NOT SATISFIED.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1919, Page 11

NOT SATISFIED.

RETURNED gOIiDIEKS? CLAIMS

REPORT BY COMMITTEE.

The Parliamentary Committee of the ' Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association on Eriday submitted a report to an extraordinary general meeting of the association covering a number of matters in which returned men are interested. ■ The report was as follows: ALLOWANCES. (1) That soldiers financial assistance be made fully Tetrospeetive to all members of the N.Z.E.F. PENSIONS. (1) That the minimum pension be Taised to permanently totally disabled soldiers to £3 15s per week, £1 supplementary, and £1 for attendant, to be over and above the sum of the minimum pension. (2) That in regard to soldiers who marry in England or in New.Zealand subsequent to becoming disabled, their wives be eligible in every case for pension in case of death of husband as a result of wir disablement. ; (3) That a pension be paid for war disablement at any time after discharge, and that the present legislation restricting the period to seven years be amended accordingly. (4) That examinations for T.B. and nerve eases be made by specialists. GRATUITIES. (1) That the resolutions re gratuities on the minute-book of the W.R.S.A. be the subject of questions to candidates at the forthcoming elections. (2) That the resolutions passed at Featherston Hospital and appearing on the minute-book be incorporated. (3) That gratuities be paid to all New Zealanders of the Motor Boat Patrol. LAND. (1) That 7s 6d be the fee for any valuation for an inspection of any dwelling under the Discharged Soldiers* Settlement Act, and no stamp duties be charged to soldiers on the first purchase of property or land, and this to be made retrospective. REPATRIATION. (1) Sustenance grants for men for' whom employment cannot be obtained—that the scale be raised* as per conference report, viz.: Man and wife, 555; man and wife and one child, 635; man and wife and two children, 70s; man and wife and three children, 755; man and wife and four children, 80s. (2) That loans for businesses be increased to £SOO, of which £IOO shall be free of interest. (3) Soldiers' Homes: That as a general principle the Government should build soldiers' homes immediately in sufficient numbers jto cope with the present shortage.of houses, and should co-operate with local bodies in building houses. (4) Furniture grants be raised to £7o instead of £SO. (5) That repatriation benefits be made I available for widowed mothers, and I benefits under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act be made available to widows, widowed mothers, and nurses of the N.Z.E.F. SEPARATION ALLOWANCE. That clause 12 of the Government's scheme as passed by Parliament in which these allowances cannot be claimed as a right and are issued at the discretion pf the Minister of Defence, be withdrawn. ANZAO DAY. That April 25—Anzac Day—be a statutory holiday as a day of commemoration. PATRIOTIC! FUNDS. That a committee arrange to confer with representatives of those bodies which are controlling patriotic funds with a view to formulating a Bcheme of national benefit and for final disbursement of such funds. CANTEEN AND REGIMENTAL FUNDS. That as these funds have been paid into the Consolidated Fund, they be paid to the widows and other dependants of returned soldiers where such widows and dependents are otherwise insufficiently provided for. (1)' That legislation against unnatnralised Germans be passed by Parliament. (2) That the Customs tariff be so altered as to practically .exclude alien enemy goods. (3) That straight anti-profiteering legislation be brought forward and passed by Parliament. "OPENING (MOUTHS TOO WIDE." Mr W. Perry moved that the clause suggesting that the N.Z.E.F. rates of pay should be raised to the Australian rates be deleted. If it were adopted, he said, the association would be accused of "opening its mouth too wide." As a result of the motion passed at the recent meeting regarding gratuities the association had made itself very unpopular. (Cries pf "No.") The consequence would be similar if the clause in question were carried. Mr C. A. L. Treadwell said that if the association asked the country for another £0,000,000 or £7,000,000 it would have no earthly chance of getting the money, and would run a risk of having reasonable requests refused. Voices: "What rot! We are not profiteers!"

Mr Treadwell, although subjected to some intensiption, persisted in his remarks, and characterised the proposals regarding pay as ridiculous and absurd. (Dissent.) Mr A. B. Sievwripht contended that. the "Di«gcrs" should receive fair and reasonable treatment. The returned soldier was entitled to the extra one shilling a day asked for, and the money should be extracted from the profiteers. Mr J. MTfenzie thought that if (is per day was not too much for the Australians it was not too much for the New Zealanders either. By a majority of eight votes the meeting decided to retain the clause. The rest of the report was adopted, and it was resolved to forward the various clauses as remits to the forthcoming conference of the KZ.B.S.A.