HOME V. WAR SERVICE GRATUITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 5

HOME V. WAR SERVICE GRATUITY

Sir,—The'long whine by someone who adopts tho ill-chosen title "Equity" in your issue of October 14, calls for some Teply from tfio other side. Judging by the appeals made in other quarters' bv other home servico men for the soldiers' gratuity, I think we get an 'ndication of their real character. "If self the wavering balance' shako, 'tis rarely right: adjusted." It would have looked better if "Equity" had shown an ordinary courare and given his name, so that those who know him could investigate his statements concerning his own experiences. Throughout his long letter I could find no convincing argument tn sunport the home service men's claim for the Is. Gd. ner day. And for how long does ho want tliis pnid? From the date of, enlistment? Eirst'lot mo say that any'of those "In di"=oensables" who beg'ied owl prayed in vain to their commanding officers to send them to tho front (!), or any of those considered as medically unfit and forced to become home servico men, have gained or saved nioro in,pounds and pence by remaininir in New Zealand than they would had they gone overseas and earned' the present gratuity. They have not. had to Snend their nay on tronnsbips, in c'amps, and in the field on tii'ira neccwsarv to satisfy their appet>t«s: they have hnd tho be=t of food, regulerly.-and in quantity; 'they have been able to draw and use the full "mount of their pay; havo had easily-obtained leave concessions for week-ends, etc,; regular hours of work and ease; always a comfortable bed; sacrificed nothing in health; and had the opportunity of securing good portions and civilian pay, before the soldiers got back.

Nothing yet. granted by the Government is adequate financial recomnense to tho majority of the .returned fighting men, although the majority of the lntter, rocogniirng there must lie a limit to War expenditure, havo expressed themselves iw satisfied. Tho country ran never discharge its real debt to the men who fought and endured on the entrendied battlefields to save us from the dominnfion of the Hun. (And "Equity" doesn't say l>e got that, far, and. T ceiinot imagine ho did when ho savp Vs "borne service wns much lia»'der work.") Yet he "doe-: not wish to disparage the good work of t':e men who went overseas. . . . They diilitheir duty well. . . . Mf.ny of nr. did. quite as much an tho"> who wont awav. . . . Many of u« who stayed behind (I'd letter worV," WW handsnm" pra'sn! What eeoti'm! (Tt is readily mlm'Hert that tho«e who hnd to ptnv ren-<ln<-!*d efficient n«d n»"esst!rv service, but under most comfortable cond : tioi<\)

In the "firtrnipi of wn.r" "Trinity" was oTip of the liv?kv ones—an indisiv'nsnble home.service man—find it would b» TrioTp becoming anil. irracions werp lio and Pliph as lip to admit't, ftnd to givp nrnise. ar.d TPWtrd where it is due. men first" mwt Toma,in tho motto if we ,\'rp to have prwity in nWv'leses nnd rnn(wwsions to discharged. ®oldi#rs. Probably fhp"<> nre eases.' especially among the marripd homo snrvic* men, wherp ?njrm cn'.itn'tr Tii'Vht 1)0 given, nnd "Enuity" may f°pl lie lini a renHHinWe PTievnnce. He should not ">olc tn i»nin his pnd by ptnir.irwat.ini tbp nilpcpd mp-rts of liomp iwyiPp men to tl'p dotrimpiit of *hp men .who went oil • active sprv'pp. Owtn!nlv there wac, nothinrr in "EnnitvV. nrmimonlfl' or wamnt the I'. Pd.. (rrntniH' bpin"' onid to nil home service men.—l am. ft"., ,t P. W. 'nnSHNELL. Trentham, October H, 1919.