RETURNED SOLDIERS DEPUTATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 26, 25 October 1919, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS DEPUTATION

EXPRESSION OF DISSATISFACTION. The replies of the Prime Minister , and other Ministers of the Crown to the proposals put forward by a deputation of returned soldiers this week wcro considered unsatisfactory at the conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday. ; ■ " In this connection Mr. H. M. Haycock (Palmers-ton North) moved:—(l) That this conference is of . the opinion that the replies given by the Prime Minister and other Ministers of the Crown to the deputation of delegates which waited on the members of Parliament on October 22 were not sufficiently •definite. (2) That the executive and advisory council of the N.Z.Ii.S.A. respectfully -'urge upon the Government to bring down measures giving effect to the representations made at the earliest possible;moment. (3) That Parliament as a whole bo urged 10 give its whole-hearted support in order to place such measures on the Statute 13ook. and to ensure that they are effective proposals from tho point of view of the returned soldiers of this country, (i) That the people of New Zealand be asked to cci-operate with the returned soldiers insisting that their elected representatives' shall proceed with a bold policy of reconstruction and development. Mr. N A. Chins (Kawakawal seconded the motion. In moving the motion, Mr. Haycock asserted that- the Prime Minister had "funked" the one main point of tho deputation, and that was with reference to tho breakiiiff-np of tho largo estates. ,lt whs not a matter of the Ministers forgetting tho point, for they were reminded of the question, and still refused to give a definite answer. There was 'another point to which a most evasive answer had been given. In this case file Hon. Mr. Coates was concerned, and tho ouestion was one of retrospective pay for ofliccrs. He said that Cabinet lmd considered the question, and had. decided that the mntter could not be conceded. The speaker maintained that the association coulo! not toleiato such an attitude.. and lie himself reserved tho right; to bring the matter before his association. again. The association was to ficht for the officers as well as the rank and file, and ho maintained that all Ihroueh the association had upheld the principle of retrospection, and it must applv in the case of officers. No reason was given by the Government for £- fnsiti? retrospection in the case ,nf omeer* and ho hoped that steps would bo taken to sec tlmt Parliament, gave the maHcr its earnest consideration. . The motion was carried.