WAR QUESTIONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2638, 8 December 1915, Page 6

WAR QUESTIONS

' CORRESPONDENT OPINIONS COMPLAINTS & SUGGESTIONS (To the Editor.) MISMANAGEMENT SOMEWHERE! —WHERE IS IT? ■ Sir,—Now that the . Government is continually calling, for 1 men; more ihen, and still more: men, I think a word explaining how returned soldiers are treated would not go amiss (and also help recruiting). . 1 enlisted: when war broke out, and left with the Main Body for ...'.Egypt. • Three or four months ago I returned from Gallipoli op the.hospital ship; wait given leave, apd discharged oil. September 24. ; Now, what I wish to explain is this: On September -24 last I received ; a provisional discharge certificate /from Palmerston North,'stating-that I.was-discharged as 'from September 3. Sir, - don't - you think rather a long period elapsed from' date of 'discharge until receiving same? ' I. was finally paid up during October, but only to. date of discharge, which meant losing four peeks' work—£l2 10s. Do you think this fair, treatment to a man who has served for his country? ' 111 August I inquired- if I could go back to tie front. not, whenwould I be' discharged? I could get no satisfactory reply, and was not allowed -to trvke employment. - I wrote to Wellington re payment from Septem- . ber 8 till October 2, the-date/on which I started work. (When inquiring about discharge, I had informed the authorities that a week's notice! was essential before I could take employment.). Tie reply I received from Wellington in regard to payment'stated that they would be writing about the matter in a day or two,' but up to the present T have received .no reply. Incidentally,- I might remark a soldier, receives five shillings a day. If he goes into hospital or convalescent home he is kept free; if he receives home treatment lie has to pay his own board. Is that fair to the man receiving home treatment? : Two shillings a day at least should be allowed as ration money., About a month ago I tried to enlist again, but -was turned down as not being-fit for active service. A few days ago volunteers were called for garrison duty at Samoa. I enlisted, passed the medical examination as , fit, and have 'since been turned down as being too young., . ,My age: is twenty-three,. and the men required: for Samoa must be between the ages of forty-three and forty-eight, ■as the younger men are wanted for Gallipoli. :I am six'feet in height, built in proportion, and with not the slightest, thing the matter with me; in fact, I have never felt more fit in. my life. I cannot say that lam exactly anxious to return to the front, hut all the same I should like'to" see it through.-:•■ Since; discarding the-, uniform, people have/said "Are you married or single?" "Why don't you enlist?" . etc., etc. . Those people I can reply to, but' others who say nothing hurt the most, for one cannot wear a paper-around ono's neck to say one has served. Ido not ;wi:/ii to be wandering -around, hero ' while the' war is on, for people to think I'm'a shirker. If I am not able to go to the front again, why' could I riotdo some minor duty, such as gaTrison or base duty, which would enable someone else to proceed to the front. : Some people may call me a grumbler for airing my grievances „in this fashion, but I consider it" my duty, just/as much as I considered it my duty to go to G-alli-poli. lam ready to go again at any time, but .fair play's bonnie ■ play. Thanking you, Mr. Editor,—l am, etc. A. L.ROBB, .(Late Gunner, Main Body, N.Z.

Expeditionary Force,

[This letter was referred to the Defence' Minister, who had 'inquiries' made concerning. the chief complaint, in it. Mr. ..Allen, regrets !tb, state that Robb has good cause to complain. He attended a Medical Board on August 20, at • Palmerstqn North, and this board order-ed-the'soldier's discharge/ The usual procedure would have been to grant hiin two weeks' leave on full pay, and at the same; time to issue a provisional discharge to the soldier, whiclr would mean in this case'leave from August 20. to September 3, from wliich date the dis-f charge would take effect. The District at I'almerston was not very well acquainted with the necessary procedure, and the leave ticket and provisional discharge was not issued till September 21, instead of August 20. Under these circumstances, as no written evidence can bo produced that Robb was advised of the Medical Board's decision on August 20 to discharge him, it has already been decided that he must be paid up to September 24, the date on which he states his discharge notice reached him. This error would have been found out much earlier had not his letter, of September 24, referring both to pay and discharge, been addressed to 'Mr. Eodda, who replied to the inquiry re pay as he understood it, and mentioned that the other portion of tho letter would Be replied to separately. Blinking, the letter answered, it was placed on,the.file without further action, and. consequently ■ -until Robb's letter w'as : published nothing further was'done in the matter. "Under the reorganisation now ..effected in the Base Records Office," the Minister added, "I do not think it 'is possible for,: such an error to'.'-again 'qcpur—and, in. this instance, an injustice was certainly caused which I much regret."] • PROMOTION OF SOLDIERS. Sir,—After leading Mr. Allen's explanation in your issue, I can see that I have been labouring under a delusion. Mr. Allen makes it quite plain that the Department had not any intention' of carrying out the idea embodied in the extract which I quoted in my last letter. This, then, was.apparently put into tho handbook with the intention of making pleasant reading, and, incidentally to mislead one. Now that the position has been clearly .defined, it is easy to see how anyone, who was patriotic enough : to respond to his country's call immediately will get on in comparison with tho man who has held back until tho present time. Of course, Mr. Allen says, he has his chance of promotion 'in' the field, but has lie considered what this chance is, when by his present system he is sending nearly all the officors and noncommissioned officers who are likely to be required unless some' catastrophe were to overtake a unit.

A commissioned officer, practically speaking, cannot be reduced in rank, while a; non-commissioned officer does not mil'any great risk of reduction when ho reaches tlie front, provided, of course, that there is a vacancy. Needless to say . that if there is one, lie willget it in preference to the soldier of more experience, who is probably a better man, but will not be used to the duties at that rank. Perhaps if so many appointments were not made here, it would jffect recruiting, but I do not think New Zealanders aro made thus. That such treatment as that complained of should be openly countenanced by the Defence Department is indeed as great' a surprise to me as I am sure it will be to tie bulk of your leaders—l am, etc., • JUSTICE. IN THE MATTER OF JOHN BULL AND OTHERS. Sir, —In view, of* the sudden rise" of exchange against Germany, referred to in your sub-leader on "Financial Pressure, " it may bo of interest to note the ■ comparative rates of exchange on New York, for London.,' Paris, and Bei;^

lin, since the commencement of tlio war. The following are'tho figures quoted by the Right Honourable Sir. C. Hobhoii6e, M.P., 111 a recent article:— September 1-1, 1914. —London, premium 2} per cent.; Paris, premium 2$ por cent.; Berlin, premium If per cent. December 31, 1914. —London, discount i per cent.; Paris, premium | per cent.; Berlin, discount 7£ per cent. June 30, 1915.—London, discount 2J per cent.; Paris, discount 8 per. cent.; Berlin, discount, 15 per cent. It will bo seon that there had already at June 30 been' a more serious drop in exchange Against Berlin than against Paris, and a still more serious one when the rates, are compared with London. Mr. Hobhouse points out that these rates are the expression of opinion as to the relative wealth for credit- of the three nations by the ablest and most disinterested judges, namely, American financiers. ,In their judgment, therefore, British credit had at June 30 last depreciated 5 point 6, French credit 104 points, and German credit 17 points. It is comfortiug to know that this authority concludes his examination of the subject of British wealth by expressing the opinion that difficult as the future may be in the judgment of unprejudiced and experienced observers, wo (the British nation) are a solvent and substantial community, with, whom it-is perfectly'safe as well as'profitable to,, trader '.'There i%". he concludes, "abundance of wealth in this country." —I. am; etc., . ' ■ ■ . ■ , D. M. FINDLAY. Day's Bay, December 3.