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A Short History of the
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The Auckland RNZA Station saw the Association's beginning, chief among its initiators being W02 (BSM) Thomas Sinclair Power of the Coast Cadre, North Head. He called a meeting of serving and retired members of the Permanent Force and Armed Constabulary of whom 30 met in the Masonic Hall, Devonport, on 10 July 1934. Captain W.Q. Kewish RNZA retd, the senior present, was asked to preside. Lieutenant V.G. Jones, who had retired in 1931 as W01 (Honorary Lieutenant), brief1y outlined the object of the meeting, after which the Chairman called upon BSM Power to provide the details. In an address recorded as 'ably given' Tom gave the reasons why an association should be formed, not least of which was the need to assist former comrades who had fallen upon hard times. Others whose names are no longer recorded spoke in support. Full accounts of the inaugural and subsequent first committee and general meetings were given earlier so will not be repeated here. To members who may be surprised at the number of Vice-Presidents elected, let me explain. Vice-Presidents in those days had no duties such as those of District Reps at present, but being prominent citizens, and therefore assumed to be reasonably well-endowed with worldly goods, were each expected to make a worth-while donation to the Association's Welfare Fund. Those who did not were not re-elected! Members present at the inaugural meeting decided to call the Association 'Past and Present RNZA 'Association,' but at the first meeting of the Executive Committee on 18 July 1934 the President, Major General Sir George Richardson KBE CB CMG, who occupied the Chair, moved the adoption of the title 'The New Zealand Permanent Force Old Comrades Association.' This title, he asserted, was more apt because it indicated the origins of its members. In support of his motion Sir George gave a talk on the history of the Force, commencing with an account of the New Zealand Armed Constabulary whence it sprang. He explained that until the NZ Staff Corps and NZ Permanent Staff were formed (when the term 'permanent forces' came to be loosely used to include all regular soldiers), there was only one body officially recognised as a permanent force, that it was titled Permanent Force, and that over the years it had included ex-members of the NZAC who had served in the Permanent Artillery, Torpedo Corps, and RNZE, as well as the RNZA. Records state members found his talk most interesting and that his motion was carried. Despite the innocuous nature of the Association and the worthy intentions of its members, it soon struck opposition. When the 'brass' sitting in the well-known Wellington 'castle' learned of its existence, like Queen Victoria they were 'not amused.' Within a month came an edict from the Adjutant-General ordering serving soldiers elected to executive offices to resign them. Perhap she did not like the sound of the word 'comrades'. Thus the Executive were deprived not only of Secretary and Treasurer, but of two foundation members who had done more than any others to get the Association started. Letters of protest to General Headquarters made no impression. The months dragged by until eventually Sir George promised that the next time he visited Wellington he would personally approach the GOC with a request that his ban on serving soldiers be lifted. This he successfully accomplished in 1937, the year Sir John Duigan (who was a member of the Association), became GOC. Wellington soon followed Auckland's example; forty prospective members met in the office of LtCol S. G. Sandle RNZA rtd, who was then Sergeant-at-Arms, Parliament Buildings, on 5 Feb 1936, to form a Wellington Section of the Association. LtCol Sandle presided, and was elected President. On its formation the Wellington Section decided to adopt the rules formulated in Auckland, but to modify them where necessary to suit local conditions. The principal object of the Association laid down in 1934, and which remains unchanged, has always been to try in all honourable ways to keep alive the spirit of comradeship among members, and to extend a helping hand to all members of the Association who may be in need of assistance. On joining the Wellington Section retired soldiers and policemen became 'active' members, those still serving 'honorary' members, a distinction dropped some years later. All members throughout the country paid the same annual subscription of one shilling (10c). By today's standards this amount seems ridiculously small, but to a man whose sole income was the old age pension of 15/9 ($1.58) a week in 1934, it was a lot of money. To qualify for aid from the Association's Welfare or Benevolent Fund as it came to be called, a member had to be financial according to the rules, but committees soon found there were some who just could not afford the subscription. In genuine cases payment of the annual subscription was waived. Although the 'great depression' is said to have ended in 1935 (according to one political school of thought), unemployment was not effectively dealt with until the outbreak of World War 2. The writer remembers men on 'relief' work at Fort Dorset late in 1938 who were being paid 10/- ($l) a day for three days a week. Restoration of the old age pension to its pre-1932 figure of 17/6 ($1.75) a week in 1936 provided only marginal relief, as prices had been steadily rising since 1934. In 1936 the Government fixed the basic wage at £3-16-0 ($7.60) a week, which meant the old age pensioner on 17/6 received 23% of it. Compare this with the position of the modern National Superannuitant! During its first twenty years the Association dispensed relief in various forms to many of its older members - and from time to time to some of the younger - who found themselves in distressed circumstances, as old committee minutes amply testify. In most cases aid consisted of useful essentials, eg a few bags of coal or firewood, clothing, groceries, tobacco and cigarettes to men in hospital or institution. Small amounts of Christmas cheer were distributed, or in certain cases money to a maximum of £10 ($20) to each individual. Modest though these gifts may appear they were gratefully accepted in the comradely spirit in which they were given. When we recall that the annual subscription was only 1/- (10c), we cannot give too much credit to past Officers of the Association for achieving so much. With income so low neither the Executive nor any other member was slow to investigate other sources of cash or kind. Indeed, at one meeting heartfelt thanks were recorded for the successful operations of a 'Cadgers Committee', whose activities frequently extracted donations of 'Christmas Cheer' from well-known purveyors of that commodity, as well as gifts of food, clothing etc from other tradespeople. All these contributions were gratefully received and faithfully applied. One operation which did not succeed was an attempt by the Association in 1937 to obtain a grant from the Permanent Force Reward Fund. The Defence Act permitted grants being made to men still serving but not to retired men, despite the fact that many of the latter had 'subscribed' to it. Two deputations to the Minister of Defence failed to make any impression. Members of the second deputation were so upset by the Minister's uncharitable attitude toward the Association and its welfare work that the Executive were moved to lodge a formal protest in writing to the Government. As might be expected it proved futile. Eventually the Army Act 1950 reiterated that the Fund, re-named the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery Fund, be applied 'for the benefit of serving Officers and Soldiers of the RNZA (RF) in such manner and at such time as the Governor General directs'. Income no longer accrues to the Fund, which cannot itself be drawn upon; it is held by the Public Trust Office who pay the interest it earns to the RNZA (RF) Regimental Funds Account. .../World War 2 previous | index | next | History index | Home | ||