RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1922, Page 5

RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS.

POSITION IN NEW PLYMOUTH. SOME DESERVING CASES. HELP FROM THE R.S.A. “Loans and grants, £125 14s fid,” was an item which appeared under the heading of payments on the balance sheet presented to the annual meeting of the R.S.A. at New Plymouth, last night, and during the meeting there was some discussion on the general question of relief given to returned men. The president (Mr. A. M. MeDiarmid) said members would notice by the balance sheet that they had considerably less funds at the end of the la’st financial year than they had at the beginning of it. However, the whole country had been pretty badly, off for funds, and the last few months had hit Taranaki heavily, so the executive had to be coritinually dipping into the funds to help the men.

“These men come for help, and it is very rarely that we turn them down,” said Mr. Mcuxutrmid. “There were only two cases rejected during the year. They would not help themselves, so we did not think we Should help them; they were beyond our sympathy. The moneys are always given out as loans; unfortunately for the finances of the association, they are almost always gifts. Some men are gradually repaying the amounts received by them.’ - As the result of information received from the secretary (Mr. Roper), Mr. MeDiarmid informed the meeting that £2l had been paid back in the last month. The R.S.A. executive, the Land Board, and representatives of the returned men of the Parihaka soldier settlement were to meet to discuss certain matters connected with the welfare of the men on the block.

Mr. A. S. Allen said no doubt a close scrutiny had been kept of the money going out, as was shown by the smallness of the amount, and he trusted this would continue. There were quite a number of “deadheads” who would live on the association as long as they were allowed to, while the money would be better spent in other cases. There were instances of deserving cases who never approached the association. Mr. Roper said one of the most difficult tasks was to be able to discrimin* ate in thia matter. All allowances made during the past year, however, were being paid back. Many were small amounts, such as train and steamer fares to take the men to a place where there was work. In one particular case he thought it was lucky that the association was available to help a man who had encountered ill-health and bad luck. “In making a visit to his house, one can only say tha± it was astounding,” said Mr. Roper. “It practically amounted to starvation, and in that case the association was morally bound to help.” Mr. Roper added that £lO5 of the loans was being repaid. The president said the association would have sums coming in from Poppy Day and the proceeds of a concert given by” the Choral Society. These did not appear in the balance sheet of the past financial year. One member remarked that the men on the Parihaka settlement had a hard row to hoe. and he urged that every assistance should be given to them in any grievance they had. Referring to this aspect, the president remarked that recently the R.S.A. had sent a circular io all soldier settlements enquiring as to 'whether the man were satisfied and what treatment they were receiving. The replies in about 90 per cent, of the cases were to the effect that they were being sympathetically met by the department, that they were doing their best to carry on, and were as satisfied as they could be in the circumstances. Personally, he believed that the Board was sympathetic. It was not to the interest of the Government to let soldiers’ farms fall hack into their hands, and all cases were being met wherever possible.