Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY. MAY 18 1917 TREATMENT OF SOLDIERS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY. MAY 18 1917 TREATMENT OF SOLDIERS

The agitation for a special Miaister to deal direct, or with whom the rstnrned soldiers might deal direct, seems to be -justified more and more as time goes on. At preseat there is a great conflict of authority, and the returned soldier in particular seams to be driven from pest to pillar, and even then he cannot always reach finality. Perhaps a special Minister might be more than the legal constitution of a Cabinet would permit, bat at least thfte should bo an Undersecretary with a Department at his control through which Bny aud all matteis might be dealt with quicker than the present oiroumlocationary methods which now prevail. Apart from the experience in Otago, where the Danedin Patriotic Socie'y has called attention repeatedly to matters of moment affecting the men, aud which go on unredressed indefinitely, there have been cases locally., brought under our notice where the claims and appeals of the returned men receive but scant attention. Thie.is a matter which should engage the attention of Parliament at the earliest opportunity and wo hope the Government will be called to account at once, so that the administration of the returned to!-' dtera’ affairs will not be the scaidal it now is. One of thp compltiats against the present administration is the shocking confusion into which department correspondence has passed. There is frequent exasperating delay in dealing with matters, and a method of passing on the unfortunate from one officer to another which is in the nature of a gross scandal. We have a case in mind which has been before the Defence Department for moo the. It ill the question of payment of leas than £3 to an ex-soldier with a family whose case was brought pointedly before the Department, including the Minister of Defence. After weary waiting a friend was asked to probe the matter in Wellington. The reply

came! “Voucher for payment is wandering through a number of departments. It has reached—for approval. lam promised that steps will he taken to burry the payment along ” That was the 4th Aoril last. After waiting till the end of the month, further enquiry was made and this elicited the following : “Voucher eent to officer, war expense, for payment 19th April, Please communicate with that offioe.” Still the money remains unpaid, This is a shocking state of affairs. The officer who found at the end of April that a paltry sum of £3 or less, had not been paid should have made it his business to pursue tte matter himself, and not leave it to the ex-so'dier or his friends to follow up hie claim—a claim due since November last. If we may judge the general experience.by this local experience and the praaent is not the 1 only local case we have knowledge of, then the soaner the returned soldiers have a department for themselves the , "batter for them and certainly the better for the honor of the Dominion.