SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 50, 23 November 1918, Page 2

SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES

A DEMONSTRATION

AN AMICABLE .SETTLEMENT.

There appears to haye, been .a."great deal of dissatisfaction and • discontent in the Featherston Camp, and this rcn.cl.is ed such. a..i)itc!utlii*t ;pn: Xliesday night" there was a'demonstration of nhqnt. 501)0 men inffrontt t of It is .alleged, -thut for, a time, the .position was ninigly one. However, wiser counsels jif'c- . viiiled,'.and , the iiien.j'jltiiu,atoly'.'appointed four of-their number to.'approach'tiie Cain p , ' ConViiiiVniljiiil: .ami -jaj;" their "grievances before h'ii'n.' Sergeant V. Eadie lias tho spokesman; and licsubinittedthe fol- . lowing before the Comninnilant' for con : sideration:— '■ -i '''■'. is' the authority for issuing a certificate of leave (without pay) in lieu of a discharge-(Form l D-.U. ■i(!,'-Tor-eigu Service ..Branch N'.jJ.E.F.) ?' (2) Is there anything in tho Defence Act'whfi'eby it'niail cTili ))p"dlech'Hrgtd as above (that is, leave; without pay)? ■What is bho Act and win-copies bo supplied?' ':- ■■" ' -' ." ' : (3) Tho principal medical officer- liavliigm'oniiiieiided', tho '•iisual fnurteeii (jays' sick leave to all men on being-dis-chnrgccl from -hospital who-liiid been'seribusly -ill , ,- and 'this'' liaving I)eeir : ahnouncnl to the men, by their officers, why ■hns it'been ■■ cancelled?" ■!■■■■■■ ■ •■ ■?.' (I) Why' has lihe: usual ."confinement" leiiye lieen-stopped? ■.- •■;-.••-■ ■• ■ (n) Why do the authorities, insist upon the men now in camp-taking leave -without- pay in lieu-.of -dischrfrge to 'boat homo during the..wives' confinements? (Ii) (Jan K-o-ge-t-an-jipsurance that all stoppages tlml have been- niiidn for' kit .lost (luring..tho time men -wero .iirhospila), and who-ihavi , now taken their leave without pay, will be refunded- -to them?.- . . : r ;- ■! ■ •..,.••■. '• •■:, -,•-,. ■' (7) Will the amounts "deducted for -tost ,"house.\v.iveS;'iand iv.hio.li.were-presented (o-tho men throngh-the -Defence Deparl;.ninnt by•"..the-... p»fritltic! ftsn(i.c.ialio.ns,'-;bo refunded to-. Hifiiiv? .-• ••'••-.- •■ • ■ ■■-. ;•■'•(s)■ Will-iin-jnq'iiijy be,miide.nnto -.all ijcftve'without,pay .-Rra,n,ted.in.. tliß.-past, and-if -found -to- '■']»■' illegal -will- -tjia amounts so ileduoted.from .the ppy of the ■men': anil • ■fypm'-.-the dopendants' - reparation allowances ,1)0 refunded to' them ? ~(9)'..}Vfiat 1 .pa,tn6.ti'c charily does:tlie,a.uthoritics propose--to-fayour. with the can-teen-funds now in.hiind?. '.;. ''..- : At/.T.rcmthai'n-.all men -wove -brtjer,ed. .to .brand"..their .kit' bags with their fame's '. .a'n.tf .jiuiiibers.. foi , :. itlentiiicatibn .purpose*;' 25.. Gd.' -has been- deducted -for al}. kit''bags.'ep branded. Will. ,tl)is ■amount, .ho retn'rnwj. .16: thosfl. .w.ho: have been called.upon to pay. it? • ... '.;'.':'■'. . -.(11) \Vill i-ipiite ■serviue..m'ea,,be.,jie- : phased under:.the jsanw,. eoiiditioris,as members of the' Expeditionary-Force? >• men waited w.hil.o.their .r.epresentatives were having icheii' intervieiy 'with tho Comniandant; a.nd behi]ved in a soldierly -■'nirtijiier, '-'•■Evoiitiiuily 'Sergeant Eadio. went out '.and disked the 'nie'ii ; to a'cliinr.itoj their .'lines", as .tlio. questions fjiil)inittcd to-.the- Gominniidant were to be. considered, by-'/tho- authorities..- The men-cjuietly dispersed<afl'(U' singing "Rule Britannia/' ■'•..-•■ .

.■■•/ On Thursday the Chief • of Stair': (Colonel' Gibbon-,- O:M.G.) and the Minister of Defenco(Si.r..-Jnnies t Allen) : visited the camp, and-the men , -appointed • Sergennt Eadiu to interview..tliom". .-dt.is alleged that tho-interviow. ;v ■ snniewiiat -stormy one, 'and a'gain 'Iho'-iiifen' could'get no satisfaction. ■■'.On- behtilf.of thu jnen, Secgeaiit Eadie ' theli --ivsked t-pwniiission to interview, Major-General Sir.-; Alfred K.qb'jn, wliioh: ;;:iiy«s'granted, .'• Yesterday the' interview took "•■•place, and.' eblupleto satisfaction, was'gjvei|- the men, all- their grievances being fully met. , . Colonel Tate, ■the- Adjutant-Generat-tp -tlio Forces,iii'hdSir- Juiiies,! Alleii 'gave: the -following an"swere' -to.. the- etevou,:tinegtiohswhich w'oro eubmitteil-'to -them:— ' : > Certificate of; Wave, Form D_.R. 46; isr'for the proleotion-qf-.tlVd men,"and- : .is. being used.-iis , a temppriiry substitute for a discharge-certracnte.. A'llbcuinent of 'actual.: discharge; would be- issued'' later, and its Toriii' -.was , no*V-uiu]6f.'coiiSidern-■■tion. ..-■■•••'•■■*.• '•■ ■..';•':-.'■:•'.', ■.•';",' . '.:■:' , ''V(2) ;Tho 'authority fol'.';''lpnVe' without ;pay" diachargo is. that of,-tliQ SolicitorGeneral. -■ ?.~,,?-v.~ *-V "'?.■ .-. •■(3). : .'The.-prinoipn'l niedicnl-.officer' or a medical board will again grant.iick leave as heretofore. ".• ■ ■■■':■- : ' ' .'• ■. ■ :(l and. 5) Confinement;leave, in'addition to the- -28. days' -pay. on- dischnrgc, would.be.'coiitinued <J.iu;iup.the .period of canijK demobilisation .providing, that tho. confinement: or-due , dale of confinement is within the period 0f.:,28:-..days, for •■which- each soldier normally on .discharge, from J i;iimp. ...'■.■; (6) .All stoppages that'.-liave been made in .respect'.or• lost kit -while; -in.eu--.were iu' hospital would, on sufficient .proof.: being furnished, be refuiidejl.- ■.'-■•'' (7) "Housewives" will be : regarded as the menVpropertyj and, niiiy-be retained by them.'.'ils hiejijßlitow'.of the , service, Refunds-for-lost ■'-'houe.ewives." will be : paid to those who.have paid for them , . ■■• (8) 'ILeave without pay." is'not illegal, •but in some, cases may be'inequitable, The cjuestion as.to:pay..-for the.-period of .•J'loave without'■pay" ami- , deductions.i'rom dependants' allowances,-whon leave wa.s granted for -sickness- and dehtlv : iii "famllirs would:be decided at an early date. •.,(9)'The Returned Soldiers' Hospital to' be established at Trenthnm< would be given- the-.surp.lu3 of ch'nteeh.'.funds-; (10) All lno'ney's-.deducted for i branded kit bags wonld::bo: refunded. ■..■■.'■■ (11) Homo-service men would be-troated in the same manner as men of the "Expeditionary Force in respect' to dischiirge. "■' .• ■ ■ • -' .-• '.- ■ ■ ""Tim men are Ypry well satisfied, witli the way the-authorities have, met them iii ;i v especl; 'to their• grieyjiiipes; arid can now' see that satisfactioji, could always be obtained by-'-going to work iii a coui Rtitiitirtaal and soldierly, way.' The' men, having,-been: met so -faiii\\ have deter-: •'mined to "play the game" till"the last :man-niiircliesout"of'camp.'. .... : -