SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 225, 11 June 1918, Page 6

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

MR. MITCHELL AND THE ASSISTANCE BOARD

RESIGNATION FROM LEAGUE

ASKED FOR

A special meeting of tho National ixecutivo of the Second Division League was held la6t evening to consider the position arising out of the league's withdrawal of its representative from the boldiers' . Financial Assistance Board, there was a full attendance of members. After fully discussing the position it was decided to make the following official statement:—

i.l). That the minute of the league covering Mr. A. S. Mitchell's nomination as the league's representative on the Soldier?' Financial Assistance Board reads as follows:— /?

That in response to the invitation from the Minister of Defence that the league appoint a representative to the vacancy on the board, that we nominate Mr. A. S. Mitchell to carry . out the league's policy as same may be determined from time to time. (2) That Mr. Mitchell was present at the meeting, and agreed to the resolution; tlio possibility of the necessity for determined action in the event of failure to secure a liberalisation of the board's policy was fully uiscussed, and Mr. Mitchell's personal position in the event of such action was made perfectly clear to him and to all members of the executive during the discussion. |3) That at an executive meeting held on May 30, 1918, Mr. Mitchell stated that ho was in full accord with the league's request for the £i lis. minimum clear income for the "wife only," and was doing his best to secure the adoption of this policy on the board. From the date of the appointment of Mr. Mitchell as tlio leagues representative on the board there lias been no change whatever in the policy or proposals of the league regarding financial assistance. (1) That the letter from the Minister of Defence to the league on the subject of the appointment reads as follows:—, March 22, 1918. I have received your letter of March 20 submitting for my ■ consideration the name of Mr. A. S. Mitchell, a member of your executive, for appointment to the Soldiers' / Financial Assistance Hoard, as a representative of the Second Division League, and in reply havo pleasure in advising you that His Excellency Mm Governor-General has been recommended to appoint Mr. Mitchell as a member of the board. $) That the point upon which the league decided to withdraw from representation on the Soldiers' Financial Assistunco .board was the board's policy as laid down by tlio Minister iir reply to the league, particularly regarding tho net minimum income for the wives! of soldiers and the attempt made to officially justify the policy whereby the wives of soldiers who are mothers are deprived of the full benefit of tho children's separation allowances. / (G) That Mr. A. S. Mitchell's resignation as a member of the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board was sent to the Minister of Defence without any qualiticaticu or personal reservation whatever, and in accordance with the decision of the league executive of which ho was a member. (7) That within a few hours of the receipt of tho resignation the Minister of Defence had sent for Mr. Mitchell and asked him to agree to rcnomination to the board; > (8) That the Minister's haste to secure the reappointment of Mr. Mitchell, in viev of the fact that he is a Class B reservist duo to go up for medical examination in the co'urse of a few days, and in consequence that any reappointment would'possibly only be effective for a temporary period, is inexplicable. j (9) That as no intimation of his action was sent by Mr. Mitchell to the league , three members of the executive- have in- | terviewed •■him since the announcement ■ in tho public Press of his agreement to reappointment by tho Minister, have heard from him his statement of the case, havo placed before him the manner in which his action would he viewed, and have suggested to him the. course of action which from the league's point of view they consider ho was in duty bound to take.

(10) Therefore, in view of the foregoing and tho fact that Mr. Mitchell has finally decided to sacrifice his allegiance to the league by accepting renoniiiiation to tho board, tho National Executive regrets that it is compelled to ask for his immediate resignation as a member of tlie league.