THE SECOND DIVISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1917, Page 5

THE SECOND DIVISION.

, FINAL CLASSIFICATION.' a new-^bovision. % Tolegraph.—Press Association. \ T , . Wellington, Last Night.The final classification of the Second Diviaion of the Expeditionary Force Ba-Ben-o was notified in the form of a Ganoon raorciinar y issued this afterThe Division is divided into six classes According to the number of children as previously announced, with the important addition of the phrase "for the time 0 ,° ther words - provision is made for altering the classification of a Reservist in' accordance with any increase m the number of Ms children or depletion by death. The Gazette also defines the position of a reservist in relation to illegitimate children, and directs that any reservist Who has lost a son as the result of service in his Majesty's naval or milt, tary forces during the present war-shall living B ° n counte<l as if te .w-ere-stini A further Gazette Extraordinary is< sued at the same time makes it compulsory; on Second Division reservists tof notify any change of condition according o the number of children. The this is to enable the Government Statistician to determine the classes to« which reservists belong for the time,be-, NEED FOR ADEQUATE PROVISION. (By Wire.—Own Correspondent)^ _ Wellington, Last Nighk., Improved provision for the dependant)* of .Second Division reservists was demanded by Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunediri Central) in the House of Representatiws tins evening. He was a Second Division wan himself, he said, but he would bo failing iir his duty, he said, if he allowed that fact to deter him from pressing the claims of. those.who might be required shortly to proceed to the front, and leave wives and children behind. "The Government must increase the scale of pensions and allowances," said Mr. Statham. "If a married mart goes to the front now and is killed, the State pays his wife 25s a week and his child 7/6 up to the age of 10 years. Those payments are not large enough. I am sure I am voicing the opinions of the Second Division when I Bay that they are not so much concerned about the wages of the soldier during his life time as they are about the provision that will be made for the wife and children in the event of the soldier's death. The pensions must bo adequate. , I appeal to the House with confidence that when the proper time comes it will make proper provision for the dependents of the Second Division men. I say tt members that when in years to come they are enjoying comfortable incomes and all Ihe security and comfort that men have died to win for them, if they have not made proper provision for the wives and dependents of i,hose who have fallen they will not be able to say, "Thank God we have done our duty." ..... LEAGUE ESTABLISHED AT WAITARA. ," A meeting of those interested in. the founding of a branch of the Second Divi. sion League was held at Waitara on Tuesday night, Mr. Beckbessinger presiding over an attendance of about l(Ki Mr. T. Buchanan addressed the meeting at length on the aims and objects of the league, and it was unanimously decided to form a branch, the following officers being appointed:—President, His Worship the Mayor; secretary and treasurer, Mr. C. Hallam; committee, Messrs G. N. Skelton, A. J. Arms, G. Bird, T. Buchanan, T. Kent, A. Frost, E. Beckbessinger, 11. Calder, G. Roberts and W. Telfar. A farther meeting is to be held next Tuesday evening when an effort will be made to ensure a monster meeting of all Second Division men in town and district, and:'addresses will be given and a discussion invited by a New Plymouth delegation. MEETING AT HAWERA. " ' A meeting is called for Friday night at Hawera, when addresses will be given by Now Plymouth representatives. It is hoped to form a strong branch at Hawera, as well as in the neighboring towns. MEETING AT INGLEWOOD. A further meeting to form a branch ot the league will be held at Inglewood tomorrow night. Prominent New Plymouth Second Division reservists have been asked to speak and explain the aims and objects. STRATFORD REMITS. • A meeting of the Stratford Second Division League resolved to forward the undermentioned remits for consideration at the forthcoming conference in "Wellington:—(l) That pensions and separation allowances be not restricted as at present to live, children; (2) that allocated pay and allowances shall not be affected by soldiers' misconduct; (S) that the name of the league shall be known as the Soldiers and Soldiers' Dependents League, It was resolved to publish a leaflet showing the present scale of allowances and pensions as compared with the proposed scale and scale of Btitisll pensions. Arrangements are being made 1)y residents at Tariki, Midhirst, Whare* huia, Toko, Cardiff, Ngaere and Low* garth to hold meetings in connection with the Second Division movement.