WAIRARAPA R.S.A.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1943, Page 4

WAIRARAPA R.S.A.

» ... MEETING OF EXECUTIVE MEMBERSHIP FIGURES. POPPY DAY ON APRIL 16. Many matters of interest to returned servicemen were discussed at last night’s meeting of the executive of the Wairarapa R.S.A. The president, Mr H. J. Brass, occupied the chair and there were also present Messrs H. G. Alexander, E. L. Nicholson, J. G. O’Connor, H. Nuttall, F. Shearer, L. T. Wylie (Masterton); C. A. Chennels, F. L. Barr (Carterton); Miss Higginson (Greytown); Messrs J. W. Fellingham and J. A. Halpin (Featherston), N. C. D. Mason and N. H. Thomas (Martinborough). An apology for absence was received from Mr A. G. Rabbits, secretary of the Carterton branch of the association. A letter was received from the Un-der-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs, intimating that the plan of the newly-designed soldiers’ plot in Carterton Cemetery had been approved by the Department and the Public Works Department had been instructed to proceed with the layout. It was stated that the cases of two Wairarapa soldiers of the Great War who were in distress had been reported to the patriotic organisations dealing with financial assistance to soldiers and that both cases had received very generous treatment. The case of a local naturalised British subject who was exempted from all form of national service on account of his nationality came up for discussion. It was reported that the authorities were inguiring into the position with a view to having the person concerned placed in an essential industry. It was reported that although a totally disabled soldier of the Great War was exempted from the payment of the Social Security registration levy, a totally disabled soldier of the present war was not. The committee decided to refer the matter to the headquarters N.Z.R.S.A. with a request that the authorities be approached with a view to having the anomaly remedied. A number of circulars from headquarters dealing with a variety of subjects affecting the’ welfare of serving soldiers were dealt with. A financial membership, as at March 18, of 905 was shown, including 54 present war members. The New Zealand membership was 39,756, including 3,344 present war members. Two returned members of the Second N.Z.E.F. were elected as members. _ It was decided to hold Poppy Day for the Wairarapa district on Friday, April 16. . Arrangements for appropriate services on Anzac Day were left to each of the branch committees. It was reported that the response to the appeal for literature for overseas soldiers had not come up to expectations, although a quantity of good used books had been handed in for despatch overseas.