THE SOLDIERS' GUIDE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10274, 8 May 1919, Page 8

THE SOLDIERS' GUIDE

A USEFUL PUBLICATION. ■- "When the tide of; voluntary ing was at.its height, the Defence Department and the. .National Recruiting Board received constant inquiries from intending soldiers as. to. their pay, the conditions of enlistment,; physical standard, , outfit, etc. Owing to the subdivision, of th«. various activities, so as to enable them to be efficiently carried out on a largo scale, it was necessary to inquire of several Gtovernmont ofnees before the soldier could_ get all the information he of ten. required. To meet this position, Sir James Allen directed the preparation of "The Recruits' Handbook," which gave the necessary details desired by most recruiis. .Now the wax is over, the Minister for Defence has made the same provision foi the returned soldier. From all departments of the State a journalist has collected information regarding the privileges and ■ concessions available to soldiers afld their dependents. They have been set out carefully, so as to cover tho three important stages of demobilisation—overseas, before discharge, and after discharge. In a carefully-indexed booklet of handy size there are 60 pages detailing the order of return from abroad, the assistance given to soldiers' wives, fiancees, and children, in the way of passage-money grants and advice upon arrival; tho educational scheme in_ England and concessions to scholars wishing to complete their education . abroad; the procedure on disembarkation in New Zealand; travelling tonoessions; provision of artificial limbs and other appliances: medical treatment before and after discharge (with description of the treatments at 20 hospitals directly under Dofence Department control); the curative and vocational training system in hospitals; pay and allowancosj including retrospective separation allowance; the Soldiers' Financial Assistance scheme, which lias been made restrospoctivo for men "who were serving abroad when the schemo was initiated, war pensions; the Repatriation Board's organisation and facilities given by it to returned soldiers; particulars of oourses at State farms, and expert advice on agricultural subjects available to soldier settlers: land settlement opportunities, including the financing of land purchases and the buying or building of dwellings; educational bursaries for soldiers desiring technical or other education; the conditions affecting soldiers who are members of the PMblic Service; issue of war medals; protection from legal action; and a number of other matters of importance to tho returned soldier. A clearly-written outline of all concessions is given, and the booklet contains directions'for obtaining further details when they or<i desired "When the whole of these activities are realised," states the introduction, "it is to be hoped that a perusal of this necessarily brief summiary 1 1 lead to a realisation that a tremeniious amount of work has been done to lighten the material sacrifices of our men, and that the end or tho war does not by any means mark' the cessation of the State's interest in the welfare of it« soldiers.' ,l Every returning f%vlicUor from the present date will receive a eopv of the Guide on the transport, and all others will be ablo to obtain it gratis from Defence offices and Base Records, Wellington.