SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 216, 31 May 1918, Page 6

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

MINISTER'S STATEMENT CONSIDERED REPLY FROM THE PRESIDENT' / The national president of the Second Division League has forwarded to the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) the following reply to the Minister's statement regarding 'the league's demands:— The Hon. Sir James, Allen. K.C.8., Minister of Defence, Wellington. Sir,—l beg to acknowledge your letter of Hay 29, replying to various representations made 'by deputations irom the Dominion Conference of the Federated Leagues, and to inform you that same was placed before a meeting of the Central Executive this evening, when it was decided to reply on the various points as follows:—

1 and 2: Separation Allowances — Your reply to the effect that the present separation allowances are to stand will be duly conveyed to the various leagues. 3. financial Assistance Board—The executive regrets the attitude adopted by the Government with regard to question 3 of your lettei replying to the league's request: "That Government be asked to direct the Financial Assistance tkiard to adopt as a principle the" establishment of a minimum net iucouie for the wife only of M 2s. per week (children's allowances extra), clear of recurring obligations covered by the financial assistance regulations.".. AVe can (nly repeat that the sum of .£9O per annum, or J!l Ms. 6d. porwclk, is not enough to keep a soldier's wife in food, clothing, other necessaries, comforts, and accidental expenditure in these days of high prices, and after consulting with the various leagues we will respectfully ask you to receive further representations on this mntter at a later date; .because under the existing system the maintenance of soldiers' homes and the living conditions of dependants are governed entirely by the policy of the Financial Assistance Board. In the meantime the executive desires .0 point out that the wage basis of ',£l6O or under, upon which the board's mini-

I mum income for a wife is fixed, is a I quite improper standard which, having -egard to the various industrial award's el the Arbitration Court, can not be held to ha a true minimum. The nefutive contends that any small section o, the community that may be unfortunate enough to have to exist, through ''cing badly situated in the industrial sphere, on rates of wages below tho standard as set by the industrial tribunals of the country should not bo made a standard in connection with financial assistance to soldiers. The statement in your letter to tho effect that where children's separation allowances are drawn, the grant'from the nuance Assistance Board would depend upon the pre-serace income of the soldier appears to the executive to give rise to tho impression that Government is giving an undue attention to the \ question of the maintenance of a mini- [ mum of wages after the war to the detriment of a generous provision for the wives and children of our soldiers. 'Die executive'desires to correct vour impression that the' delegates to* the recent •-onference were under any misapprehension on tho matter of the minimum fixed ijy the board. The subject was fully discussed and thoroughly understood, mid the request for liberalising the hoards policy was the unanimous determination of conference. The executive regrets that yon have advanced the fact that the league has a representative on the Financial Assistance Board, and that no official protest lias been made.since his appointment as a justification of the policy of the board, i lie leagues representative was appointed with instructons to press lor a liberalising of the board's policy and on behalf of tho league to recommend certain improvements in the organisation and methods of administration of the board, viz-that the minimum be increased, that an'official reprosentativa of the board should be appointed in each of the chief centres so that reservists or their dependants could get into personal touch with the board, that the rescinded grants of 1917 should becompletely reviewed, and other matters of detail. Our representative informs us that these representations were duly mado by liim before a full meeting of the board. The league hoped that by having a representative on the board improvement could be secured by a quiet process of 1 constructive work, and it was because of this hope that further public protest has.been withheld until a conclusion could bo arrived at.- The attempt now apparently made, however, to justify the' board's shortcomings by falling back on the excuse that there has been no official protest registered renders it incumbent that the.league's position regarding a representative on the board bo reviewed. It would on the face of it be an impossible position for the league to 1m in if tho fact.of our having a representative! on the board is to be used as a justification for the failure of the board to adopt a more liberal policy. The executive therefore desires to respectfully ask whether it is really your intention to convey the impression that has undoubtedly been created by your letter. i. Insurance.—The league has to thank you for the assurance that the Financial Assistance Board will pay premium and 'war risk on policies made up to £M where an old policy for a smaller amount existed.

5. Compulsory Allotment of 3s. Gd.~ The_ executive recognises that to press for justice in this matter would lay reservists open to a charge of selfishness, and, recognising that the authorities have this unfair advantage, tho matter will not bo pressed further than to record a protest against the deprivation of that portion of a soldier's 'pay which is set aside by military regulations for personal uses, iii order to relieve the State from an equivalent responsibility of the upkeep of his) home, especially as this system has only been adopted since the commencement of mobilisation of the Second Division. , (1. Punishment of Soldiers for Misconduct not to Affect Allotments, Etc.—Tho executive notes the various headings under which pay, etc., are forfeited, and appreciates your statement that the question will receive further consideration, which we trust will result in the regulations lieing relaxed 'so that, whilst tho soldier should receive his due punishment for any offence committed, his dependants in New Zealand should not bo made to suffer.. 7. Three Months' Notice.—Tho executive is glad to have your reassuranco on this pint, and feels snro that the organisation for mobilisation, etc., can l)e so arranged as to meet any emergency without departing from the very valuable system of threo clear months' notice after medical examination. 8. Sine Dio Examinations.—The Ministerial statements made to the deputation, whilst showing tho number exempted under certain classifications, did not appear to fully account for the total number exempted, and certainly did not meet tho request of the league: "That all sine die exemptions be reviewed immediately by boards to be specially set up for tho purpose, and that in future physical fitness be the only factor to determine whether or not men shall serve in the military forces except in the cases of men permanently engaged in essential national work." Tho executive desires to point out that the tightening of grounds of exemption would apply in the future as well as to those cases which it is asked should be reviewed, and the league, representing the Second Division' men liable for service, and who in their turn will ibe directly affected, most strongly urges that the abovo representation ho carried into effect. 0. Mobilisation of C 1 Men.—The members of the league will be gratified to know that their representations on this matter arc being carefully considered, as experience has shown that many unnecessary hard mips could be avoided by thi! adoption of the league's nroriosals without any detriment (o the training of the mon. 10. Age Limit for Children's Benefits — The executive regrets that Cabinet has. not seen fit to extend the ages to males 18. unmarried females 21, particularly in view of the fact that in Great Britain these ages have been adopted for the children of unior officers, and trusts that even yet the matter may be reconsidered in the ''nteresfs of education and the preservation of the highest standards of citizenship «nd womanhood. 11. Repatriation.—The executive values very highly your expression of thanks

for the league's proposals for repatrto. lion, and notes your assurance that steps have already 'been taken to have them considered. At this stage, therefore, we can only urge again that not a moment; should be lost in putting a workable scheme into operation. 12. Immigrants Replacing Men Called! up for Service.—The' Hon. Mr. Russell's statement did not cover the point mudu by the league that outsiders of mihlary age should not be brought in from other countries tr take the places of men conscripted in New Zealand. The league understands that renewals of permits in nil branches of industry Mid commerce, nro obtained without difficulty, and that these men have thus become permanent residents without being liable, for military service. The league emphatically pro'festa againit a continuation of/this practice,' and further contends that tho Military Service Boards should be directed "that no more recommendations be made to employers to import men to. replace (hose called up for service jd. New Zealand.

13. Land SetHement.-Tlie executive is ghd. to acknowledge the statement of the Minister of Lands as indicating an energetic policy in this connection, which, we trust, w'll be carried into full effect. 1. Protection of Businesses—The executive l/usis that Government will see its way after investigation and cbnsnltntior with the Efficiency Board to admit at the earliest possible mortent tlin scheme put forward by the I«\i?iip. as already many small bus'nessos hn'Ve been sacrificed for want of rome satisfactory provision for carrying thorn on.