HELPING RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2840, 3 August 1916, Page 6

HELPING RETURNED SOLDIERS

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST EXPLOITATION • PATRIOTIC WAR RELIFP FUNDS "That to provent exploitation of war relief funds all officers of societies empowered to grant relief to returned sol- ■ diers, endorse ou the back of the soldier's discharge paper the amount of Telief given, by whom given, and the date of grant, and that no relief be granted without production of discharge." The above remit, from the Wairarapa Patriotic Association, was considered by the Advisory Board to the Federated Patriotic Societies yesterday, and led to ail interesting discussion. In connection with this matter, the following letter had been received from the Oificer-in-Charge of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department by the secretary of the board:— "At the request of the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs, wo forward hereunder an extract from a letter which we have recaived from Mr. W. Dobson, hon. secretary of the Dannevirke Patriotic Society:— " . . . It has been suggested by Mr. T. M. Webb, a member of tho Dannevirke Patriotic Committee, that a universal system should be established whereby each item of financial assistance granted to every discharged soldier should be endorsed on his 'Discharge.' If this were made universal it would enDischarged Soldiers' Relief Committee to form an accurate estimate of the characer of the applicant for assistance, and to more readily arrive at a decision as to whether each individual ease was worthy of relief,- or was, on the other hand, merely an endeavour to exploit the patriotic funds. I submit that we \ cannot, nay, must not, blind ourselves to the fact that there are black sheep in every nock, and that with each returning batch of soldiers a still greater responsibility will be thrown on committees administering patriotic funds to ensure.that every care is taken to thoroughly investi- . gate the merits of each individual application for assistance." "Wo should bo obliged if you would kindly bring the matter before your Advisory Board—(Sgd.) J. R. Samson." The chairman (Hon. J. T. Paul), in referring to tho matter, said that something more was needed than was at present being done to prevent imposition, and it was for the board to give a lead. Mr. E. n. Williams (Hnwke's Bay) thought they should lay down tho principle that no advance should be made by a society to an outsider without previously communicating with the society in tlio applicant's district. Ho instanced a case where a returned. soldier had made application to the Hastings Society, who found out that ho had just received JG7O from his emnloyer, much more than enough to pav for the holiday hg wished to take. Then lie went to Nelson nnii AVanga'nui, got £i> in tho former place and £1 in the litter. Tho chairman: "It shows that £s!\ does not last a Ilawko's Bay man long." (Laughter.) Personally, ho was of opinion that whilst all precautions should be taken to prevent exploitation, they should not. see a man stuck, even if his was an undeserving case. They should never see a, man, stuck for a bed and breakfast, Mr. V. Lanier (Auckland) said that they could. not be bothered sending wires all oyer tho country and waiting for replies all day, and they wero not going to do it. Ho favoured stamping a man s discharge with the words "Auckland," •'Wellington," or iihy other pjaoo whero ho had been given iclief, with tho date, in order to show where ho had been relieved before., .lie thought that was tho best plan, as any returned soldier had lo produce, his' discharge in Auckland boloro no was given any relief. Mr. J. Gilkison (Southland) reminded tho board that by adopting th» remit thoy weaicencd their previous resolution us) to telegraphing to tho society responsible for information about a man. Mr. L. 0. 11. Tripp (Wellington) said tho adoption of the l-emit did not. nullify their previous. decisions. It was an extra precaution. Mr. Gilkison said a soldier's discharge— when a good one—was a document a man cherished, and ho would in. future never like to produce it if it was stamped with relief marks. Mr. Lamer said it was no disgraco to a man returning from the war to bo short of money, and the simplo stamp on his discharge was nothing to object to. Mr. ullkison suggested that the entry bo made ou the man's pay-book, and not on his discharge, and he moved that the remit be altered accordingly. Finally, tho remit was passed in the following form:—"That, as a further means and in order to prevent exploitation of War Relief Fuuds, all officers of societies empowered to grant relief to returned soldiers endorse on the soldier's pay-book tho name of the society granting relief, the date of tho grant, and that no relief be granted without production of discharge and pay-book."