EX-SERVICE MEN

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1921, Page 4

EX-SERVICE MEN

CAPE TOWN CONFERENCE, SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION, An important conference of representatives from all the soldiers’ organisations in the Empire is being held at Cape Town, under tbc presidency of Field Marshal Lord Haig. The New Zealand delegates are Messrs W. E. Lcadley and H. J. Knight, of. the Christchurch R.S.A. It has been arranged by the League of Comrades, South Africa, that Lord Haig and the visiting delegates shall visit the principal centres of the Union,

but the conference is by no means intended as a holiday jaunt, as some of the items of the provisional agenda of the conference will show. Amongst the items on this agenda are, organisation, under which heading are included sue>n big schemes as the adoption of a federal constitution for all ex-service men £ associations throughout the Empire, and the defining of the objects foi which the organisation will continue ti exist after the settlement of immediati problems. The reinstatement of ex service men is another main heading under which will he discussed lam settlement, employment, vocation a

training and immigration, while the matters of pensions and allowances, the establishment of homes for disabled soldiers, and education are also to be debated. Some of Hie matters of wide policy set down are the responsibility of cxoldiers for the maintenance of the Empire for which they suffered, the question of arranging reciprocal privates, and the possibility of associations assisting one another in the emigration „r those Who have suffered m henltl through service. The altitude ot ox service men towards present imlustnn problems, as they exist throughout lu Empire, is another subject set down to

discussion. The following are some oi the remits proposed by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association tor discussion at the Empire Conference;— Imperial Pensions.—That the Imperial Government he requested to take necessary steps to have the length o service of Imperial soldiers serving \u 1 overseas forces (whether on home service or otherwise) taken into account m computing the scale of service pensions in the Imperial Army. After-care of Imperial Soldiers. The N Z.R.S.A. recommends that a separate office he established by the Imperial Government for Imperial soldiers m Dominion countries, for the after-care of Imperial soldiers (other than soldiers'of the country concerned). For Conference of Empire Premiers. —lt is proposed that the following involutions shall be forwarded to the Imperial Conference: —That this conference views with alarm and concern the large number of unemployed sol-diers-in certain parts of the Empire, especially in the Mother Country, and calls for the immediate fulfilment ot the pledges given to the men serving during the war, and this conference earnestly prays that in order to avoid ,i social calamity the conference of Empire Premiers, to be held in June next, "ill give its immediate and close attention to the soluton of the problems raised, and to the prompt and successful repatriation of all ex-service men. ! The N.Z.R.S.A. welcomes the immigration of ex-service men and all nominated immigrants, but is opposed to unrestricted immigration, believing it to be of no benefit either to New Zealand or to the inmigrant.