RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 22, 21 October 1919, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS

DOMINION CONFERENCE

PAY AND ALLOWANCES

RETROSPECTION FOR OFFICERS

The conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association continued its sittings yesterday. Dr. E. Boxer (Sastlngs) presiding.

The Pay, Allowances, and Gratuities isoniinittee recommended:. "That every endeavour he made to have the increase in the rate of officers' pay made fully, retrospective." Mr. J. D. Harper. (Wellington) said that there was every reason why confcience should light tor introspection for. officers. There had beeJi increases of pay to officers, and lie wished to affirm the principle that they should receive full reborpect'on. Officers on home service in Now Zealand were receiving more pay than those at tho front. . Mr. W. lV.lock (Auckland) said that at tho last Dominion Conference this question was shelved. But now ho was convinced that officers should have full retrospection in increases of pay. The chairman pointed out that the motion passed ,-it t!ic Chr.'stchurch Conference debarred the discussion. Mr. Harper then moved that that motion 'be rescinded, and tho remit take the place of that motion. Tho general secretary, in leply to a question, said that the letter to the Minister of 'Defence stating the associate's fuU'claims included tho demand for Is. per day for tho cailier men in camp, retrospective allowances for children, and retrospective allowances lor widowed mothers. Further, the association pointed out that as they had no record of the increases granted, they reserved tiie light to put forward any claim which might have been overlooked. • Mr. LV K. Andrews (Auckland) cla'med that if the association was to be consistent it. would have to support the claims of officers. He would support the motion. Mr. W. Perry • (Wellington) also supported the motion. On being put to the meeting, tho motion was carried unanimously, Other clauses of the committee's report were as follow:— ''Soldiers' financial assistance he made fully retrospective to all members of the N.Z.E.F., and that legislation be introduced to give effect to this nrineipTe." "That clause 12 of the -"iovernment's scheme, as passed by Parliament, in ivl.ich these allowances cannot lie cla'nied no a right, and are issued at the discretion of the Minister of Defence, should, be withdrawn." (The elans" refcred to reads os follows:—"None of the allowances authorised in this order can bo elaimeil as a right, but are issued at the d'scretion of the Minister of Defence.") Mr. .A. T). Sievwright ■ (Werin"ton), speaking In the million lliat the bo <ulnnted. said that clause 12 drMt W'fh. nllowancn*. and they could be claimed a.s a right,, irrespective of co'ifeience's feel-'.ng regardin.i Ihe gi-atn'lv. The chairman suggested t.het the reason for the clause was flint, tlm Government desired to protect itself against offenders Mr. W. Fj. Leadley (Christehureh) paid that the Government eou'd not take awav tile riiht* of returned soldiers, and he termed the clause a slur.. The clauses- were passed without fitrth"r discussion. With rvrard to grata'ties, Ihe conference resolved that the ne~'od snent in hri=nitijl bv returned pobHer? in Vow lv> ceii'it"d n= ar-five corvieo for the nn-ncse of the (.'"nlu'l". rwj#M flint gr,nli:il|"s cense on . T un" 2S. "llfi. stieh <"nbb'"rs o.i'e /'•«'hnr'"d or pnf. Tt v*i« also <'rr :, N] that /i» a TO";ral nnneinle; de"e"="d fe'iliers p''or. d be "lid lo the Icel t :, '" c of such fuldiers i" "--"rv e" e e: and |ltn| t'-\ .'oil clinnbl be made from n"V "I'llirlv for any p)il''^iry o( v -"ep oomm-'i-f •[! e ff "r J.nrta'fH in l< l Tlln "'lio follow'* 1 " voi-'jf din' Oil V 'W^rr'v l fn' )lip f »i"\ Toy (>•>"{( VIM mif] InVt, M.f- tw 'N** nniM fo f'm flpd rMiov w'nM'cj pr!> otll^r wiflp : fnr." ■ ■ Orq-inie-flt'on The organisation of.the (issoc ntion was further ..referred to. rfhen a further attempt was made to .definitely interpret the proiwsals of tho Organisation Comm.ttee. The matter was introduced, by Mr. J: 11. Luxl'ord (Waikato), who went oyer the previous discussion which led up to the amendment moved by Mr. D. Pinifch (Uore), wlv'ch, in .effect,, was nn interpretation of the intention' of tho Orgamsat on Committee. Mr. Luxford, however, claimed that the originnS claiße with the amendmont added rendered the clause difficult of interpretit'on, The committee had again gone into the interpretation of the clause, and had conne to the conri'iision t.hnt the. following should be substituted:—"The .Provincial associations shall work under a common coufit/tution to be laid down by the Dominion Council., and tlio provincial asso-c-'ations shall 1m subject. to the control of the Dominion Council and the constitution bo altered accordingly." The following was the tonsfcruet'on to be phcetl on tiie amendment:—"Tiie provincial associations ph 111 be subiect to contrcv'. of the N.Z.K.S.A. Council (that is, conference) in creneral meetin?. The exenutive of the N.7,.R.R.A. shall hav» full power to enforce upon provincial associations the resolnt.-'ons of the council, but otherwise shall not control provi»"'il jwsocintiohs." This was adopted after some further d ; seussion, and Me.«rs. Lnxford and .Smith proceerled to draw up a constitution in accordance with the or.eanis'ation scheme, which will be submitted to-day.