Inglewood RSA wants to go it alone

Ingelwood's RSA is planning to sever ties with the New Plymouth RSA and become an independent organisation.

The Inglewood RSA is a sub-branch of the New Plymouth and Districts RSA, but the plan would see it break away and become a stand-alone branch.

Members will be asked to vote on the proposal at the club's AGM, held on Anzac Day following the morning services and events.

Inglewood president Albert Le Fleming and secretary Bert Squire insist the move is unrelated to the New Plymouth RSA's recent troubles, although Mr Le Fleming did say the negative publicity was not helpful for Inglewood members.

The Inglewood RSA was the home branch of Peter Crow, president at Inglewood before he took over as president in New Plymouth.

"We just felt there was no satisfaction in New Plymouth," Mr Le Fleming said yesterday.

"They take our money and when we have a poppy day or anything like that, the people of Inglewood are very generous and then we turn around and lose it all."

Mr Squire said with only about 40 RSA members remaining in Inglewood, plus about 30 in the women's section, the club was looking to the future .

"We're all getting pretty ancient here," he said.

"Let's be realistic. We won't be here in 10 years' time, so who's going to do it?

"There are four Inglewood service people at the moment, but that's not going to keep us going."

The men said the Inglewood Lions already spent a lot of time helping the local RSA and the idea was they would become more involved in the future.

Mr Le Fleming said the national RSA had been told about the plan.

"But they don't actually seem greatly interested in what's taking place."

The men said the RSA received a lot of support around Inglewood from both residents and businesses. It was allowed to use the Inglewood Club for meetings.

This year, though, the Anzac Day breakfast and club AGM will be held at the Inglewood Town Hall to accommodate ever-increasing numbers of people attending.

New Plymouth RSA executive committee spokesman Dean Esaiah said it was the first he had heard of the plan when contacted by the Taranaki Daily News yesterday.

He said it would be disappointing if Inglewood did go out on its own.

"But we can't really do anything about their decisions. That's their decision to make."

- © Fairfax NZ News