ALLOWANCES TO SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 206, 20 May 1918, Page 8

ALLOWANCES TO SOLDIERS

STATEMENT HY PRESIDENT OF SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Referring to figures published by the Defence Department, showing that New Zealand leads other parts of the British Empire in regard to pay and allowances t<i soldiers and their dependants, Mr. R. A. Armstrong, national president of the Second Division League, stated Inst night that the other Dominions iiad not yet reached the problems that, New Zealand was now facing. So for as Australia was concerned, it was onlv -neeis-isary to remind the people of New Zealand that oven the single men in thn Commonwealth could please themselves whether they went to the war or not Canada had apparently not made any tall yet on her married reservists, as it was oniy a few days ago 'iiat a cablegram announced that the Canadian authorities were only then about to call up men between 20 and 23. Canada had therefore apparently not yet reached tho position that New Zealand was in twelve months ago. It had to ba remembered that in 1917 the New Zealand separation allowance for a wife was 7.5. per week, as against Canada's M fls. lfld. Anotlur recent message from Canada, had stated that tho pay was to l>e considerably ''ncreased. It was ridiculous for tho New Zealand Defence Department to suggest that (he people of Canada would f;sk a soldier's wife with five children to exist, on a total allowance of £1 Os. 10d., pnw allotments ■from her husband's pay. So far as Great 'Britain was concerned, the conditions could not be compared. Great Britain's civil population was apparently completely organised for war purposes, her principal industries were either nationalised or under State- (ontrol for the war period. Profiteering had. been effectively do,i.lt with, find, if '-eports were to l)o believed, the whole of the people were on rations. In Great Britain, therefore, thorp, was at least some measure of equality of sacrifice. It ivould be time to conipnvc the British soldier's pay with our own when the Government of this country adopted the general war le.tislnt.ion of 'Great Britain, and when =leps.were taken to piwvr that, the whole nawiflco (lid not fall alone upon the man who was.found medically fit to serve his country. There was no reason why New Zealand ehould not continue to lead, and if, by that leadership, slio assisted in breaking down the precedents and prejudices of other countries and induced the prevention of a tion of the administrative mistakes of oOe.r waTS. tlie greater vould be the credit to the people and the Government of this country.