DESERTERS' DEPENDANTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16156, 9 March 1918, Page 4

DESERTERS' DEPENDANTS.

SHOULD PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES HELP THEM? ; '•'That the Advisory Board is of opinion that uo relief should be granted to the dependants of deserters, :ind that the patriotic societies bo requested to accept this resolution as a recommendation from the Board.'' Such v.as the motion proposed by Mr J. J. Dougall (Christcliurch) at Thursday's meeting at Wellington of the Advisory Board of the New Zealand Patriotic Societies. Mr Dougall stated that in civil life a crime committed by a man reacted on his family. That had Always been the case. He had been assured by returned soldiers that if a soldier knew that his crimo would react on his people at home it would act as a valuable deterrent. The Defence Department stopped allotments as soon as a soldier was imprisoned, and lie knew no reason why the Patriotic Society should continue help. As a result of a subsequent discas--1 sioii, Mr Dou]»ftll altered his motion to read: "That the Advisory Board is of opinion that as a general principle no relief should be granted to the dependants of deserters or soldiers undergoing imprisonment for a civil or military crime, subject to the right of the patriotic societies to give relief i.hould special circumstances require it, and that the societies be requested to , accept this resolution as a recommendation from the Board." Mr Hope Gibbons (Wanganui) said that the new motion proposed was -an excellent one. It meant- that each case could be treated on its merits, ulthough, at the same time, it laid down a general principle. The motion, as was carried unanimously.

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