POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1917, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

QUESTIONS BY TARANAKI MEMBERS. Mr. Okey asked the Minister of Lands whether provision win be made this session to financially assist returned soldiers who go on to land other than that purchased by the Government for the i purpose of settling returned soldiers. (If a returned soldier takes up aseetion provided by the Government he is entitled to assistance to the extent of £SOO for the purpose of building a house, purchase of stock, and other improvements. On the other hand, if a returned soldier has small means and takes up a piece of private land, and wants assistance for the above purpose, the Government has no power to give him the assistance he needs and should be entitled to.) - . I The Right Hon. Mr. Massey (Minister | of Lands) replied: This matter is now | under consideration. Mr. Okey asked the Minister of De- ! fence whether the .Military Appeal ' Boards should not have some definite • instructions as to the policy they are to carry out with regard to families who have sent several sons to the front. (Note: Special provision is made for the exemption of slaughtermen, miners, shearers, and others, whilst farmers are neglected, and no notice taken of their representations. Meanwhile many farms are being denuded of their laibor.) The Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) replied: The Military Service j Boards are .judicial tribunals, specially constituted by statute to hear and de- ! termine all appeals for exemption, and I have no power to issue instructions to them. The honorable member is incorrect in saying that appeals of fann- . ers arc neglected. The agricultural and i pastoral industries have been declared to be most essential, and the Military SerI vice Boards ha\e been so advised, and 1 their present policy is to grant exemption to all essential workers in these industries whose . positions cannot be filled hy persons ineligible for military service. No exemption, however, is granted iby classes; every case is considered on its merits.

Mr. Olccy asked the Minister of Defence whether it is a fact that, should a soldier commit a breach of the military regulations, or through misconduct in France cause the forfeiture of his pay, the allotments made in New Zealand to his wife and children are withheld, thus ' making the wife and children suffer through the action of the soldier. | Sir James Allen replied: Military pay 1 which soldiers have allotted to dependents is stopped when the soldier making the allotment is undergoing certain punishment for military offences. Our soldiers on active service are serving under the Army Act. This Act defines the punishment which can he inflicted for various military offences, and we have no power to vary this in any way. The usual form of punishment in the field

for ordinary offences ta.kes the form of short periods of detention v or field punishment. iA soldier draws no pay while serving such sentenco; this is the princi-• pal part of the punishment, It is absolutely vital that discipline in a military force on active service should be maintained, and the fact must not he overlooked that there is a certain class of ; men who would he less amenable to discipline if they knew that the State had practically absolved them from their responsibilities in regard to those dependent upon them. Mr. Wilkinson (Egmont) asked the Government: (1) Whether, in view of the early calling-up of the Second Division under the Military Service Act, the Government will make a pronouncement as to whether it has adapted the recommendations of the National Efficiency Board regarding the classification of industries under the headings A, B, and C, as already published; and when the 1> List, showing industries, trades and businesses not regarded as essential will be published? (2) Whether the wholesale and retail sale of liquor and brewing is included in the list as being nonessential?'

Sir James Allen replied: The Government has under consideration further proposals of the National Efficiency Board with regard to classification of industries.