RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS

REMITS OF CONFERENCE

PRESENTED

PENSIONS AND ALLOWANCES

Tho executive of the Now Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association interviewed momhers of the Government on Saturday and placed before thwn certain requests and recommendations arisiug from tho recent conference of the association. The Ministers present were: Sir James Allen (Acting-Prime Minister and Minister for Defence), Sir William Fraser, the Hon. A. M. Myers, W. H. Hemes, G. W. Russell, W. D. S. Mac Donald, and D. I[. Guthrie.

Tho members of Dominion Executive N.Z.R.S.A. present were: Dr. E. Boxer (president), Hastings; Messrs. C. W. Batten (vice-president), J. D. Harper, H. J. F. Aldrich, It, B. Bell, A. Curtayne, Wellington; B. ,1. Jacobs, Palmerston North; J. A. Cowles, Wairarupn; D. Willis, Hawera; W. Pollock. Auckland; A. S. Lain?, Dunedin; T. Millor, Taieri; H. Scott, Timaruj N. B. M'Callum, W. E. Leadley, Cliristchurch; L. S. Graham, Invercnrgi.H; D. J. B. Seymour, general secretary; and Lieut.-Colonel G. Mitchell, AVellinirton district organiser.

Dr. E. Boxer, president of the association, introduced the deputation. He congratulated tho Government on tho successful conclusion of New Zealand's share of the war. The New Zealand Expeditionary Force had done its work, nnd had been classed at tho War Office. The returned men recognised tho desire of the Government to db the right tiling by the soldiers as it had dono by tho Army. Dr. Boxer emphasised that the association was a non-political body.

Repatriation Problems,

Mr. B. Jacobs (Palmerston North) said returned soldiers as a body, recognised that the Government had made a very great and very earnest effort to secure tho proper nnd just repatriation of the soldiers. The association, in its turn, was sincere in its wish to hel<p. An enormous problem had to be faced in tho adjustment of the disorganised conditions created by the war, and the extent of tho social disorder that must invade Now Zealand, as it was invading other countries, would depend upon tho measure of success, achieved by the Government in ' the task of repatriation. The conference had brought forward a land policv, which represented the ideas of the soldiers and the opinions of experts. The policy was intricate, and ho did not intend at that stage to ask for tho views of the Government. He would hand copies of tho policy to tho Ministers and ask them to ■ peruse it carefully and seriously. The association realised that times were abnormal and that abnormal machinery was required. The Land Purchase Board had done good work in the past, but one of tho suggestions made by the association was that tho purchase of land for soldiers should bG taken out of the hands of the board. If necessary he could quote illustrations of the desirability of a change. , . \ Mr. D.-Willis. CHawera) said the, present machinery of land purchase was inadequate. He realised that-the scheme suggested by the soldiers might be too complex and might have to be simplified. Tho association was suggesting that the Government should help soldiers to get land by taking up 6econd mortgages. The settlement of 10,000 men on tho land by purchase was too expensive. The country could not accept the burden. Tho payments huge amounts of cash to land yondors was creating a most undesirable financial situation, and it was pushing up land values. The association's suggestion was that vendors should carry the first mortgages on land sold to soldiers, the Government assisting with the second mortgage. . i

Reconstruction. Mr. C. W. Butler spoke, of general repatriation problems. The association attached enormous importance to tho land settlement scheme; It suggested that the purchase for homes should be controlled by the Repatriation Department, in order to relieve.the Land Department and secure quicker action. Tho change would have tho further advantage of direct local control of house purchase.- It was a fact that some men had been assisted to buv houses that were too expensive in relation to their incomes. The question of employment required attention, .there was very littlo demand for labour at present, and the men who were returning had difficulty in getting jobs. Those conditions could not be'.left to adjust themselves. There was work for all in New Zealand if action were pushed in the right direction. _ Tho association was asking for a board of reconstruction. Mr. W. E. Leadley (Christchurch) said no soldier should be required to accept a position that was financially or socinllv inferior to the position he left when he joined the Army. The loans that could bo made by the Repatriation Department for tho purchase of businesses and furniture were not snffioient. Unemployment was more acute among returned soldiers at. present than it had beon before. There were three hundred men out of work in Auckland and ono hundred and • twenty in Christchurch. the position in Wellington was better. Unemployment was growing all over the country owing to the coal shortage.

War Pensions. Mr. J. D. Harper said at present a soldier's wife was not eligible for pension if the marriage took place abroad after the soldier's.disablement. Sir James Allen: Unless there was an engagement previously. Mr. HaTper said a further restriction, prevented a pension being paid to an ex-soldier's wife in New Zealand unless tho marriage took place within two years of his return. The association felt that these restrictions should be removed. Disabilities arising from war service might occur after tho two vears. The association did not suggest that wives in such cases should rcceivo pensions unless they were in actual need owing to the inability of tho husbands to support them. Mr. Jacobs argued in favour of the appointment of an appeal board to deal with cases of alleged hardship under tho War Pensions Act. Tho Pensions Board had a great deal of ground to cover, and while expressing satisfaction with tho general way iu which applications wero handled, the association felt that there was need of an appeal board. He emphasised the desirability of increasing the allowances is totally disabled men. Dr. Boxer suggested that if a returned soldier, wishing to insure his life, was required to pay loading on account of war disabilities, tho Government should pay tho extra money, provided tho insuranco was effected with the Government Office. Tho association asked for certain concessions to limbless and injured meii. Dr. Boxer asked the Government to tako steps to declare 'Anzac Day a national holiday, all places of amusoment and hotels to bo shut. The holiday could tako tho placo of Dominion Day.

Sir James Allen's Reply. Sir James Allen said ho was grateful to the deputation for the- helpful and earnest spirit in which it ha<l approached the Government. Tho difficulties of reconstruction would bo greatly reduced if tho returned inon continued to do their duty in tho way they had dono it at the front. Ho thought tho association was wiso lo remain non-political. He would 1» glad, at tho'samo time, to see some members of the association in Farliamont. With regard to reconstruction, all Ministers were anxious to do the lrcst for the country. Ho had given much thought to tho subject, anil ho had hnd reconstruction in mind when the Nalional Efficiency Board was set up. Jlc was sorry there was not now in existence sonic body (hut would havo tho power and tho knowledge to consider the development of industry, the promotion of now industries, and kindred problems. This was tho work that ho had hoped the Efficiency Board would bo able to undertake.

The Repatriation Board

The promise given by tho Government in regard to repatriation, said Sir James A lion, was that ovory man would bo placed in at least as good a position as ho had occupied Iwtore he weut to the front. He would say that tho Eepatriation Act, as passed by Parliament, had

not been quite what he wanted. He had thought that a board headed by one Minister would bo better than a board of four Ministers. But ho believed now that the four-Minister board had dono Hie work for which it had boon set r:p. Ho could say, moreover, that tho Director of Repatriation had done excellent work and had surprised him.

Pensions for Wives. He had not wished to encourage New Zealand soldiers to marry in England. The refusal of a pension in the case of a wife married to a disabled soldier abroad after disablement, when there had been 110 previous engagement, had been intended to prevent soldiers being exploited by doaigning women. The provision that the' wife of a disabled soldier, married after return to New Zealand, could obtain a pension only if the marriage took place within two years of the man's return wag under consideration, and hu was prepared to placo before Cabinet the question of whether the time limit should bo vemoved or not. Disabled Men. In regard to totally disabled men, tho present legislation provided for supplementary allowances and attendants'' payments. The board had recently authorised a pension of .£4 a week to a blind soldier. A totally disabled soldier and his wife, without children, were receiving between them J!5 a week. Mr. Harper: Supplementary allowances are governed by pre-war earnings. Wo want to eliminate that and get the .£3 15s. in all cases. Sir James Allen: That is a matter of policy. I will submit it to Cabinet, but I don't think you have mode out a good case. Referring to a pensions appeal board, Sir James Allen lie <Jid not think such a board would be useful to the soldiers. The Pensions Board would 1 grant vehearings where nrcessary. The' policy of the board had been made more liberal in consumptive cases. The i Government was arranging to attach to the board a medical officer of wide experience, ii New Zealander with war service. This officer would be able to determine whether or not disability was duo to war service. ' The Hon. W. H. Herries, chairman of the Repatriation Board, said the points mentioned would be considered by tho board.. He paid a tribute to the good work done by the local repatriation boards. / The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald assured the ideputation that Ministers wero earnestly desirous of promoting.the welfare of the returned soldiers and the Dominion. The association's suggestions would be considered. ■ The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said he agreed the Land Purchase Board had not been strong enough, to deal with the enormous mass of work that had to be undertaken. He was strengthening the board by the appointment of new members of local committees, and he had outlined a schemo that, would be placed before Mr. Massey. This.6cheme, if adopted, would make drastic changes in tho system. Mr. Guthrie referred to land settlement problems. The Hon, G. W. Russell replied with reference to patriotic funds and venereal The deputation thanked the Ministers for their attention.

THE R.S.A PROPOSALS

SCHEDULE PRESENTED TO i MINISTERS. i The proposals placed Wore the Ministers by the executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association were as follow— REPATRIATION. (a) That as a general principle all women who have taken up appointments vacated by soldiers on joining the Expeditionary Forces retire in favour of those soldiers or any other soldiers capable of fulfilling; their duties. This is an emergency measure in view of the urgent necessity for re-settling the soldier with the least possible delay. The extent to which this rule is applied measures the extent of tho failure to properly recover from the war. That all Government positions be filled 'by the Repatriation Department. (b) We agreo with' tho evident policy of the Department to pay sustenance only when it is clearly shown that the applicant has endeavoured to get employment. When the allowance is due, we contend that the provision should be adequate. The present allowance is 3s. 6d. for each child. The proposed scale is: Present Proposed scale. scale. Man end wife 52/- 55/Man and. wife, 1 child 55/0 (j3/-' Han and wife, 2 child. 59;'- 70/Man and wife, 3 child. 62/6 75/Man and wife, i child, mi- 80/- ■• (c) That the' maximum of business loan should be raised to .£SOO, because'experience has shown that .£3OO is in some cases inadequate—.£loo should be free of interest. (d) Having regard to tho present great scarcity of houses throughout the Dominion, the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association urges upon the Government the immediate and most pressing necessity for Slate action towards building hpmea suitable for occupation by returned men and their dependants. That is not to be confined to erecting blocks of houses on special Government areas, but to distribute houses in as many quarters of the town as possible. (e) That all application for urban and suburban properties, as distinct from rural tads, come under the administration of the Repatriation Department. (f) That the maximum amount of furni-. hire loan be raised to X 75 free of interest which is the lowest amount that will provide ■ for kitchen, livingroom, and bedroom. (g) That widowed mothers should be eligible under tho Repatriation Act. (h) That one Minister should bo appointed solely to control a Reconstruction and Repatriation Department, 'that' a board of four should be set up and presided over by the said Minister, such four members should include,two business men and two R.S.A. representatives selected for their suitability for the and nominated by the National Executive, (j) That a board as above be at onco sot up to formulate a policy,on the lines of the -draft scheme drawn up by the executive. PENSIONS. (a) That in tho opinion of this conference provision should be made subject to the necesary safeguards so as to make wives of returned soldiers who have r.iarriod at any time since war disablement eligible for a pension. (b) That tho scale of pensions to totally disabled men be revised, as this association considers that same is totally inadequate. That the minimum pension be iS,I 15s. per week in the enso of permanently, totallv disabled singlo men. (c) That the Government be approached to form a Pensions Appeal, Beard. (d) That this conference is of opinion that sootion 3, sub-section 2, of tho War Ponsions Act, 1315, which provides that pensions for death of a member of the forces as a result of wounds, injuries, or diseaso is restricted to a period of seven years, should bo amonded to provido for pensions to bo payable, either in the case of death or disablement at any time aftor death or dischargo whore the death or disablement is tho result of war services. (o) That it bo a recommendation to the Minister of Defence to arrange a. supplemontarv pension in cases of permanent disabled men in view of locomotor disability, and that arrangements bo made forthwith. ALLOWANCES. (a) That this conference demand of tho Government that all war allowances and financial assistance to returned soldiers and their dependants bo made retrospective to the dato of the soldier's entry into camp. All payments to bo made absolutely in full. (b) That tho Government be asked to pay tho extra Is. per day for tho first month of service to all .men who received the reduced pay for that period. (c) (i.) That the scale of allowances payable, to widowed mothers is totally inadequate and one that has indicted great hardships upon both the wHdowed mother and soldier. (ii.l That where' l!u> widowed mother is totally dependent on one son a member of tho I'I.TV, she should lit- placed in a similar position to the childless wife and draw tho same allowances, payment of ouch allowances to bo made retrospective. (iii:) Thai whore all th" <nns of a widowed mother have inlistcd sho bo entitled to an ullowancp, and should not be compelled to live upon the allotment money of such soldiers. (iv.) That as tho widowed mothers' separation allowances were instituted after most of the single men had left New Zealand and had no opportunity of be-

coming awaro of the fact that these allowances had boon provided for, tho provision .in tho regulations that grants bo made from the date of application only be cancelled, and provision made lor applications for grants from dato' of enlistment to be considered on their merits. (d) That jf r returned solditr not in receipt of a pension wishes to insure his lite any loading of premiums caused by servico siiould be borne by the Crown provided the insurance is effected through the Government Life .Depart-, inent. <