THE SECOND DIVISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1918, Page 5

THE SECOND DIVISION.

VfiSTIiRDAY'S BUSINESS A? , OOWpEiNC®; . By Telegraph.—(Press Association, Wellington, May 2/t. ' At liliis morning's sitting of the SeemS Division League conference, a resolution was carried—"That this conference, revising that, unless and until ,the ing system be altered, the .present maintenance of soldiers' homes and the {standard of living of dependents is governed by the policy p{ the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, again urges the absolute necessity of the .liberalising l of the board's policy to the extent that grants 5)6 made covering aneh recurring obEgations ag will ensure to each wife a clear net minimum income of two gnineaa a week, or £lO9 4s per annum, with her children's allowance extra." A note appended to the motion readf f —The board's present policy, as stated by the Minister o£ Defence, is to provide for a net minimum income of £BO per annum, or £1 life 6d per week, to fofrt the bare food and clothing ci fie only. The aJbove proposal would "tw an increase in the board's £l9 4s per annum, or 7s Cd per "WQffcf say, Is a day extra, to provide for emer- *j gendfis or comforts over and abate ft : baro living existence as allowed foe 44 1 present. LAND SETTLEMENT,

A committee appointed toy the Gtecbad Division League conference yester&y to go into the question of land Kfitfclwmaffi for returned soldiers, reported to-daj; |p follows: * " That, as a general principle, this oStti ference considers that, where soHseraaa» desirous of being settled on land, improved land should be utilisedThat only completely fit men sbotddj , be settled in the bacfcblioclcs and oftim- ■' improved land. . ' ■<:' That, in the opinion of this conference, ; aggregation of Crown land ha® HW, , and is taking, place, and furthermore, , this conference considers the Govenmuat . should inquire closely into tlhese esses, r with a view to such aggregated land , being made available for aefcttanrat bf i soldiers. ; That, Tjytli a view to making swamp i lands, lands requiring irrigation, tosh i land, land requiring reclamation, gum - land, etc., available for soldiers' settle- '■ ments, the Public Works Department, 1 Lands Department, and proposed Repatriation Department co-operate in . - utilising the labor of returned eolfieto ' • for this purpose. ( FURTHER RBSO!UUTIOJJB. : Wellington, Last Kfcbii, The Second (Division conference passed ' . a resolution that the Government be requested to speed up the purchase of land for returned soldiers, and an en.do6.YUT be made to gettle men in the districts to which they belonged. That the conference urgeß that only land suitalble for close settlement and . immediate production be purchased for soldiers, and suggests that the farms of j men called up for military service lie i . secured, when suitalble. This (plan willy ( at the same time, remedy the W/ittTiip , caused to many soldiers by 6ho sale of , tlheir properties at a loss. The question of calling another conference to consider the Minister's replies to the league's requests was letft in tkil hands of the executive. The conference has concluded MINISTERS' REPLY TO DEPUTATION After the close of the Second Division .conference, a deputation representing the delegates had a further interview with the acting-Prime Minister and other members of the Ministry, placing before them the more important remits adojfted and asking Cabinet to give them careful consideration. Sir James Allen, in his reply, assured the deputation of the Government's sympathy with their efforts to secure the best possible conditions for soldiers and their dependents. The resolutions pre--sented to him by the league that day, and on the previous day, wound be placed before a full meeting of the Cabinet in the immediate future. He had ■ . already told the delegates that he regarded the effective settlement and re- ' patriation problem as of more importance to the soldiers and their dependents than any increase of separation allowances. He had not changed his opinion that the present basis of the Financial Assistance Board's work was a just one, and that the net minimum income of £9O a year for a wife alone was u _ fair basis on which to work. Questions of finance and policy were involved, and all he could say at that stage was that Cabinet wouid go into the whole question fully and promptly. Ho would give the representatives of the league a definite reply within a day or two. The only reason why the leagued requests had not come before Cabinet that day was that a full attendance of Ministers could not be secured. The repatriation scheme placed before him, and also the scheme for the conservation of small businesses, contained valuable suggestions, which he was very glad to receive. He had not had time to consider these proposals fully, or go into the question raised by the recommendation regarding the CI men, but could assure the deputation that all the points would be considered. Ministers had not been inactive regarding the great problems that had to be faced. They had given long and anxious thought to most ol the matters mentioned by the deputation. The Minister of Lands told the deputation he was very glad to receive suggestions regarding provision of land foi soldiers. The matter had already received a great deal of attention from himself and the offices of the Lands Department, and the proposals of thv league followed very closely on the line? of action that had already been trauML