RETURNED MEN'S GRIEVANCES

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 10

RETURNED MEN'S GRIEVANCES

ORGANISATION ATTACKEB. < HOW IT AFFECTS RECRt'ITIXf!. (By Telegraph—Pai-liasnenrary Itennrter.) WELLINGTON. Friday. I While the IVf.-nee Kstimatei were iheina ci'ii-ideied in the HoiKP. this atternoon. Mr. Vpitch referreil to a cumplaint iiiuilc lli«t rptiinic.l >nldic-»- wrr not i»-iiii; wi-11 treated. The Minister had promised 1o appoint, special ollieers J in the principal centre* to ascertain tinI p-o-ilidii of rcturne;l men. wiLli the oo- ! .lit "f placing tlu- grievance-, in nil I ciiliciiil way befovo ihc Minister. Tuis, he lielicvp.i. lm,l l.ccii dime, but ho ec-n-| jteiuieil fliu-li p!:u--i • in Wnniianui Rhoulu piMo have olli. ■:•:■> rfppoiiitcl to them. ifie know i.f raw. in nliirh men had lieen 1 K-ft stmnilpil for week*, or had been perhaps uiveu tir-t-.'hii's railway pjwrt Ii for hidi.lays when they had not even enough money to pay for their hoard. 'j Mr. A lion admitted that there had ' I been delay in the past, before the work ' was thoroughly organised, but it was the work w.i-. being done very ellU-ientlv. 'tin fact, inquiries were dealt with ' promptly. There vecnipil to be no neceasity to appoint a special uffieer now: to receive soldiers' grievances. a& the. ' I men were inquiring thenieelves much I more freely, besides which mayors and Mothers were aa-i-tiiur. I i Mr. Wilfonl eontende.l that the Mini*l 'ter w.is quite out of touch with the feelI 1 ing throughout the country on the subject ol the treatment of returned men. ■ I There wore a great many instance* of j j hardshiji. While the Minister was silvrovs eourtpoiis in reply to the many in--3 quirir-i he ha I made himself on behalf ' of soldiers or their relative?, that ended the mattf-r. as the reply never contained 1 any satisfaction. He believe.! the exporiont'es of many inotliprs and dithers in tin- country ivi-ro absolutely lloart-n-n.ling. Mr. Xooworthy tlio Miiiisto: , . declaring that "he had made many inji|ui!ies at t.'ie Base Records Office! ami J had always received prompt and iati«factory replies. I Mr. Witch quoted instances showing i lnok of organisation in regard to cleali ing with returned men. He contended . that the Department should be so orjMniscd that a man should never l>? ! lost siirlit of until his ewe was i-ottled. Mr. Allen contended that the organ'uajjltion complained of was at the other o end. I "There is no doubt about it the re*j turned soldier has had a had influence n on recruiting, owing to the fact thnt ii when he came back he received the im- } prescion that, having done hie little 'jit nobody cares a dump about him." eaid olMr. Payne. He adde.l: '"1 would recog-

liise every man who has hcen out and done his'little bit ,v-> being one of the - worthiest of citizens, and I would do everything possible for him to show i: pprceiation o£ what lie lias done for us.' ! (Hear, hear.)