R.S.A. Annual Conference.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 16, 2 July 1920, Page 3

R.S.A. Annual Conference.

INVERCARGILL DELECATE'S REPORT.

Mr Chairman and Gentlemen. — Iu submitting the report of the Annuai Conference, held in Wellington at the end of last month, I wish to stress the importance of unity among returned soldiers when dealing with all snbjects of interest and importance, both from a national standpoint and from the standpoint of the returned soldier. ' There are many things that the Association set itseif out to aceomplish in its early days that have been brought to a successful issue, and when reviewing the work of the past year, one cannot help but realise that at the back of it all, there has been that unity and comradeship which has built together one of the strongest organisations', if not. the strongest organisation that has ever existed in this country. Our organisation is one that has a great future before it, for there are questions of vital importance that require careful consideration, and shpuld in my opinion be taken up by tbe men who have helped to make and keep our country what it is. Before actually touching upon the work done by Conference, I wish to refer to a distriet meeting, which was held in Dunedin, on 26th May. At this meeting a proposal was submitted to dispense with the services of the Distriet Qrganiser, and to appoint a part-time secretary, at a retaining fee of £250 per annum, to attend to all the secretarial work in connection with the distriet. This proposal was eminently premature, as it would have been decidedly unwise to have made any alteration to the internal organisation of the distriet scheme until after the Conference, as then the distriet would be perfectly safe in re-arranging its internal organisation to fit in with whatever scheme was devised and approved of., by the Conference. This matter then was left over until a future date, when it is hoped that the whole scheme of distriet organisation will be thoroughly revised and the best possible methods of organisation adopted. The Annuai Conference opened on the 29th May, 1920, there being present between 60 and 70 delegates from the whole of New Zealand. In the early stages of the Conference the Dominion Executive was empowered to appoint those of its members, who were best fitted, to deal with each partieular subject to form the nucleus of the different committees, and lafcer in the day, open Conference appointe-d the remaining members to build up committees to deal with pensions, pay and allowances, medical, land, repatriation, organisation, finance and "Quick March," and for the sake of brevity, and so that tliese different subjects can be dealt with concisely and ©asily, I intend in my report, to deal with them under their separate headings. , ORGANISATION. The question of organisation is one that at present conferences has demanded a considerable amount of attention, and ■ although at this conference there was not a demand for distriet autonomy, yet, it j was felt that the districts should be given the amount of control necessary; to allow them to organise their districts in the most eftective manner. The Organisation Committee, of which the speaker was a member first submitted an interim report, which if adopted would haw done away with distriet control a-1-together, and the old scheme of organisatic n, that is the N.Z.R.S.A., and local associations would have been adopted again. This report was thrown out by Conference, and a new decentralisation scheme was adopted, the lines of which are as follows : — (1)— That the basis of organisation shall be the N.Z.K.S.A. composed of affiliated and incorporated local associations. (2) — That the four milita-ry districts as defined in the report of the Christchurch, page 3, he established as distriet for the purpose of organisation. (3) — That the present distriet committees oe" authorised to call forvvith conferences of delegates from local associations. (4) — That such conferences determine tle:r own form of distriet organisation; annuai conferences, voting power, executive and the like, provided always tlaat the annuai general meeting of the distriet conference shall be held in the month of May in each year. (5) — Further districts may be established by the suhdivision of existing districts provided that the distripts affected ,buy such subdivided consent thereto, and that such subdivision is approved by the Dominion Executive, provided always that there shall

, uo t at any time be more- than six districts in the Dominion. (6) — The funds of the distriet orgaivsation shall he provided by means of capitation at the rate of an amount to be decided upon by distriet council per each fmancial menber levied upon the local associat-ion comprising each distriet headquarters, capitation to be paid direct to headquarters acd. distriet capitation direct to distriet. (7) — Each distriet conference shall forthvdfb establish groups of local .associations within its distriet, provided always that the total membership of the local associations comprising any such group shall not be less than 400 financial members at the t:me when such group is established ; provided further, that there shall no-t be in any distriet more than ten groups. (8) — The objects of the distriet organisation shall be to promote we'lfare of returned soldiers within the limits prescribed by the objects, clauses 2 to 15 of ti e constitution of the N.Z.R.S.A., pro--vided always that each distriet shall be subject to the control of the Dominion Council of the N.Z.R.S.A., and that a distriet conference or executive shall not have to determine lines of National Policy. DOMINION GNCIL. (1) — The coimcil shall consist of delegates to be appointed to exercise voting powers as follows : — (a) — As to the number of delegates to the Dominion Council, each group having up to and including 1000 financial members as at 31st March preoeding the Annuai Conference, one delegate ; each group having from 1,000 to 2,500 inclusive such financial members, two delegates; groups having over 2,500 members three delegates. ' These delegates shall be elected by the delegates to the distriet conference and notice of their names and appointment shall be sent forthwith to the general secretary of the Dominion Council. As to the number of votes for each distriet, at Dominion Conference : — Each distriet shall be entitled to one vote for every 400 financial members or part thereof comprised in the total financial membership of such distriet; financial membership to mean, members who are financial on -the 31st March preceding the annuai meetings of the Dominion Conference. As to the distribution of votes among delegates : — Every delegate shall have one vote and the balance of the votes to which any distriet is entitled shall he distributed among the delegates as the annuai meeting of the distriet conference shall decide. 2.— The expenses of the delegates to the Dominion Coimcil shall be paid by the xV.Z.R.S.A. on the basis of £1 per day per delegate, and all locomotion expenses. It was also decided that at least six weeks' notice of the Annuai Conference should be given, and that associations should be given two weeks' notice in which to arrange for the forwarding of remits, and the agenda paper should be circulated to associations at least two weeks before the date of the Conference.

FINANCE. The finance committee in bringing forward their report for Conference to deal with hqtl to consider an estimathd amount of income on the one hand and an estimated expenditure on the other. As far as the expenditure is concerned this could be arrived at fairly easily and accurately, but it can be clearly understood that to arrive at an estimated income is a more diffieult matter. However the report submitted by this committee, which took the form of a statement of income and expenditure, showed the estimated number of new members, badge re-issue, and re-newal subscriptions for the current year. These were under-estimated to a fairly considerable extent, and the amount of capitation to be paid to headquarters was based on tliese figures. It was therefore decideu by Conference tHat the amount of capitation for new members shall be 3s, for renewals 2s, and the amount paid to headquarters for reissues 3s. Provision has also been made for a refund from each of the districts at' 2d per financial memher, giving with the casb in hand an estimated total income of£3,899 16s 2d, while the expenditure which it mnst be remembered also provides for the expense of the delegates attending Annnal Conference, is estimated to amount to £3,650 15s lld. LANDS. The question^ of lands is per..aps the one of most vital importance, not only to

the returned soldier, but from a national standpoint, and that being so, oue cannot stress too fully the need of ciefinite and decisive action when dealing with this vital question. As everyone is aware a r,estriction has been placed on Section 2 of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, which has caused and will continue to cause great hardships to a great number of our comrades, more especially those men who have been receiving medical treatment, and have not been able to avail themselves of the provisions of the Act. During the sitting of the Conference a deputation waited upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands in an endeavour to obtain something defiuite, in connection with the curtailment of Section 2 of tiiis Act, but unfortunately both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands adopted a method of evasion, and the deputation was unable to obtain any satisfaction. The following day, the Minister of Lands asked to ba allowed to meet the Executiv6, which he did, and although every method was used by the Executive to nail him down to a definite statement regarding the special circumstances under which thj Act would be administered, no result was obtained as he fell back on the Cabinet every time. The following remits have been adepted by Conference (a) — That the Government be urged to put into operation forthwith the clauses of the Act in force relating to the compulsory acquisition of land. (b) — Th.r.t where practicable the payment of the land so acquired should be made by Government seeurities (bonds, etc.). (c) — Thi.it more stringent steps be taken to enforce the provisions of the Acts relating to the imposition of the graduated land tax with a view to forciug large land owner.s to place their properties on the market. (d) — That the report of the Lands Committee as adopted by- the Dominion Executive at its meeting in January last be adopted. 1. — That returned soldiers be exempt from land tax to the fulj extent of their mortgage to the Government. This remit was withclrawn as such holdings are already exernpted.

2. — In the event of property being applied for on more than one occasion during a period of six mont-hs, only the last valuation fee be retained by the Lands Department, the previous fees being rofunded to the unsuceessf ul applicants. 3. — That the election of all members to - represent Crown tenants on Land Boards be by secret ballots. 4. — :(a). That the Government be called upon to provide money forthwith to enable all returned soldiers who have entered into contracts or taken options for the purchase of properties, to complete their engagements, as promised. by the Prime Minister to a deputation from the Executive sub-committee on the 7th day of May, 1920. (b) — That the Prime Minister be called upon to redeem the promise made by him to the last Conference, that the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act will remain in operat-ron until every returned soldier has heen settled on the land. 5. — That the Government be nrged to grant discretionary power to Land Boards to grant a-pplications for sale after the expiry of five years. 6. — That the Government be urged in land ballots to give preference to men who have proceeded overseas, as against those who have not. 7. — That the delay on the part of the Government Lands Department in settling the liabilities of soldier settlers to private firms is detrimental to the soldier' s interest, and recommends that a more expeditious method in dealing with these accounts shall be adopted. (Continueu Ou page 4.)

R.S.A. AHfJUAL CONFERENCE. (Continued from page 3.)

* 8. — That the Group Settlement scheme as discussed and approved at last Conference be again put before Parliament, with the addition that preferepce be given discharged soldiers in New Zealand to emigrants abroad for purchase of that settlement-. 9- — That the Government be urged to remit the stamp duty on transfers to soldiers who obtain loans under the D.S.S. Act. 10.— That the N.Z.R.S.A. views with regret that the Government nas not given effect to the remit with regard to- the supply of fencing wire and building material at cost price to soldier settlers, the same remit to be urged this year. 11. — That the Government be urged to bring down legislation forthwith with a ' view of obtaining an immediate classifica- j tion of lands and in the meantime to pro- ) vide a further special grant for improve- | ment, including buildings for the Waireri ■' Block, and th,e blocks similarly situated. I 12. — That Cpnference strongly urge that-' the district secretaries be supplied by the f Lands Department with a list of all Gov- ' ernment leases falling due within the next ! three years. 13.—' That the maximum silm advanced bv Jhe Government for the purpose of felling bush on soldiers' sedtions should b,e in-

creased in all cases to cover the actual cost of felling the bush, the maximum advance of £2 10s not being sufficient to cOver the cost of felling bush in a good many cases. 14.— That the R.S.A. should be represented on all Land Boards, and that Land Boards should be empowere'd to appoint local sub-committees to deal with returned soldiers' applications for land. (b) — That in order to expedite business before the Lands Department, Land Boards- should have power to make final decisions without referenee to the Minister except in cases of difficulty. (c) — That the atiention of Headquarfiers Lands Committee be called to the ineffectiveness of the Lands Purchase Boardsthroughout the country, and that the Minister of Lands be requested to make a clear statement regarding their duties and powexv.T.B. MEN. The position of T.B. men is one that nas never been really un-derstood by the ma jority of the returned soldiers, and at this Annual Conference we had a report submitted from T.B. men for consideration. The position of the T.B. man is such that he is placed in entirely different circumstances from any others a^ected by war service, and it was felt that the treatment of the T.B. patient should be given special consideration. MEDICAL. ' The following Vesolutions dealing with th's subject were therefore adopted by Conference : — w L— That T.B. men on being discharged from sanatoria be provided by the Defence Department with permanently suitable shelters, properly furnished with bedding, etc. 2. — That where a patient owns a house, having a verandah, the Defence Department defray the cost of having the verandah suitably glassed in, in lieu of a shelter and furnished as a permanent shelter. 3.— That compulsory 'examination of every T.B. out-patient, and discharged men, be made every six months (not for pension) by -a sp,ecialist, or by the specialist who treated the man's case, and the Defence Department be responsible for transport to the nearest specialist. 4.— That it be a strong recommendation to the D.G.M. to send a chest expert throughout New Zealand to examine im-me-diately all chest cases from the N.Z. E.F. 5.— That it be a recommendation to the D.G.M.S. that the present system of incurables in sanatoria in separate shelters be substituted by a ward system. V OCATIONAL TRAINING. 1. — That steps be immediately taken to liave the Pukeora farm at the sanatorium made into a training ground for T.B. men's future occupations. 2. — That vocational training be taken from the Defence Department and placed in the hands of the Repatriation Department. PENSION S. 1 — That where a specialist certified a man as incurable he shall be granted a permanently full pension for life. 2. — That all T.B. men on being discharged from sanatoria receive a full and supplementary pension for a period of 12 months, and that they be reviewed for pension annually, and that the specialist's reccmmendation on re-examination for pension, be adhered to, and not that of the Pensions Board.

REPATRIATION. 1 — -That immediately. on discharge the patient should be able to start on his occupation, and that the Rhpatriation Department must ensure there is no delay. 2. — That the Goverenment be asked to appoint four T.B. men to the After Care Branch, one to each centre, and that a T.B. man of sanatorium experience be appointed to supervise the work of ' the After Care Branch from Repa-triation headquarters. 3 - — That the Repatriatiori Department be asked to immediately make Tauherinikau, if found suitable a competent training ground for T.B. men who intend to follow rhe occupations taught there. 4- — That men remain in training until certified as competent by their specialist instructors. 8- — That the Repatriation Department should confer with the Lands Department and should find a man an acreage suitable to the applicant and subject to the specialisVs approval, and further that a suitable horne be erected for him. 6.— That- in the event of a recurrence of a man's trouble after having been successfully repatriated, it should be an obli.gation of the Repatriation Department to prGvide a suitable substitute from the Repatriation Training Farm for the purpose of carrying on that man's business while detained in a sanatorium.

MISCELLANEOUS. 1 — That T.B. patients retain their overcoats until discharged. MEDICAL. The following recommendations made by j-the- Medical Committee were discussed and adopted : — ^ - 1 — That it be a recommendation to Conference that where there are soldiers in hospitals in their districts under the H. and C.A. Boards, that the RS.A. of that district should nominate a man to st-and for election on the Board and assist ihe eandidate in his election, 2. — That this Conference considers that wives and widowed mothers of returned soldiers, who have -be-come of unsound mind, and those who are totally or permanently incapacitated as a result of their war service should be elegible for the benefits of the D.S.S. Act. 3. — That all patients travelling to and from hospitals are to be granted first-class accommodation, and that all patients traA-elling on the Main Trunk Line shall ba in future provided with sleeping berths. 4. — That any soldier who has been discharged for refusing inoculation, oe refused any benefits under the D.S.S. Act ~.r Repatriation Act, and any such soldier who is receiving any benefits therefrom be deprived of the same. REPATRIATION. The convener of this committee, Mr C. W. Batten, in bringing down his repoxt, referred to the pledge given by Mr Massey to the last Conference, in which Mr Massey stated that every opportunity would be given to returned soldiers to take advantage of the benefits of land settlement and repatriation, before such act.s would be rendered inoperative. In view of the temporary suspension of the D.S.S, Act Conference piassed the following resolution : — That the Association ask the Government for a pledge that land settlement and repatriation benefits generally, shall not he rendered inoperative until such time as every soldier has had ample opportunity to train himself or to otherwise arrange his affairs, in order to allow him to take fuil advantage of the said benefits. UNEMPLOYED SUSTENANfE. Regarding the question of sustenance grants for men out of employment, Conference recommend that the scale be raised as follows : — Man and wife 55s ; with one child, 63s; with two children, 70s; tbree children, 75s ; four children, 80s. APPRENTICES. The whole matter of the sustenance scheme for married apprentices carne unde, the consideration of Conference, and it was agreed that the' sustenance scale for unemployment should apply In this .case, instead of the flat rate of £3 5s. Regarding subsidised workers, Confer. euce approved of t-he principle that the subsidised workers' wages should be brought up to £3 10s per week for single men and £4 for married men, as they were of opinion that the present allowance is quite- inadequate in view of the high cost of living. Another resolution of vital importance to subsidised men was as follows : That in the event of renewal of subsidy fo- a further period beyond the usual 12 months, the subsidy. should be based on the starting wage and not on the wage the trainee is earning at the timo of renewal, providing that the wages with subsioy shall not exceed the maximum provided.

The resolution carried at last Conference regarding the purchase and building of urban and suburban properties for soldiers' (fwellings be administered by the Repatriation Department was reviewed. PROTECTTON OF BUSINESSriS. The Conference unanimously resolved thal the regulations for the protection of soldiers' businesses administered during the war by the Efficiency Board be revived for the protection of businesses established wit.i the assistance of the Repatriation Department, and that the Repatriation Department be charged with the administratiwu of such regulations. IMMIGRATION. Many resolutions were tabled in connection with this matter and after a very full debate in which the attention was drawn to the large infiux of Hindus and Chinese to this country, it was decided that it be an instruction to all affiliated associations to endeavoor to obtain public support for the purpose of preventing further immigrants of t.hi's. class. It was also decided to make an appeal to Parliament to have the immigration laws so amended as to prevent these undesirable classes of emigrants enterfng into this country. It was pointed out during the discussion that. manv returned sol-

diers who had commenced business with or without the aid of the Repatriation Dq* partment had been forced to close down through unrestricted competit-ion by Hindus and Chinese. It was further resolved that the policy of promoting and en-couraging the immigration of ex-imperial soldiers' wives with young children, or any other persons who are likely to become a charge on the taxpayers of the Dominion, or upon the patriotic societies' funds, be strongly objected to. » "QUICK MARCH." The report of the committee of "Quick March" was submitted by Mr J. D. Harper, convener, and several proposals were put forward for the purpose of improving the circulation, and altering the organisation of the paper. Owing to the development of the paper, Conference recommended the separation of the literary and business depar.tments, so that the editor would oceupy his whole time on the literary work of t-he paper. The administration of the advertising and publishing departments and financial matters g.enerally, to be placed in the hands of an experienced manager, directly responsible to the board of management. Conference further authoris,ed the board of management to formulate a scheme by which the subscription to "Quick March," should, if practicable be an integral part of the annual subscription to the N.a. R.S.A. on the understanding that such subscription should be increased to. include the paper. A report of this scheme should be available for the next Annual Conference of the N.o. R.S.A. PAY, PENSIONS, AND ALLOW ANjCES. The whole matter of pensions underwent a thorough revision, and the Conference recommended that the schedule of pensions for specific injuries of the War Pensions Act, 1917, and the second schedule thereto, be regraded by t-he addition of plus percentages up to 175 per centum, (that is £3 10s per week), and the total percentage upon minimum pensions 'for total permanent disablement. - Supplementary pensions and attendant's pension to be over and above such rate, and that the dependants' pension be assessed at present rates, and that the third schedule of the War Pensions Act, 191 1, be regraded on account of certain anomalies existing therein. v That the War Pensions Appeal Board consist of three members, one to be an S.M., who shall be chairman, and two registered medical practitioners, one oi tbem to be nominated by the N.Z.R.S.A. and that they should sit in the four military centres, such members to hold office for a term of one year, It was further agreed, that where possible only doctors who had been on service, be .examining doctors under the Pensions Act, and that this be put into operation immediately. A remit from the Hawera Association was carried unanimously after slight amendment and reads as follows Where a discharged soldier dies, as a result of disability incurred while on service, and leaves a widow, such widow shall be entitled to a pension for herself and any children of the marriage, irrespective of whether tl\i soldier was engaged or married to such a person prior to enlistment. It was agreed that returned soldiers' pensions be free' of income tax. Regarding pay, the Invercargill remit, to make Defence Department bonuses applicable to members on active service abroad, as well as to those remaining in New Zealand, was carried unanimously.