SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 23 May 1918, Page 2

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

HELENSVILLE BRANCH. A VERY well-attended meeting of the above was held in the Lyric Theatre on Thursday evening last, Mr J. F. Lambert (Chairman of the Town Board) presiding, Mr L. L. Bailey (hon. secretary) read the minutes of August 30th and May 2nd., which were duly f J^ confirmed, without any ponvf^ ments. A recommendation was received from the Intelligence Committee —That all appeals by reservists should be posted up at? - the local Post Offices a week previous to the hearing of such appeals. —Remit sent to Wellington. Proposed by Mr J. Nicholls and seconded by Mr Walker—That physical fitness only be considered as to whether a reservist should be exempted from the Expeditionary Forces or not. — Carried. A resolution was carried demanding the immediate review before a fresh Military Service Board of all exempted First r Division Reservists. Mr A. Hammond thought that the proposition should be revised. He would like to see all rejected men come up again before afresh Medical Board ; but he did not think it would do any good. Mr Walker said that it was an unnecessary expense on the part of the Government to send telegrams to every person called up, when the daily papers published the names. It was resolved —That this conference support the resolutions passed at a meeting of the Auckland Second Division League on April 16, as forwarded to Minister of Defence, and contained in a, b, and c : — (a) That the Executive Committee of H.S.D.L. while re affirming its loyalty and willingness to go on foreign service, calls , ' upon Parliament to insist that before any married men are called into camp under the provisions of the Military Service Act, the separation allowance for wives shall be increased to 6s per day (the soldier's deferred pay to be held for him by the Government until h's discharge), and further, that a Minister for Repatriation be appointed and a special Department be creatrd to deal with all matters affecting returned-men. (b) That the Helensville S.D.L. ' insists that in view of the • speeding up of Reinforcements under no circumstances should the system of three, clear months of notice aftjer medical. examination be abandoned, and calls upon the authorities to make the necessary arrangements to maintain the system at once, if necessary bringing forward the ballots for future classes, (c) That this meeting of the Executive Committee of the H.S.D.L. calls the attention of Parliament to the failure of Government to fulfil its promise that the men on Home Service ' would receive increased separa- - tion allowances, and asks fcr ■ an immediate remedy of this injustice, and urges that Parliament demand a full and immediate enquiry into this matter in the interests of maintenance of public confidence in ; our Defence System. The next business was to appoint a delegate to represent the Helensville branch at the Wellington Conference, to be held on Wednesday, May 22nd. Several gentlemen were nominated, but all declined owing to pressure of .• business, and it was finally - left to the Chairman and Secretary to do their best to make the selection. [Later on Mr H. Aitkenhead (County Chairman) accepted the position, and proceeded to Wellington by Monday night's express.] It was agreed that the sum of £1 be voted towards the cost of printing pamphlets' entitled Handbook for Reservists." After enrolling a few more new members the meeting dispersed.