RETURNED SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES.

CHARGES AGAINST MTLITABYI POLICE. By Telegraph. —Press Association. Dunediu, March 12. At a meeting of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association recently it was alleged that the military police had adopted ii pin-pricking policy towards returned soldiers. Cities were quoted alleging that returned men had been aires ted on trivial charges, receiving punishment out of proportion to the seriousness of tho oil'ence. The association asked the Minister to give, a month's notice to tho policemen concerned, and all other military policemen who were not letunied soldiers. It also asked for tha reason of tlw transfer of a sergeantmajor from Wellington to Chratchurch, •and from Christchurch to Dunedin. The association has received a reply from Major Osborne Lilly, Director of Personal Services, stating that the Provost Marshal has inquired into tho position, and it was hoped that, as a consequence, matters would bo placed on a moro satisfactory footing. Preference is given to returned, soldiers, but they don't offer themselves for employment on thefa duties. Wherever they do, if their record* are clean, positions are found for them. The matter of the sergeant-major's transfer was between the sergeant-major and the department

It was resolved to reply, stating that no soldier &hould be employed unless his previous record was clean, but requesting an assurance that the records of the civilians-entering the force were inquired into as carefully as those of the returned soldiers.