SOLDIERS’ INTERESTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20987, 14 December 1939, Page 15

SOLDIERS’ INTERESTS

RETURNED MEN ACTIVE WAR PENSIONS LEGISLATION COMPULSORY SERVICE URGED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday “The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association has striven since the outbreak of the war to do whatever lay in its power to help in the tremendous task that lies ahead,” said the Hon. W. Perry, president of the association, in a statement today. “First and foremost,” he added, “the association has taken an active interest in the welfare of the men of the second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, among whom are to be found many men who served in the Great War. The association feels that its experience and advice should be useful to the new army, and has adopted the role of eldei brother to the men of that army. Representations on many subjects, particularly pensions, pay and allowances, patriotic funds and wet canteens, have been made to the authorities. Anomalies In Pensions “The association holds,” said Mr Perry, “that all the benefits of the war pensions legislation passed during and since the Great War should be made available to the men now serving, and to this end is making representations to the Government in respect of certain anomalies in the pensions legislation of last session. It is hoped that these anomalies will be removed when Parliament reassembles in February. “The question of obtaining adequate reinforcements for the second New Zealand Expeditionary Force is causing the association grave concern,” Mr Perry continued. “Present indications are that the voluntary system of recruiting will not provide the reinforcements required. “At the last annual meeting of the council of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, three months before the war, the association unanimously declared its support of the principle of compulsory, universal national service, even in peacetime. The necessity is even greater now?.”

RETURN NOT DESIRED BRITISH RESERVE OFFICERS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, today released an announcement that the British Army Council does not desire persons who have previously registered their names in the Army Officers’ Emergency Reserve to return to the United Kingdom to serve unless they are specially called with a view to their being offered military employment. CHAPLAINS TO FORCES SEVEN MINISTERS CHOSEN To accompany the first echelon of the Special Force when it leaves for oversea service, seven ministers of various denominations ‘ have been chosen as chaplains to the forces. The senior chaplain will be the Rev. E. B. Moore, vicar of Papatoetoe. chaplain 3rd class, who is at present Church of England chaplain at Papakura camp. The others are:—The Rev. C. E. Hyde (Church of England), chaplain 4th class, now at Trentham camp; the Rev. G. A. Spence (Presbyterian), chaplain 4th class, now at Ngaruawahia camp; the Rev. Father L. P. Spring (Roman Catholic), chaplain 4th class, now at Burnham camp; the Rev. V. R. Jamieson (Methodist), chaplain 4th class, now at Trentham cam|>; Mr D. B. Duggan (Salvation Army), chaplain 4th class, now at Burnham camp; and the Rev. J. M. Stewart (representing Congregational, Baptist and Church of Christ denominations), chaplain 3rd class, now at Trentham camp.