REPATRIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1921, Page 1

REPATRIATION.

NEW ZEALAND LEADS

WELLINGTON, Ma y 2

"New Zealand is absolutely in the lead with repatriation of soldiers,” declares Mr W. E. Leadley, secretary ol the .Canterbury Returned Soldiers’ Association, who has returned from tn general conference of soldiers’ organisations held under the presidency of Karl Haig in South Africa. Having had this excellent opportunity of comparing notes with his comrades throughout the Empire, Mr Leadley has no qualification to make in his eulogy of the New Zealand system. “There is no country in the Empire can touch it,” he continued, chatting to a representative of the “Lyttelton Times” on reaching Wellington to-day. “Canada,” lie continued, “can beat us on pension. Tin, Australian gratuity scheme is slightly more liberal than ours, but taking our land settlement, pensions, gratuity and business loans, no other country can touch us, and New Zealand has a great reputation abroad.” One reason for tile high opinion hold of Now Zealand, apart from its repatriation scheme, was explained by Mr Leadley, this being that when other countries of the Empire were announcing deficits, New Zealand’s Finance Minister was able to show that lie had a surplus of millions. South Africa showed a deficit of £50,000 while the soldiers’ conference was being held “We are in for a time of depression,’ ’remarked the soldiers’ delegate, “and I am afraid things will he worse before they are better. In other countries both Governments and private firms are doing one or two things, reducing hands or making reductions in wages. If this is going to ..happen in New Zealand, I hope the principle i preference to returned soldiers will be upheld in lioth private and State emP lo y-” Speaking of the conference, lie said the result was the federating of Empire returned soldiers’ organisations undei one constitution, which was absolutely in harmony with that of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, and remits from New Zealand was carried almost in toto.

Questioned regarding his attitude towards ox-service immigrants from Britain, Mr Leadley declared: “I believe in it, but we should absolutely stop Asiatic immigration. We should emphasise more than ever a White N°" Zealand.”