RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 288, 30 August 1920, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS

DOMINION EXECUTIVE MEETS. The Dominion executive of the New Zealand Returned' Soldiers' Association met in Wellington 011 Saturday. , Dr. E, Boxer (president of the association) 00 cupicd the chair. Major-General Sir Andrew ltussell attended the meeting'in the morning, and expounded the aims and objects of the National Defence League. The discussion with General Russell was taken id private. The matter of Asiatic immigration was referred to the next meeting of the executive, by which time it is anticipated that the proposals of the Government will have been brought down. Regarding the claim that retrospective pay at the' rate of Is. per day from 1914 until January, 1917, should be paid to artificer-sergeants, it was reported that 'lie Minister of Defence was opposed to the views of thei N.Z.R.S.A. on this Cueslioiij_ and it was decided that furCier action be taken. The Minister of Defence advised that had been made to grant hrsPelass accommodation, and. where possible, sleeping berths on trains to all hospital patients whose physical condition required these privileges. The committee decided to urge that ■similar arrangements be made in respeot to steamers.

A letter from the British section of the SVZ.R.S.A. was received, stating that the Australian branch in London and tho British section had amalgamated. v It was decided to reply, advising Hat the association in the Dominion would bo pleased to co-operate with the English body in every way possible. Correspondence was received from the Minister of Defence" stating that, in view of the possibility of a special, clasp being issued by the British Government for tho Gall'.poli operations, it was considered ad visible to await the decision of the Imperial authorities before doing anything in iJew Zealand in the way of specially commemorating the peninsula campaign. The executive decided to defer the matter until the ..Imperial authorities announce what they arc going to do. Mr. D. S. Smitli reported upon anrnW terview with the officer in charge of war funds, who intimated that liugo sums of money collected throughout tho Empire for' various funds were being held in England, and not being distributed at

ftll» It was submitted that this fund should bo distributed as intended by the original collectors and subscribers, ft ml that further moneys gathered should be kept ill, the country instead of being sent abroad. The meeting passed a strong recommendation to the executive sub-committee to take appropriate action if further investigation shows that the information supplied to tho association is substantially correct. It was decided that, subject to the needs of repatriation of New Zealand soldiers and so far as may be found advisable as an investment for the State, certain bawfits of the Ecpatriation Act and o> the DSS Act should be extended to ex-Imperial soldier immigrants. Tho executive sub-committee wa6 instructed to briii" down a selicme embodying assistance" for ex-Imperial soldiers, as follows-, -fa) In the granting of loans for tools of'trade; (b) loans for furniture; (c) in the obtaining of employment and payment of fares of those proceeding, to employment; (d) training unskilled men m trades in which there may be a shortage of Jabour—employers and Labour nu'ons. to be consulted on this point; (e) additional provisions under the Land tor bettlement Act, and the provision of advances for improvements to, and stocking of. farms. i