POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 24331, 21 October 1942, Page 6

POLITICAL POINTS

BADGE TO PROTECT DISCHARGED SOLDIERS (Special.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 21. The time for commencing actions against members of the defence forces under the Defence Act has been extended from three to six . mouths under a clause included in the Statutes Amendment Bill, which the House passerl yesterday. Making favourable comment on this provision, Mr Bodkin said this was very satisfactory in view of (lie recent official decision that the Crown would assume responsibility in case of accidents to vehicles driven by soldiers. The Statutes Amendment Bill, passed by the House of Representatives, makes a change in the constitution of the Meat Producers’ Board by providing for the appointment of an additional member on the recommendation of the Dairy Board. When this clause was uuder consideration in committee, Mr Dickie congratulated the Minister of Agriculture on making this improvement in representation on the Meat Board, but declared that it did not go as tar as was needed. He would like to see a more democratic form of election for the Meat Board, as the present system of an electoral college was a stupid one, which meant that, members, once elected, could stay until they died of old age. Stagnation would continue hntil the board had a system of election similar to the dairy producers. The cost of running an election of a couple of members of the Meat Board ran into about £7OO, yet a candidate for Parliament was only allowed to spend £2OO on his expenses- , ■ A special ration of sugar for jam making was advocated in the House by Mr Goosman in notice of a question to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Goosman suggested the issue of appropriate supplies to approved applicants,' based on the size of families. This would result in the reduction of waste of 'certain kinds of fruit, economy in labour, transport, and tin; and also cheaper jam. A distinguishing badge to be woni by men who have served in the armed forces and have been discharged was suggested by Mr Frost in notice of a question to the Minister of Defence in the House. MiFrost said that a number of men, including some who had served overseas, were suffering annoyance from people who sent anonymous letters and white feathers in the belief that the men addressed were avoiding military service. ’