SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1918, Page 3

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

CABINETS DECISION DELAYED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, May 25. Cabinet's consideration of the Second Division League's proposals was not completed at to-day's meeting. The Government's decision will be announced on Monday probably. THE REPATRIATION SCHEMEThe comriiittee appointed to bring down a report" on the repatriation, problem presented its report as follows: 1. That the Government adopt the principle of extending State responsibility to all soldiers and their dependents from discharge on demobilisation until full rehabilitation in civil life. (Such State responsibility primarily to take the form of a continuance of pay, allowances, and financial assistance as paid to the soldier and his dependents during active service.) 2. That the minimum period of such State responsibility be not less than three months, to 'be extended, where necessary, on the recommendation of boards as set out hereunder. 3. That the Government be recommended to create at once a special Department of Repatriation. 4. That such Department proceed without delay to collect information from other countries. 5- That special local boards, consisting of representatives of returned soldiers, Second Division leagues, fanning interests, employers, and lahor organisations, be set up under the Department of Repatriation.

0. That the duty of such local boards shall be:—(a) To inquire into the circumstances of all returning or discharged men. (b) To recommend extension of the period of State responsibility where advisable, (c) To secure the rehabilitation of returned or discharged men as early as possible in their pre-war civil positions. 7. That it be a recommendation to the Repatriation Department that a scheme be established to enaible returned or discharged men who have had to close down and sell out their businesses when called up 1 for service, to make a fresh start by granting them financial assistance in the form of loans at a low rate of interest.

Mr Dlark (Rahotu), in moving the adoption of the report, claimed that the proposal was far and away better than that of the man getting a lump sumin tho latter case, a man might get the money, and if a man with a family got this it might easily be spent before he was settled down again i n civil life. They all "knew that there were some men who, so long as they were getting pay and allowances, would never go to work, but the period mentioned would be a protection for the Government against malingerers. The Rev. P. G. Tooker (Gevaldine) said the prcJblem of repatriation was one of the greatest the Government or the country had to face. The problem of the rehabilitation of the soldier after his return was a most intricate one, and one of stupendous importance—to the man and to his wife. It was clearly the duty of the State to assume responsibility for the soldier when discharged from service, often apparently, but not really, fit. The introduction of the scheme would give a lead to the Government, and to the country, and would throw a new light on the needs of the Second Division. Mr. Tocker soncluded "by again emphasising the importance of the proposal. Mr! J. MO/eod (New Plymouth) said that iie proposal reaffirmed the principle that the State's responsibility did not end on the soldier's discharge; not until the soldiers was settled in some suitable billet. Tho proposal also urged the immediate creation of a special Department of Repatriation. There was a big gap to' bo bridged during the time a man left active service and the time he was properly settled again. The proposal sought to bridge such, a gap. Actual experience had taught them tc realise the necessity for State responsi- ' foility after the war in re-establishing the civil life of the. Dominion. It was not a question of' money only, but a question of the actual co-operat>on of ! the civil population of New Zealand. (Great Britain and Australia had their repatriation schemes, but after all they were only economic schemes, and this was something far 'beyond a mere economic scheme-

THE MINISTER'S REPLY. On being interviewed, Sir James Allen said he believed the members of tho league would realise yet that the repatriatlie scheme would be of far more use than a few shillings extra for the wives. He pointed ojit the difficulties of adopting a suitable scheme of repatriation and stated that no country to his knowledge had yet solved the problem. He believed, however, that the Ministers in New Zealand were worning together better tJhan any other country. The Government had been thinking a great ileal about this very great problem, and in England General Richardson was doing a great work. He pointed out that the Minister for Public Works, when demobilisation took place, would find work for 15'.100 men but that did not deal with the whole problem. One of the difficulties was that there were many men who would never resume then- previous occupations-. Every effort would be made on the part of the Government to help these men, but no quarter would be given to shirkers or humbugs. He could assure the deputation that if it came to the Government with a really workable scheme the Government would give it every consideration. The Minister regretted that the facilities offered the men in New Zealand to learn new occupations were not fullv availed of.