This statement of appreciation was presented by the local branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association to the council and citizens of Palmerston North. It marked the twenty-first anniversary of the foundation of the RSA and expressed the veterans' gratitude for "all that has been done for the ex-soldiers of the Dominion and their descendants, commencing with the supply of comforts to the men and nurses while overseas and the provision of large sums of money for the relief of those who suffered as a result of their War service, continuing through all the years, right down to the present time."
The Returned Solders' Association (RSA) was established in April 1916 to support the interests of soldiers returning from World War One. In 1942 it changed its name to the Returned Services Association and today is known as the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association.
