming a prohibition country and' urged that charters would keep the dubs tofjether. Mr V. Potter (Auckland) seconded '■he motion pro forma, but.objected to 'be liquor issue being brought into the R.S.A. Mr N. Ching (Kawakawa) said that. t.« a prohibitionist, he would move that iJjp motion be now put. This was socc'lded by Mr R. B. Bell (Wairoa). Mr Pethcrielr said that it was a little ?:S£ on the part of the opposition to prevent the question from being properly discussed and fairly put, though 95 per rent of the soldiers voted in favor of license. A delegate: "Not in favor of liquor n soldiers' clu'bfj." Mr. Petherick contended > 'red r-oldiers' clubs would be better able ■ o govern the supply of liquor to members than, under the present system, with men drinking in hotels. The closure was carried. Mr Petherick's motion was then put and decisively rejected by 39 votes to two.

THE FINANCIAL POSITION. Wellington, Last Night. The Finance Committee reported that after considering the financial statement as at Septem!ber 30th, it was obvious headquarters could not rely sufficiently on renewals for its support. At this date there were approximately nine thousand unfinancial members, whereas immediate liabilities amounted to £10441 5s Id. Cash and readily realisable assets only totalled £655 14s 6d. The committee suggested that some drastic measures be taken by local associations with regard to collecting outstanding renewals, and the instruction that returns be furnished to headquarters monthly be rigidly adhered to, owing to the fact that headquarters cannot rely upon the renewals. The committee recommended that the capitation to headquarters be increased to 2/6 per member for new members, with renewals remaining as at present, viz., 2s. The committee recommended that in cases where a member of the executive is representing an association at a conference his expenses shall he divided equally between headquarters and the local association represented. The committee especially drew the attention of the conference to an item, local associations to headquarters £2296 5s 2d. This amount was actually owing by local associations for badges supplied and renewals. The statement of estimated income and expenditure showed an excess expenditure over income of £Bl2. The report was received.