SOLDIERS CONFER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10943, 15 June 1927, Page 4

SOLDIERS CONFER.

SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS. WORK AKD DISABLEMENT. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, This Day. The Returned Soldiers' Conference, after a little discussion on each, carried remits as follows: Asking for a statement from the Minister of Lands as to the possibility of a Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act being re-opened for housing purposes at an early date. Re-affirming the policy of the association for the subdivision of suitable areas of Crown lands when the present leases are terminated. Protesting against the proposal or a section of farmers that preference to returned soldiers at land ballots be removed. . Asking that when a soldier is unable to pay both principal and interest in full, but can pay interest, he may, at the discretion of the Land Board, bo allowed the usual rebate on interest. Special recommendations were adopted regarding the Ngaroma and Kaihere Soldier Settlements. It was recommended that Soutn African veterans be given the same privileges under the Discharged' Soldiers Settlement Act as returned soldiers from the Great War. It was resolved, as regards housing, that as repayments are made they be earmarked for loans for housing to soldiers who did not avail themselves of the privileges when the scheme was in force. , 1 The Government is to be urged to make provision for disabled returned soldiers and armless men by providing work as lift attendants, night watchmen, or messengers in Government departments. It was resolved that the scheme of economic pensioners having to report weekly at the Labour Department be discontinued, and that strong representations be made to the Government that the problem of unemployed disabled soldiers be investigated thoroughly by the Department of Scientific Research' with a view to utilising as much as possible of the present productive material which, by creation of the roll of unemployed, is being -uuetly laid aside at the cost of some thousands of pounds per annum. The problem of the unemployment of the unfit also included civilians, and a scheme for the employment of such men could be extended to embrace those persons injured in industrial pursuits. ""