TWO GRIEVANCES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18406, 12 June 1925, Page 14

TWO GRIEVANCES.

RETURNED SOLDIERS' REQUESTS. Two matters of importance to returned soldiers were brought under the notice of the Canterbury M.P.'s Committee on Wednesday by representa-' tives of the Christchurch E.S.A. Mr "VV. E. Leadley. secretary of the Association, said that the shortage of houses in Christchurch applied equally to the -whole Dominion. The deputation had a suggestion to make which would, they thought, relieve the position. The remedy they' proposed lay in the Dischnrged Soldiers' Settlement Act which was still on this .Statute Book, although its operations were limited. At the present time the benefits of the Act were restricted to men suffering from war disabilities and to men in receipt of a 50 per cent, war pension. In his capacity as secretary of the Christchurch R.S.A. be was in receipt of hundreds of enquiries regarding the Act. He asked that the benefits of the Act should-be made available to all returned soldiers. At the present time large sums of money were being paid into the Treasury by men who liad received loans from the j Government for building purposes and he asked that this money should .bei used to issue new loans with a view to | relieving the housing shortage. The Rev. F. T. Bead, a. member of the executive., stated many returned; men had been unable, owing tc their being apprenticed at the time, when the loans were being made, or. for other reasons, to make application for such loans, but if they were available todav hundreds of men would apply for/ them. The position was that numbers of men who came back and did not claim the benefits they' were entitled to were now ; debarred from so doing. Mr Leadley said hundreds of returned men had put in applications for loans under the State Advances Act, and had been kept waiting without satisfaction for over 12 months. If the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act were put into operation, those men would immediately withdraw from the State Advances Act and make fresh application under the other Act.

In' answer to questions asked by those present, Mr Leadley said that the Minister of Lands had given the assurance that the two funds were kept in separate accounts. Therefore, if the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act were again opened up, it would not affect the other Act. He was of the opinion that if the operation of the Act was extended as he asked, there would be sufficient applications made by returned men to use up all the«money paid in repayment of loans. He believed that there were ample funds available to relieve the position.

After a number of questions had been asked, the chairman (Mr L. M. Isitt) said that the committee would look into the matter.

Mr Leadley then went on to speak of unemployment, which, he said, was always an acute matter in winter-time. He desired to speak particularly of returned men, who, through injuries suffered by them on active service, were prevented from following their former occupations. These men were good citizens, but were not given the assistance they had a right to expect in view of the promises that had been made to them. Many of them since their return had fitted themselves for other employment, such as clerical work. A number of private employers had engaged such men, but the Government had not done what it should. The deputation asked that some of the Government Departments be thrown open to such men, who were reasonably competent to carry but the duties they had prepared themselves for. Respecting T.B. men, Mr Leadley said that out of 72 men at the Sanatorium at Cashmere 42 men were there for the second time. They were unable. to do heavy work, and if they attempted to do so they ran a risk of bringing on a hemorrhage. The deputation desired that the Government should do its best to find -suitable light employment for such men."

The Rev. F. T. Read said many of the men concerned' desired a full pension for two years, and the deputation thought thfft they should bo giveq a life pension.

The chairman assured the deputation that they had the committee's sympathy^