N.Z. AND THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 126, 30 January 1915, Page 3

N.Z. AND THE WAR.

SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR DEFENCE. ROME VALUABLE INFORMATION. (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) DUNEDIN, .Tan. 27. The Hon. James Allen, Minister for Defence, met the committee of the Patriotic and General Welfare Association in the Town Hall this morning, and, in a speech of some forty minutes, explained many matters which have caused some heart-burning. / CONCERNING PENSIONS. The Minister said that it was his dutv to his predecessors in office to say that New Zealand again had been in the forefront in legislation intended to meet just biieh a crisis as had occurred. He had replied before to statements that legislation for pensions was not liberal enough, by stating that it was impossible to come to a definite Conclusion without careful examination of New Zealand statutes and provisions made in England, Australia, and perhaps in Canada. One anomaly in the Act was that provision for widows and children of those who died later from disease incurred in the service of their country was not so liberal as the provision for the widows and children of those who died on the field, or later, from wounds. As a general proposition, it was the duty of. the Government to make provision, and proper provision for the widows and children of mei who were killed at the front or who died from disease contracted at the front. (Applause.) Nevertheless, it would be wrong for the public to imagine that the provision named in the schedule of the Act was the only provision. The Minister for Defence had power in addition to the pension, to pay a lump sum down, of a full year's pay, and further to pay every child .one-third of a full year's pay. He was not able to say at the moment how far that would make the pension adequate. It might be sufficient to increase the annual pension to the sum provided in the Australian Act. While it was true that this Act provided a pension of £52, that sum was the maximum, and the actual pension—that, or less —was assessed by a Pensions Board. Moreover, in Australia the age to which children would receive pensions was fixed at 1G years for boys and girls alike. In New Zealand the Act was more liberal; sons might receive to the age of 18 yews and girls to the age of 21 years; and if they- were infirm there was no limit at all. The Act was more liberal if the sum was less. He did not say that the sum was sufficient, but as to what must be done, lie could say no more until he had consulted his colleagues.

MISDIRECTED PA TEIOTISM. The Minister proceeded to quote instances of admirable exhibitions of patriotism which had' caused overlapping of energy and money. The Government considered it their duty to provide motor ambuhnees, and he had ordered 14 at a cost of £7OOO. That was the number he was advised would be necessary, but some patriotic people in one part of New Zealand, without saying anything to the Department, raised •i fund of £3,800 for such ambulances. \Vc:.n this sum had been raised and two motors actually ordered, they eommunieated with him. He wrote that the motors deemed necessary had already been ordered, and that he would be glad to use the money to pay for some of them, marking the motors so paid for as the gifts of the district. They replied that they would not allow him to do that. Now they had placed the money at his disposal, on condition that

he bought, six more meters v.m) used the rest for riming expenses. He would have liked that £3BOO for the expenses of the cars orderd, and deemed sufficient, or for use in some other field. He would therefore ask all organisations and individuals, before buying any thing or raising money for a particular purpose, to communicate with the Department.

NEW RECRUITING SCHEME EXPLAINED. So far as the Defence Department was concerned, the recruiting had been highly satisfactory throughout New Zealand. He would like the people to understand that they had all the men they wanted for the time being, and though they welcomed and would be grateful for further enrolments, it was not possible, with any hope of success, to take more into the camp at present. The Government had organised a whole scheme, and c.-.rds would be issued in a few days for the registration of those prepared to go, but in the meantime they wanted these men to stop at work until such time as they were called. The first step now was registration, and nothing else. Each would be asked to let the Department know what notice eh had to give his employer, and would be advised in time to give such notice.

ADVERTISING AND TRAVELLING EXPENSES. He did not wish to interfere witli committees, but the request had been made to him that the Department should pay for the cost of advertisingposters and travelling expenses to recruiting meetings. He had...not the slightest objection to paying on condition that he had some control ovei these expenses. He could not allow indiscriminate expenditure to take place. The Government was also perfectly willing to pay for advertising, if any method could be suggested by which the Government would be able to control the advertising, but he was not prepared to give a blank order for advertising. What he would like the committees to do was to take out of his hands the matter of advertising, and make it a patriotic movement in each district, am; lie had the same thing to say about travelling expenses. He was willing to pay, but could not commit the Government to an expenditure over which it had no control.

RECRUITS ON PROBATION. In answer to a suggestion that the allotment of dependents should be paid as soon as the men went into camp, the Minister replied that though he was willing to consider the question, the idea was that a recruit was on probation for the first month, and he might be sent home, and the Department left the man to make his own allotment for the first month. The Hon. Allen was heartily thanked for his informative address.