SECOND DIVISION CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1918, Page 8

SECOND DIVISION CONFERENCE.

THE CHAIRMAN.'S ADDRESS. REPLIES TO CRITICISM. Wellington, May 22. The third Dominion Conference in connection with the National Federation of New Zealand Second Division Leagues was opened yesterday morning, Mr. R. A. Armstrong presiding, and there was a large attendance of delegates. In opening the proceedings the president said that the league originally sprang into being because reservists realised that they were faced with two great responsibilities: the responsibility they owed to their dependents and the responsibility they owed to the State. The league started out to secure the welfare of all soldiers and dependents, and at the same time loyally assist the Government in carrying out New Zealand's part in the war. They must not in any circumstances be led away by details from the great principle for which the league was formed. It was in the best interests of the country that, the soldiers sent away under the Military Service Act should go away satisfied men and confident that their interests and those of their dependents would be conserved by the rest of the people, those who remained behind. By the efforts of the league, a better spirit had been created in the men who had gone already, but they had not yet attained their final objects. Still, he was satisfied that the men who had entered camp during the last couple of months had gone in with a much greater spirit of determination to do their part than if the old conditions of 1017 existed. (Hear, hear.) The league had created a better moral, and although all their efforts might never be acknowledged fully by the authorities, they at least had the satisfaction of knowing that they had played their part and never wavered from the great principles they had set out to attain.

ANSWERS TO CRITICISM. It was only natural, continued Mr. Armstrong, that in the circumstances existing they should be attacked by certain people. These people were in the unfortunate position of having the money wherewith to pay for the claims the league made, and were naturally a little perturbed. The league, must not be too hard on them, because the whole of this war business came as something [new to this country as well as to the whole world. It was hard for the league to realise that these people, who lived* in big houses, drove motor-cars, and spent their time between afternoon teas and the theatres, could not understand how on earili a soldier.'s wife could not live on 30s a week. It was ridiculous to suggest that financial assistance was being given up to £3 a week. (Laughter.) The policy of the Financial Assistance Board, according to the chairman, was that if a woman got £9O per annum clear she received no grant. The position of the league was that they claimed a wife should have £2 2s a week clear of recurring obligations. That had been the contention of the league from the very start. They wanted Gs a day. As to the "nest-egg" idea, the league asked that a wife should be relieved of the responsibility of saving money for her husband's return. It should be made quite clear that the "nest egg" responsibility should be undertaken by the State —tho people who did not have to go to the front. (Hear, hear.) It was, he contended, a real "win the war" measure to provide this "nest egg." The State had not yet touched on the fringe of the resources of wealth of this country. (Hear, hear.) It was said the men were going to walk back into their former billets. This was a bit mythical, considering how men were being displaced by women in the clerical and lighter forma of employment. The Teports of patriotic societies showed that already the greatest difficulty was being experienced in finding employment for returned soldiers. Employers were retrenching their staffs and employing a lot of female labor. While there would be a few who would not require a "nest egg. 1 on returning from the war there were thousands to whom it would be an absolute necessity to give them breathing time and bring them back to the ordinary conditions of peaceful life. The so-called "nest egg" was worked out at 3s per day for a man's period of active service. For a year he would have about £SO and for two years £IOO awaiting his return. The Post asked what was there to prevent the "dissipation" of this money by reservists who came back. All he could say was that from his experience of the Second Division men there was rot much likelihood of this dissipation that was feared. They had too much respect for their wives and children to be guilty of squandering their money as suggested. (Applause.) Such a suggestion was nothing short of an insult. (Applause.) Of course, the "nest egg" meant repatriation, and it was suggested because there was no repatriation scheme at present, apart from the land settlement scheme, which was reported to be not working out properly. What had the Government done? Nothing. The league came forward with a concrete proposal, and were not going to be unreasonable. It was one way of dealing with a problem up to a certain limit. It would prevent a man from coming back and being compelled to take any old job at any old wage in a glutted labor mar. ket. It would give him a little confidence in himself while he was recovering from the disorganising effects of the war service. The whole influence of military training was to break down a man.'g individuality, and many a man came back suffering from shell shock. (A voice: "A wreck.") In the present conditions he was discharged to tackle his own repatriation. It was the duty of ths State to give a man something in the »7- 1- ire of a safeguard to carry him over 30§ brief period of rehabilitation.

■r. Armstrong went on to express the indebtedness of the league for the publicity it had received from the press of the colony as a whole. The Dominion of that morning published a leading article which made a most unworthy suggestion. It was tbat unreasonable concessions were being pressed for with the ulterior object of preventing any more men being sent from jSfew Zealand on account of the cost involved. That iwaa a cruel and unjust thing for any paper to say. The activities of the league had been a distinct benefit to the Government. Its criticism had been that of the candid friend of the Second Division. Leagues had never allowed any such thing as ulterior motive to be entertained. (Applause.) VALUE OF LEAGUE'S WORK. Equality of sacrifice, said Mr. Armitrone, was demanded, and it was only

right that soldiers and their faffliliei should be fairly looked after. He then went on to recount all that the league had achieved. There was the early medical examination, pensions by right and by schedule, and increased separation allowances, and great strides bad been made through the organisation. The league was now represented on the Financial Assistance Board, It had been laid down that a wife's separate earnings must not be taken into account. The league had met with every assistance and courtesy in approaching different departments, getting far more attention than any individual could have hoped for in the past, and now the advice of the recruiting office, where Mr. J. D. Gray was secretary, was always open to any soldier desiring assistance. While the Government had been converted on one or two points, the league also had been open to conversion on one or twe subjects. The idea of financial assistance had not been liked in the past, but now it was acknowledged that a system of grants was all right if properly administered. But the present scheme had to be liberalised. The country was faced with three great problems—the keeping up of the strength of reinforcements, the upkeep of the soldiers ' homes in connection with which many points arose, and the repatriation of soldiers on their return from the front. It was certainly a blot on the Government arrangements that a concrete proposal had not been brought forward in this latter connection. In concluding his remarks, Mr. Armstrong quoted a speech made by the Prime Minister, in which he stated that any sacri* fice must be made to win the war, but it must be on an equitable basis, and proper provision must he 'made for the dependents of those who went forward. (Hear,, hear.)