SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3129, 6 July 1917, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

MEDICAL EXAMINATION REJECTS FROM THE CAMPS Tho Committee of the (Second Division League held their weekly meeting last evening, Mr. R. A. Armstrong being in the chair... Letters were received from Auckland and Wangauui announcing that leagues were in course of formation in those centres, and that delegates would attend the conference. Application having been mado to (ho Speaker of tho House of Representatives to appoint a timo and placo for representatives from tho conferenco to address members of Parliament on tho requirements of tho league. Sir I'. W. Lang relied stating that he had pleasuro in providing a committee-room for Friday, July Ml. A vote, of thanks was passed accordingly. Tho secretary was instructed to ask-tho Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, and Sir Joseph Ward to jointly rccoivo a deputation from tho conference. , A lettor received from tho Minister of Defence was considered in detail, and tho following reply was approved and forwarded:—

"l'h« Hon. Sir James Allen, . "Minister of Defence, "Wellington. "Sir,—l am directed by my committco to acknowledge with thanks your lettor of Juno 29. Roferring to pre-ballot medical examination I am directed to .stato that the league fully realises that there are many-difficulties-in'tho way, but in viow of the vital importance of the matter from the civilian point of viow (which may not readily appeal to tho military officials) wo consider that somo means of overcoming those difficulties should bo devised. Under Section 47 of the Military Service Act every registered medical practitioner is liable to bo called on to carry out medical examinations of reservists, and in view of the fact that the British Medical Association has expressed to the Minister of Public Health tho -willingness 'of its members to be mobilised for military, purposes, we have ventured to suggest the conference of yourself and the Eon. Mr. Russell with the B.M.A. as conveyed by resolution. Tho contention that the medical examination only holds good for three months does not appear to -us to affect the position. It is the original, examination that determines the proportion o£ a man's liability for activo service, nnd it is of the most urgent importance, in the interests of tho industrial,, commercial, and domestic stability; of the country, that such determination of liability should'bo settled at the earliest possible moment. We do not tail to realise that, once 'a reservist is i j l ™, l " tho ballot uo « lia blo to bo ordered 'to camp at any time, and it is necessary for tho successful mobilisation i °i u / .Enforcement drafts that this should be so. Also we 'have not failed to observe tho policy of the Military bervice Boards in refusing to grant extensions of time for reservists to wind up their affairs, on the ground that the reservists have had plenty of notice of their liability to serve. Every reservist on the register knows that he is liablo to server but it is only by the test of the medical examination that ho can know whether he is fit for active service, and in consequence have to set about adjusting his civilian affairs. Tho military authorities must surely realise that in dealing with the Second Division they will have a very different proposition to.handle than that of tho Taxi Division, and unless somo concession is made thoro is likely to be a vory serious delay in mobilisation caused'by the numerous appeals that will follow naturally on an adherence to tho present system. With regard to tho point raised that attestation and swearing in aro coincident with the medical examination,' tho committee notes that Section 53 of the Military Service Act provides for regulations to lie made from tim'o to time governing this matter so that this should not prove any liar to an alteration as suggested. Tho lcaguo no'tes with regret that a serious delay ..is likely to occur in completing tho roll of tho classes in the Second Division.

- With reference to Stato rcsponsibility from the timo a reservist parades for entry into camp, the committee havo carefully perused tho regulations you kindly forwarded, and they rogret to havo to say that they do not meet in any way tho requirements. of 'the league. Tho right of men Vho havo been dismissed from camp on extended ka.ve to apply for pay under certain circumstances seem 60 pointedly proper that tho Iraguo is amazed that this provision should only have been, made now after almost threo years ot war. Your letter states that provision, is raado in, tho regulations for cases of men whoso breakdown in camp has been caused by training in camp or haa been 'accelerated thereby.' Wo cannot find any provision in the regulations covering 'acceleration' or aggravation, and would bo glad to kno\v" the particular clause which may bo taken to maio 6uch provision. In dealing with those details wo wish to say that the general, principle underlying the leaguo'u renttesfc on this matter must not be lost sight of. The league holds that a coldier

having once •paraded for entry info camp should have , exactly the 6arae rights as if he had successfully gone through the training and served, with the forces overseas; "also that no man should be taken from his normal lifo and brought from distant parts of . New Zealand to undergo the final, severe tost of the camps, unless, the State is prepared to accept the responsibility of returning .fiiin to his normal

life in as fit a capacity as. breadwinner for his dependants as ho was before being called up, or else tx> compensate that man or his dependants to the extent of the loss, .suffered by them in accordance with, such general sohemo of pensions and allowances aa shall finally be decided upon. "J am directed to respectfully ask you

whether an article appearing in The Dominion of July 3, stating: "It is Tathor improbablo that the scale of separation allowances will bo altered/ is to bo taken as authentio. Tho members of the leaguo hold very strongly that the scalp of separation allowances.' must bo substantially increased, and tho articlo referred to has caused a considerable amount of anxiety. "With reference to the completion of t:ho register of tho First the league trusts that there will to no further delay in applying the powers conferred on tho police by Section U of tho Military Service Act. Even tho most immediate action will scarcely bo in timo lo secure justice to the men of tho Second Division, and the delay that lias already occurred is a distinct injustice to those men of the First Division who havo loyally fulfilled their duty as citizens of this Dominion. "Eeforring to information a.skcd for that you havo staled will be laid,before Parliament, I am directed to inform you that a conference of tranches of the leaguo from all park; of the Dominion is to 1m held in Wellington on July 15, and wo would consider it a special favour if information on fho various poinls covpred were forthcoming before that date."