RETURNED SOLDIERS' PROBLEMS.

Shannon News, 29 June 1928, Page 1

RETURNED SOLDIERS' PROBLEMS.

RE-VALUATIONS FINISHED IN GEN. RUSSELL'S OPINION.

WORK OF EXECUTIVE BODIES.

A number of questions of interest to returned soldiers, particularly ,as relating to land and pensions, were touched on" by Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, in his address at the Levin R.S.A. reunion on Saturday night.

t With regard to the New Zealand headquarters of the Association, General Russell stated there was still a great deal of work in front Of it,-though it had pretty well settled all policy questions. It was no use thinking that there would be any further re-valua-tion of soldiers' properties, -Generally speaking the man on the land had now got his land at a fair value. He did hot think that it would be possible to have any more blocks thrown open, for soldier settlement exclusively, though the Association had tried to have this done. The time was past for asking for this sort of .thing. They had, however, to keep on the Statute Book the preference given to returned soldiers at the land ballots. In regard to housing, they had succeeded in having the disabled soldier placed on a good footing, giving him priority in applications. As to the remainder of the returned soldier applicants, they would have to refer to the Advances to Settlers Act. This meant that they would have to wait a long time, and that they did not know whether they were going to get the money or not. Sir Andrew cited the case of a man Avhomade his application two years ago and had not yet received>w,ord as to whether he would obtain a loan. He was one of six brothers who went to the front, and the speaker was going to try to persuade the Government to consider such eases as that.

General Russell Avent on to speak of the work of R.S.A. headquarters on bohalf of various disabilities suffered by returned men. He stated that a tremendous number of individual eases had been won through the actions of headquarters. The secretary, Mr Harrison, had had to deal with practically all- the appeals to the Pensions Board. He thoroughly understood the cases and knew all about the Act, and he was he best man to act as .counsel, Eightj pensions cases had been dealt with, and die speaker believed that,headquarters had Avon 90 per cent, of them. They dd not press cases, unless there was r. good chance of putting them through. During .the last three-months, the sec etary had had no . feAver than 295 per jonal intervieAvs Avith returned soldier; or dependants on cases'affecting then! and requiring attention. This dutj was in addition to all the office Avork, and Mr Harrison was being worked t> death. The Association was trying U make different . arrangements in the jffice, so that Mr Harrison could go ou more, and it Avas hoped that he wouh be able to visit the various branche .aid keep in touch- Avith them. •■. - , Members Avould be interested to hoa about the question of unemployments more especially as affected by the teen Funds. Unemployment Avas be coming more than an annual trouble and if»care was not taken it wo.uld become perennial... It was no use goinj. into an economic discussion ,at thi; stage as to hoAv to get rid of unemploy ment. The man avlio Avas ahvays out oi work existed among the ranks of the returned soldiers as well as among those outside. Some of those Avho had beei: good soldiers at the front Avere. gooc civilians, others Avho had been gooe. soldiers were not such good civilians and still "others had been bad soldier; and Avere bad civilians. It seemed hart to talk in this Avay, but it was com mon sense. A great number of special cases Avei\ coming forward of men who had disabilities before the Avar and thus Aven debarred from getting pensions. Mon and more difficulty was experienced a, the years Avent by in discovering Ayhf the/ a man had a fair claim against the Avar funds. The fact that a man had been medically passed as fit on enlisting should be sufficient to ensure his consideration for pension if he Ayat physically handicapped after returning from the war. He found that the Pen sions Board was very honest and fair about its business, and Mr Justice Stringer Avas just as fair as Mr Justice Chapman, who. had' been a very good friend to returned seidiers. A good many Imperial service men had been coming to Noav Zealand, and he was glad that they were joining the Association. A number of them had applied for relief, and it had been granted; but a more reciprocal arrange-: ment with the Old Country was needed. There Avas £4OOO or £SOOO down on their account at present, Avhich was all right, and they would not be turned away;; but some more equitable arrangement Avas Avanted between the two countries. A great many of the funds Avere subscribed for New Zealand soldiers.