HOME SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 October 1943, Page 2

HOME SERVICE

WAIRARAPA ASSOCIATION FORMED SCOPE OF THE MOVEMENT. MEETING IN MASTERTON LAST NIGHT. The decision to form a WairarapaHome Service Association was made at a meeting of service men held in the Soldiers’ Club, Masterton, last night. The meeting was convened by Mr H. J. Brass, president of the Wairarapa Returned Services’ Association. In addition to home service men a number of members of the R.S.A. were present. Mr Brass stated that the movement was sponsored by the R.S.A. with a view to promoting a mutual interest group based on conditions of serving, sacrifice, disruption of civil and home life and problems of rehabilitation. Mr Brass said the objects of the associa-?.’ tion were to preserve the comradeship and associations made in the Forces; to encourage and assist home defence training; to assist financially or otherwise members of the association who had been discharged or placed on indefinite leave without pay; to represent the interests of and assist any service man or member of any emergency defence or emergency precaution scheme whose service was terminated and who might not qualify for membership of the association or the N.Z.R.S.A. or similar organisation regarding any injury or hardship caused through war service. With regard to membership Mr Brass explained that any service man who had served a minimum period of six months’ full time service, within the Dominion as an attested member of the military forces, Navy, Naval Reserve, Naval Volunteer Reserve, or the Royal New Zealand Air Force, permanent or temporary and who had obtained or expected to obtain an honourable discharge was eligible. The computation of service would be continuous so far as the Territorial training service was concerned. Provision was made for service men who but for their earlier discharge due to sickness, wounds or accidents did not fulfill the six months’ qualification. The annual subscription would be 10s. There would be an association badge which would be registered and protected. Mr A. E. Prentice (secretary of the Wairarapa R.S.A.) detailed the many ways in which the R.S.A. had improved the lot of home service conditions. Messrs Brass and Prentice and other members of the R.S.A. present were thanked for their assistance. A provisional committee comprising Messrs C. J. Carle (chairman), G. R. Russell (secretary), A. White, T. J. Daley, W. James and R. Eades was set up. Mr Carle was appointed delegate to the Dominion Conference to be held in the N.Z.R.S.A. rooms, Wellington, on November 27. Matters to be raised at the conference were discussed and it was decided to launch a membership drive.