RETURNED SOLDIERS' CONFERENCE
REPATRIATION AND HOUSE-PLANNING
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Christchurch, May 31. At the Returned Soldiers' Association Conference to-day the question of the representation of the associations at the conferences was reopened. After considerable discussion it wns dccided that tho basis of representation of all local associations should be ono vote to every -iflO members, and that no association should have more than 20 votes, the votes of the associations to be equally divided amongst the delegates. It was further decided that all questions should bo settled by voting power, but tho conference could, as an alternative measure, revert to the individual voting, but this reversion should be settled by the voting power of tho associations.
The executive was instructed not- to accept the affiliation of any association which could not furnish satisfactory evidence of an immediate membership' of nt least , 100, this, however, not to apply to associations already affiliated or in "process of affiliation. It was provided that Headquarters should accept no affiliation without reference to the district committees.
Permanently Disabled Men. , The following remit was considered: "That the Government be asked to sot up a commission consisting of three men, of whom two shall tie permanently disabled soldiers, to inquire into the question of employing permanently disabled men in Government Departments and in other industries, and that in the event of delay the disabled men's pension bo made sufficient to keep them until positions are found for them."
Mr. E. F. Andrews (Auckland) stressed tho importance of the mutter, and pointed out that tho Stato was Che largest employer in the country. Ho felt strongly on the matter because'lie considered that these men were not being given a fair deal by the Government.
Mr. E. (Leadley (Christchurch) said that not only did the Government not employ/permanently disabled men, jbiit it was unwilling to employ returned men at all. A medical examination hud to be passed before a man cctiild enter the Government employment.
After further discussion, the remit was carried.
The Managerial Board of "Quick Jforch" was reappointed.
The Repatriation Committee's report win brought down and considered seriatim. Little progress had been made when the conference adjourned until tomorrow. Housing. Christchurch, June 1. The Conference of tho New Zealand Returned Soldfiera' Association resumed to-day (Sunday).
On Mr. M'Mnnus's suggestion Mr. Batten agreed to strike out the recommendation in the repatriation report that an apprentice should not marry until ho was a competent tradesman.
A motion that all snUlier apprentices should receive the award rate was lost..
A further motion, that, disabled men learning new trades should receive award rates was also lost. Mr. Batten pointing out that this would mean a,rush to the highest paid trades, in which thpre was no guarantee that a man would oyer become fully competent. The policy should .be to train men to_ become independent of Government assistance. It was resolved: "That, bavins regard to the present great scarcity of houses in New Zealand, the conference u'rcs on the Government the immediate and nressiii!' necessity Stnte action towards buildinz homes suitable for occupation by returned men and their dependents, and that it Should not be ; confined to erecting blocks of houses on special Gnvenir ifient areas, but should distribute houses •in as many quarters of the town as possible." \ \
Soldiers' Clubs. The conference affirmed the principle that the maximum grant for .businesses should bo increased from .E3C■o to iMO, with XlO3 free of interest. The repatriation report was adopted with minor amendments. The following definition of policy m regard to the clubs was adopted:— (li) The object* of a returned soldiers' club is repatrifttive, and is in 110 senso a.reward for service; (b) The club, if built with public money, should bo vested in a board of trustees consisting of cqua] numbers of civilians and returned soldiers/ The internal management of clubs should be delegated by this board to the committee of the local association, 60 long as such control and management are satisfactory. On Mr. Ballance s motion it was resolved: "Tlint this conference considers that the. Minister of Internal Affairs has 110 right to make a general statement as to the advisability or otherwise of returned soldiers' clubs. This is a matter of local, needs, and does not admit of a general ruling, since the legal position is not as stated by the Minister in the vetoing transfer of certain patriotic funds to returned soldiers, this veto to be at once removed." On -Mr. M'Callum's motion it vrfls resolved : . • , , "That the executive take nnv necessary steps to finally settle the legal questions involved in the matter oi the transfer to returned soldiers' clubs of certain patriotic funds." ' ■ ' On the recommendation of the executive sub-committee it was resolved that a Land Department and bureau should be constituted as a feature in the activity of every association' large enoujth to "warrant it; that the New Zealand Association should appoint a Dominion land Executive directly responsible to the executive, and charged with the association s policy of land activities; that a Dominion 'Land Office should be established in connection with Headquarters, under the control of a land organiser. At 5 p.m. the conference adjourned until 0.30 a.m. to-morrow.
Finance. The Finance Committee estimated the income for the incoming year at XSiW, and the expenditure at .£3833 los. Officers Elected. The following officers were elected:— President. Dr. Iioxor; treasurer, Air. «• C 'Vldricli; executive—Auckland, Messrs. Watte, [Jong, Pollock, and Ching; Wellington, Messrs. Batten, Harper. Gurtaj'ne, Bell, Corles, and Jacobs! (l'almerston North was fixed as the centre of the district); 'Canterbury, Messrs. M'Calhim, Leatlley, Anderson, and fecott; Otago, Messrs. M'Lean, Laing, Graham, and Jfiller. Government Employment, A motion to ask the Government to set up a Commission to inquire into the question of emploving permanently disabled men in Government Departments and other industries was carried.
ALL-DAY SITTING ON REPATRIATION (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Christchurcb, June 1. The Returned Soldiers' Conference had an all-day sitting on the Repatriation Report. Speaking on the subject oL control. Mr. Batten said that repatriation, to be handled properly, must not bo at the expense of other people, or it was not true repatriation. Every woman put out of employment was unjustly treated, but this was necessary because there; was not enough work for all at present, and to -have large numbers of soldiers unemployed would be a menace to the community. The after-war problem was reconstruction, and this if properly handled would automatically solve Hie unemployment problem. On (his subject he iiuoted a statement by the Hun. A. Jl. Myers on the need for increased production with improved methods and ft renter efforts, that the resources of the Dominion were uncxhaiistible, and thai by cordial co-operation between Capital and Labour the annual income might be increased to meet the country's additional obligations twice over. The Minister of Finance, the R.S.A., .the chambers of commerce, and everybody, urged the need for the expansion of oiir industries, yet nothing had been done. The matter was not an acadcmie theory, as had been said, but a practical necessity. Such a6oheme as outlined would provide em-
ployniDiit for soldiers, civilian?, and wonioii. Tho principle was a full opportunity for all. Tlio report was amended io provide for a central board of two business men and two nominees from tlio Ji.S.A. The only other amendments woro minor alterations.
Tlie housing problem was rv'tsidsrerl, and it was resolved to request the Government to net iiiimediately and build houses to relieve the situation.
' Mr. Curtnync, in moving, said lie bijed thero would bo no., delay, as houses were unprocurable, and rents exorbitant. llr. M.'Manus stated that, in some parts of Australia the Government had gone into the milling industry, and had in some cases built at lower than prowar rates.
Jt was decided that land bureaux be established as a feature of the R.S.A. work.
]t was resolved to set up a central executive in Wellington.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 212, 2 June 1919, Page 6
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1,317RETURNED SOLDIERS' CONFERENCE Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 212, 2 June 1919, Page 6
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