CHARGE OF NEGLECT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 12

CHARGE OF NEGLECT

UNEMPLOYED EX-SOLDIERS

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. "The Government is showing an'entire lack of sympathy for'the welfare of the unemployed ex-soldiers of the Dominion," declared Colonel-T. H. Dawson at the annual meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. "I can only conclude that Cabins); has not ,a, great interest in the welfaro of these men." Colonel Dawson referred to the recent sitting of the Behabilitation Commission set up by the Government at the request of the New. Zealand Keturned Soldiers' Association, at tho expense of, the men themselves, which sat in Auckland last November. A largo mass of evidence collected from all over the provinco was presented at tho sittings. So far, however, neither tho report nor tho recommendations of this commission had been issued. Any scheme of employment for ex-soldiers could not be successful without Government assistance, and private employers would not act -without a lead. "Soino Minister of the Crown has forgotten about this roport or is too busy to attend to it," said Colonel Dawson. ' "Too busy electioneering!" suggested the chairman. , A motion brought forward by Colonel Dawson stated: "That the meeting' viewed with great disfavour the fact that the Government had taken no action regarding the commission's recommendations and has not published the report." ' "Colonel Dawson was quite right in saying that the Government has been very las in giving no lead after six months,", said Major-General Sir George Bichardson at a later stage in the proceedings. There had been a great deal of work to be done in connection with the commission, he said, but all the evidence available had been brought forward to enable a right decision to be made. "Unless the recommendations are to be acted upon, the commission will have been an entirely useless . e-xpoiisc," concluded the speaker.; .

Private advices received in Wellington stato that Mr. D. M'Laren, who recently left on. a health-recrniting trip to England, has much improved in "-Ttaalth.