REPATRIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1918, Page 5

REPATRIATION.

t GOVERNMENT proposals severe- [ LY CRITICISED. I } —— THE CLAIM OF MAB.BTT7.P VOLUNTEJiPe By Telegraph.—Press Association. ti, -d . .Wellington, Last Night. I !>e Repatriation Bill was taken in onX the SeDerai Hussion on the first clause, Mr. MeCallum uiat the amount borrowable by a loldier should be increased to £SOO. of' fnin r fo ? d XllUlt wiUl tllß board ot torn .Ministers, arguing that one responsible Minister was sufficient and more convenient.

fouf' Massey defl!l ided the board of

Mr. Downie Stewart said the Government could not find a board of four Ministers in any country where &- patnation Acts had been passed, and the course proposed would onlv Jead to endless trouble and delay. He "could not understand the policy of the Government in this matter, and he would strive to amend ifc in committee. Mr. Forbes pointed out tbit the Austrian Act gave far widerVowers than the Biil before the House. The Government should take tho widest possible powers, and so avoid hiving to come back to the House for further authority

Replying to the objectors to the hoard, Sir Jamcsi Allen asked members to realise that several Ministers mast, of necessity, deal with the repatriation question, and he proceeded to explain why the different Ministers nominated for the board of repatriation should be on that hoard.

Mr. Wright raised the position of the mamed men who had enlisted"voluntarily during the early/ stages of the war, and who now find placed m a disadvantageous financial position compared with the men who en listed after the increased rates ha* been granted by Parliament Mr Ell declared that w e meant to win the war by the aid of the men who had gone out early in the war, many of whom w»re married men, but nevertheless they responded to the appeals for voluntary men, and, now that victory had been achieved, the men wno had gone away under the old rates should be placed m the same position as those who had gone to the front after the rSmS. ofwha<!been^ted

Mr. Lee contended {fiat one month's w expenditurei would be sufficient to ?1 3U9 -M e 2° i hMe men ' K«■ not impossible to find the money and it Zll^K* 00 ,^. 10 a3fc that th,'s inS jusfice h 6 a ° n6 fw Mr. Isitt said if i« was right to pay the increased rates to the unscripted men, ,t was right to pay the men who volunteered early in fee war. If ™° section of our forces had a right to fare S" th " "» oth «- it should be the Sr/ unteers ' and no > tLe So-

Mr. Statham thought that if the Government would only meet the wsh of the returned maried men they would also be meeting the wishes of L 7™ Or. Thacker and Mr. Poland continued the appeal on behalf of the marriedZn Sir James Allen stated that so far as t al, T? eeß t0 wen were concerned he could not personally ?£ mise the increases asked for, but he ™ B

objected to a board of four Ministers. At the close of ihis remarks, Mr Massey rose and said it lookedto him M )t the discussion was taking the form prevent New Zealand being represented at the Peace Conference, because he was these question* were settled and the mponsiWity must rest with the House. four let the House 6 trik e it out and the government would make other arrangement,, *.. lake lit far James Allen's promise to refer the say that as the war had ended much ear her than was expected, they had a million pounds in hand which could be appropnated to this purpose. He want od the House to understand that the Government *as just as anxious as the Jlou.se to consider the interests of the soldiers.

the d.scugsion was continued lor some lime on the former lines, when the Premier again rose and protested that the Home was stonewalling the measure, and unexpectedly.agreed to report progress on the measure. This was agreed

■RETURNED MISV PLACED IN INVIDIOUS POSITION. ; (Special Correspondent.) ii„, i Wellington, Doc- 5. sUause 10 of the Repatriation Bill, proving 'far the : cancellation of the discljargos of returned soldiers under certain conditions, is remarkable in that it, places the returned,soldier in a muyhj worse position in soine respectl than tho ; civilian. The clause provides that if a magistrate, on the complaint "of the Director of Repatriation, is satisfied that a discharged soldier is "py reason of habitaul drjmkenneps, idleness, or misconduct, unfit for immediate and effecc'.vo restoration to civil life, employment, or occupation. and that for the protection of that sojdier or oherwise in his interest it is advisable o cancel his discharge, the magistrate may, at any time before the disbanding of the Expeditionary Force, cancel the discharge. The soldier will thereupon become a member of the forces as though he had never been discharged. Tho clause applies to all discharged aien, whether discharged fi'om the training camps or from the" forces after service overseas,