SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 255, 16 July 1918, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

I REC6HD OF A YEAR'S WORK !l(! . , al CONCESSIONS SECURED (•. „ PS ,d IV' first annual rep,,, I .-.f l|,p W"!- ~, iiiglon Second .Division |. ( , UM( , M < 011 l x . tlii> improvement;; nuidu in ;'ondilions of K military vc.n-icc niucn tho f,)i matioii of ,e ho leaguo of March 27, JOI7 The. i- li'«tiue, (1,,-, report *l,i.i O s, was called info to exislenco by tli ß realisation of reserves ,„ oi two great duties: (1) Their natural 0 <l*i 1J - to lheu< homes as luislinmN falh1. and proleclors of iheir depeiidanls; k (y Ihoir duly (o (ha .Stale in (hn lime n- ol Einpiro peril. ,\.s a ;osul( of fhe work ■ 0 ol tliH several conferences ol (Im Fedor--1 iilod l.ongues tho follo.ving main prinli, ciples havn been established and coni. cessions secured :— ir (I.) Tim adoption of (he principle that (ho Sfalo should lako lull responsibility I- liom ilifl timo a resernst enters camp. ia _ (2) A definite promise I hat no reserviv ist shall bo sent into enmp until fwelvo week;; clear after the medical examinaII lion: i- (-3) Pensions for disablemont lo l>o by n schedule wilh a definite minimum 0 iimoni'.t jfor a definite injury. d (I) Tlh< incapacilnfed joMier and his e dependanls (o bo restored r,s i-carly as pussiblo to their pw-'.iav st.indarcl of it living. J c (a) A special allowance of up (o £1 per week to cover washes losl through !- undergoing special msdicul treatment, e (G) Allowance for .in attendant ing creased from 10s. to J!l per w;e!i. i, (7) Special pension fo yua-rdijn of e motherless children. ;- (8) Pension on death of soldier in- :, creased as follows:— u Old i ale New rate ]>er week, per week. 1 S (I. S. (1. i- 'Widow of private (no :! children) 25 0 .'lO 0 ■\Vidow of private (children) 25 0 4(1 0 Each child 7 G 10 0 (An additional amount of 15s. ver week claimable to bring up lo pre-war standard of comfort.) Guardian of Motherless child up lo — CD 0 Each motherless child.. )."> 0 15 0 Widowed mother up to 25 0 .'0 0 (!)) Pensions on disablement .increased - as follows:— f s. d. s. (I. n Soldier on total incapacii' tation 55 0 -jO 0 n Wife of soldier 12 li 20 0 n Each child 7 (5 10 0 ;1 (An additional amount of £1 per week :- claimable to bring up to pre-war statid- '. ard of comfort.) n (10) Separation allowances increased as n follows:— e . . s d. f. d. i- Wife of soldier 7 0 21 (l e Each child 5 3 10 6 .: Widowed mother (depcmlI. a-nt) 7 0 10 C 1 Invalid father, widower - | (dependant) — 10 C :i Guardian of motherless children 7 0 21 0 i. Special provision for !. brother and sister (dependant) — 7 0 a (Income embargo on widowed mother - relaxed from 7s. to 15s. per week.) 8 (Property embargo on widowed mother - relaxed from ,£250 to £a 00.) (11) Financial assistance increased from . possible grant of J;2 per week to possible 9 grant of-,£3 per week. AVith prospect ? or iire-war standard being considered. i (12) Wife's personal earnings not to be t taken into account in making grantu of 1 financial assistance. 3 (13) Eemoval of differentiation between . balloted and voluntary recruits in regard r to application for financial assistance. 1 (14) Special maternity grants to wives - of eoldiers through the Financial Assisti anco Board. - (15) Promise of consideration of provi- . sion of medical attention in severe cases f of illness. i (1G) Kight of applicant for pension not • to bo aftected if death of soldier occurs : while undergoing punishment for o(?ence committed by him. (17) Promise of special provision to . protect dependants of soldier whose pay is stopped as a result of punishment for misconduct, Tho report slates that these improvements have been obtained m the result of continued pressure; each proposal was met at first by the official reply that it could not be done. The league has also afcen up numberless personal cases. The Uelhngtou Ciiy Leaguo now has a membership <if about a thousand, the executive has posted free lo every reservist called in the ballots in •ho Wellington Military District a handbook of advice and instruction. Up to ho present seme fourteen thousand handbooks have been sent out. includiii" a lew hundred supplied to branch leagues and tho National Efficiency Board During tho year about 2000 special letters Imve been written in respouse to inquiries made by Wellington reservists and soldiers' dependants. -Over a thousand personal interviews havo been "-iven at the office of tho leaguo. The report concludes: "The general policy of the league as laid down by tho lirst Dominion Conference, held in Julv 1917, has been elcsoly adhered to and in tins respect the executive desires tn point to a very unfair form of criticism induced in by the opponents of the league when they state that the kwuo is asking for more,' and that it has increased its demands. These Bii<"»e3- ,: ( '? n fi "i? entirelv without foundation. At the nrst conference above mentioned certain standards were set up and these iav« never been increased. Uni'orhmatey they have not yet been attained, but tho league hopes that by co-operation with tho other leagues throughout NonZealand lull and complete justice will bo attained tor our soldiers and adequate provision for their dependants. Tho executive desires to express the league's thanks to tho Press for the generous dis7><>sal of its valuaWo space in recordin" the. league's activities. Without thih' assistance the. lensuft could never hare earned out thn work that it has done nor achieved such a considerable meas-ure-.ot success in its proposals to tho Government. . . . Already ihe medical examinations havn indicated (o nianv momliprs that they will ~o t bo leaving Nw Zealand lo servo (he Empire. ;i,,,| it remains for them to look after the inInre.ifs of our soldiers, and (n <-o;;v> ever-' opportunity of preaching mid pmclisiii''' 1 1" , duly of (he. man why doe-ni'l liavi- in RO.\' -