CLEARING THE AIR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 30, 4 February 1916, Page 6

CLEARING THE AIR.

DEPUTATION OF RETUHNED SOLDIERS MEETS DEFENCE MINISTER. MANY GRIEVANCES VENTILATED. A SYMPATHETIC RECEPTION. A deputation from the Returned Sol- .1 iers' Association was introduced to the 1 linister of Defence (Hon. Jae. Allen) at lie Grand Hotel tliis morning, llr Allen aye the members of the deputation a ordial welcome, and as a result of his eply to many of their representations a umber of matters which have caused erious friction from time to time are low seen in a different light. A large lumber of the complaints made will retuire Departmental investigation before he Minister can make reply, but where here seemed to be an obvious injustice, At Allon gave assurance that he would iave the matter righted. Mr J. S. "Mckson, M.P. for Parnell, introduced the leputation. lie said that soldiers bad nany grievances, but in placing the natter before the Minister, the Aasoeia;ion desired to quote specific cases. Mr yien had always asked for specific nformation, and the deputation which vas with him had come armed with writ:en evidence. SERGEANT MAJORS' CONDUCT. Mr Diokson said that he personally wished to lodge a complaint as to the language and general conduct of certain staff sergeant-majors in dealing with returned and other soldiers. His remarks applied particularly to the men who had to do with the issue of clothing. Mr Allen: Will you supply the names of the sergeant-majors 'i Mr Dickson: No, I would rather not do that. Mr Brassey (secretary of the Soldiers' Association 1 quoted his own case. He said that when he went for a suit and was offered one of the 30/ ones, he pointed out to the sergeant-major in charge that he could hardly be expected to wear a suit of that description. The sorgeajit-mQJor said that "He could well take it or leave it." Mr Allen saij that he was vei»r sorry to hear such a complaint. He was satisfied that the army man was all right at heart, though he had sometimes a rough exterior. Nevertheless, he was sorry if the returned men were not treated by these officers in a polite, conciliatory, and proper manner. Indeed, that was the attitude the staff were expected to adopt towards every soldier, whoever he might be. FIVE TYPICAL CASES. Mr Elliot Davis (vice-president of the Returned Soldiers' Association), who was at the la-ad of the deputation, quoted five cases of a typical nature. The complainta in each case were ta-ken as evidence at the Soldiers' Club, and Mr Davis handed to the Minister a type-written copy of the information given. The cases were as follow: — Private Samuel Fenton, 10/1507.— According to this man's pay book there was due to him 3iSl days' pay from January 16, 1015, to January 31, 1910, and in addition 2/ a day lodging allowance since his return to New Zealand on January 0 last, making a total due of £97 17/. In pay and to his | credit in the bank ho has received I £72 6/3, leaving a balance due to him i of £25 0/9. Fenton states that the] Government are stopping £R 67 for attention to his teeth. His teeth were stopped in camp at Trenthaui by a military dentist in uniform. There was no other information avail, able, and as Fenton could not be present, Mr Allen promised to inquire into the cai-e. Sergeant Arthur B. Cox, 12/528, has received money from the Defence Department in pay totalling £63 13/, whereas according to has statement, which is supported by his pay book, he i> entitled tv £7:1 11/. leav;ng ii balance still owing of £'.l 18/. This man, the report stated, haj ucen CUse'.iarged from tlie service. One oide of bis face waa parity paralysed, and he was quite unlit lor work. Mr. Allen promised to inquire as to the and if there had been a grievance to have it rectified in common with the others. I Private D. B. McLeely, 5, 1302 a, has, 'since August last, received in pay Icaeh and cheques) a total of £4 0/7, whereas :Ue '» entitled to £13 12/. leaving a deficiency of £11 11/5, It was stated that the man had been ;u llie hospital on various occasions since being invalided by 1 the Maheno with enteric fever. At present lie is boarding in Auckland, and ihaa no money to pay his board. He has 1 not received his ditcharge, but is to go : before n .Medical Board tomorrow. I Private McLeelly. who was present, j produced his pay book in support of the evidence. .Mr. Allen remarked that in j going 10 and from the hospital for short j periods the question of inter-communica-tion between departments (Defence and ! Public Health) was involved, it was a ' matter that had to be expected in the 'early stagu; of such a big undertaking. [He promtooJ to institute inquiries. 1 Cj.M.S. KeJfern'e statement was as fol'loivs: "1 am the holder of a Government j .-oction. title o.r.p. 1 had just made a start when war broke out. The section las not brought mc in anything, not even the amoiini 01 the rates. 1 was .nfurmed when 1 left that the rent coald rtand over, but 1 find on my return that inI terctot would have been charged on the i overdue rent, and thai full rent would have to be paid In the end, 60 that thu ' rent was paid as it fell due in order to save paying interest.' , ; Mr. \V. l>. J-eyland, a member of the Association Committee, hoped that such a case as Redferu'c would receive early attention. He knew* that the Land ' Board in Auckland was a sympathetic body, and did not think that the eminent would willingly harass a man who had risked all to serve. I The Minister said that he would givt : the matter his attention, after the de I [.artmental inquiries had been made. j Driver J. G-ibbon=,. 2/171. According ti ! the man's statement, supported by hit pay book, there is the Eum of £15 7/f due to him ac from November 16. 0 that amount he has received 15/. Thi : man was ordered to the Auckland hos pltal by the Medical Board on 2Cth De [ cember. The order was changed to on* of "out patient" on December 29th, am he has been an out patient ever since lie has written to the 9.M.G. acquaint ing him with the fucts. No answor w& \ received to the first letter, so he wrot> again, enclosing a certificate from th Medical Superintendent of the Aucklam Hospital. He received replies to botl letters on the same day, and has sine heard nothing further on the matter. Driver Gibbons, speaking in suppor of the written evidence, said that o November 16th at Suez he was paid £ 10/. He had received only 15/ since hi

return to New Zealand, and although an "out patient" his pay had been at the rate of 1/ a day, on which he and his wife were evidently expected to live. In reply to the Minister, he said that when on service he had allotted 4/ per day out of 5/ per day to his wife. Since his return the allotment to his wife had been stopped. Mr. Allen stated that Driver Gibbon's was another in which trouble had arisen as a. result of inter-communica-tion between departments. The Defence Department had evidently not been informed that Driver Gibbons was -1 "out patient." "But I am at a lose ) understand," said Mr. Allen, "why 5 wife's allotment has been stopped." AN EMPHATIC DENIAL. Mr. Eliot Davis drew the attention of :he Minister to the outfit allowance of ill/ which was paid to discharged solLiere for tie purchase of a suit of nufti. In lieu of this amount the De)artment would supply the discharged ( oldier with a suit of that value. Mr. Davis said that he was of the opinion ;hat the amount was totally inadejuate. Indeed it was hardly sufficient ,o buy the man a pair of boots much ess the other clothing which might be required. At the last meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association a motion and been carried "that the minister foi Defence be respectfully, urged to in crease the clothing allowance to £1C per man." Mr. W. B. Leyland said that he hac oeen told that if a soldier continued tc wear his uniform after he had beer discharged he would be liable to arrest He did not suppose that the regulatior would be strictly enforced, but if th< soldier spent the 30/ allowed on biryinf boots, as had been suggested, and ap peared in boota only, he would cer tainly be liable to arrest. (Laughter.) Mr. George Read assured the Miniate that the deputation Bad come in no spirit of carping criticism. They realised the great difficulties that had been created in the unusual situation which had arisen. Still, from what could be heard, the soldiers appeared to have many real grievances. The Soldiers' Club", for instance, was reeking with discontent. In referring to the outfit allowance Mr. Read said that he understood the Australian Government paid discharged soldiers £10 for kit. Mr. Allen: Where did you get that information! Mr. Read: I read it in the morning paper. Mr. Allen: I am quite certain that the statement is absolutely incorrect. They do not- give them anything like that sum. Indeed my impression is that, if they get as much, they do not get any more than is given in New Zealand." Mr. Allen went on to say that he was sorry to learn that the eluh was "reeking with discontent." He in vited the co-o-peration of all soldiers clubs and associations, but if any oi these institutions and association* allowed political feeling to be engen dered, good results could not be looked for. Arrangements had been in force for some time now under which each soldier arriving in New Zealajid was issued -with a complete outfit of underwear, boots, and two uniforms. It could be assumed that In most cases men would leave suits of mufti behind when they went away, so that it was only in cases where soldiers were in

exceptionally poor circumstances that the suit was really required. Ours was a democratic army, and distinctions could not be made between one class and another. HARMFUL CIGARETTES. Private iMcLeely, in speaking to the I Minister, mentioned that he had received only £4 since August laet, and 6ince ! returning to Auckland by the Maheno had been paid only 35/. Mr. Davis: That would just about keep a man in cigarettes. Mr. Allen: Surely a man would n-ot spend 35/ in that time on cigarettes. Mr. Davis: It represents about two packets a day; some of the boys would spend that much. Mr. Allen: Do you spend that much yuureelf, Mr. Davis? Mr. Davis: I have not smoked a cigarette for three yenra. (Laughter.) Mr. Brafisey: We had to smoke at the front. It was the only thing to keep us awake. Mr. Allen: I may cay that I am informed by the doctors that the overindulgence in is a serious matter. It ie unnerving the men. I am I much concerned about it. ] In reply to Mr. Brasuey, Mr. Allen I stated that returned soldiera who had j been dtechnvged prior to the granting of railway concessions could obtain a free, ticket over all New Zealand lines j available for a period of three weeks. This ticket must be tnken out before the end of April next. I A SATISFIED DEPUTATION. Before the deputation withdrew, Mr. Davis thanked the Minister for the cordial way ill which he had treated them. He said that he believed that the Minister's explanations would help to clear the air, and to establish a more satisfactory basis of understanding. !\[r Read ako expressed hit> thanks to the Minister for putting his Dc-paxtinent'6 side of the matter so frankly. Mr. Allen remarked that he was in reality as sympathetic as anybody el»e with soldiers. He would do all he could for them, but of course could not allow himself to be imposed upon. Mr. Allen accepted an invitation to viait the Club I this evening.