SOLDIERS' COMPAINTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15498, 27 January 1916, Page 5

SOLDIERS' COMPAINTS.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON, J. ALLEN. MISUNDERSTANDING CLEARED UP. MATTERS FULLY AND FREELY DISCUSSED. A number of matters affecting returned soldiers were brought before the Hon. James Allen, Minister cf Defence, by a deputation which the Minister received at the Soldiers' Room at the C.D.C. Rooms yesterday. The Minister was accompanied by Major Nort-on Francis, of the Base Records Office. Mr George Harper, president of the executive of the C-D.C., several members of the C.D.C., and a large number of returned soldiers were present. Th e several matters were brought before the Minister by Mr X. B. McCallum, secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association, and several returned men also placid their individual cases before Mr Allen. The fullest and freest statement of grievances was invited by the Minister, and the invitation was taken full advantage of, and the result was that in almost every instance a satisfactory explanation was forthcoming. THE MEN'S COMPLAINTS. Mr McCallum, on behalf of the Association, thanked the Minister for iie privilege of laying before him certain little hitches that had cropped up, including matters connected with ihe issue of free railway passes, the payment of lodging allowance, the supply of clothing, and several matters connected with the medical examination of soldiers. iito cited his own case in connexion with the free railway pass. He applied for it on January 4tn, but, after waiting some days and getting no reply, he telegraphed on January Bth, reply paid, but still got no reply, and dccided to go off on .holiday. Several days ago he wrote about tho matter, and received the following telegram on Saturday last:—"Regret delay. Railway ticket will issue any weeks prior to April 30th. Advise date selected." Mr McCallum explained that the later date was not suitable, and he had applied for a refund of his travelling expenses. He next referred to the case of Private Madden, who got a pass available only for a fortnight instead of three weeks. Another case was that of Private Iv. W. Manning, who applied in Cliristchurch for his pass, but did not get it till he went to Wellington. Regarding the medical examination of returned soldiers, he said that many men were kept about town who wished, if possible, to get away to the country, but could not c!o so owing to uncertainty as to when the Medical Board would sit. In Private Davidson's case, he had been examined, but had not received any information as to the result of the examination. As to lodging allowance, they desired to know if it would be paid for periods prior to January Ist. The Minister: Haven't you been told that it would be paid? Mr McCallum: "There is nothing appended to the cheque to say that it will." Continuing, he said that difficulty was experienced in getting clothing from local headquarters. In Private Cameron s case, he applied locally for a nap, was referred to Wellington, which m turn referred him to local headquarters, .which issued an order. Another man, "who applied for. a suit of mufti, had a similar experience. Another Matter was that of men who returned to camp in the North Island for duty, but after a few days in camp had broken down in health, and had to come back to Cliristchurch. They also wished to know if a man who was willmg to take his discharge, and took it, would have the necessary treatment continued by the Government after his discharge. It was also desired that ™en being treated as out-patients should have permission to go into the country for the remander of tho week after they had attended at the outpatients' _ department. The Minister asked if a specific case oould be cited. Mr J. M. Turnbull said that the Minister of Public Health had refused a uch permission. He handed a copy of tho Minister's letter to Mr Allen. | QUESTION OF PROMOTION. Trooper Livingstone said that he had been deputed to speak on the disabilities which returned soldiers labour under in regard to obtaining commissions. He understood that the dictum of the Department was that all returned men must return to the 3 T° nt r wlt " out promotion, and that therefore, returned men were debarred. from being promoted in the Dominion. He citcd the case of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion whilst on active service from April 25th to iL cnd 0t c A "6 ust - It consisted of 1400 men of the Main Body and Reinforcements, and suffered 44 casualties, but only four nien were promoted from the ranks—two sergeants and two sergeant-majors. Tne deficiency was made up by appointing >22 from the .Reinforcements and only four from the Canterbury Battalion; "the remaining deficiency was not made up. At buvla Bay the Canterbury Battalion went into action with three officers instead of six The total promotions tor months was four, so that the chance of promotion on the field was very small. He pointed out that since the Mam Body and Reinforcements left, men who did not enlist then for' reasons of their own, were to-dav holding commissions. The returned men considered it illogical and unfair that men who had remained at home had got commissions whilst those who had spent four months in i'gypt and done many months' duty m the trenches had not been promoted He understood that the Minister had referred the matter to the G.0.C., who

;Jiad postponed action til! he had comjpleted his reorganisation of the New Zealand force. They respectfully submitted that the question of the promotion of invalided men was not dependent on the matter of reorganisation. Thev knew that the Minister was sympathetic and hoped that some definite concession to returned men would be made. PAY IX ARREARS. , r^. r J - Millton brought before the -Minister the question of men's pav being in arrears, and cited the case of Private in whose case there appeared to be about £34 owing him. k cr geant-Major AYhitaker, who was in civilian clothes, stated that he had been unable to get leave, although the medical officer had reported on his case. He was not in uniform because he would render himself liable to arrest, as lie unable to produce his leave. Trie Minister: Have you asked for your discharge-' AVhitaker: Yes; I want to leave the country. Private Wel ah asked and received permission to put his case. He said that since November 16th he had received £o os. and there was about £34 owing him. His father and mother were botli invalids, and with his two sisters and brothers were dependent on liim. When he returned he could not get his pay; he was paid £5 5s on the L7th inst. On his return to the Dominion he was sent to Hanmer Springs Convalescent Hospital. ° The Minister: Did you leave any alotments to your people?

Welsh: Yes; 3s per day. The Minister: That lias been paid regularly ? Welsh: Yes. The Minister: "What is your grievance ? M r J. J. Dougall 6aid that, assuming his pay-book was correct, £34 was due to ham. The Minister said that the allotments were paid fortnightly, and Welsh's parents were suffering no disability. "See how this matter would have been misrepresented if I had not put these questions,'' said Mr Allen. '"The allotments which, presumably, were enough to keep his father and moTuer. have been going on, and W r elsh. in the meantime, lias been kept at Hanmer Springs at the country's expense. The onlv ching not cleared up is this £'34, and that will be cleared up."' "Welsh: 1 came back from Hanmer Springs last Friday. The Minister: There has not been very much time elapsed since then. Major Francis said that whilst in the Convalescent Hospital, Welsh was not entitled to accumulated pay, the -Department having decided to follow, the English system of not paving whilst in hospital, Is per week (paid fortnightly) to pay for tobacco. The Minister said that their ence was that if men were paid whilst in hospital they abused the privilege he did not sav that all did, but son;c did. * . Mr Turnbull: This man went home before he went to Hanmer Springs. The Minister (to Wclsn): >\t-ro T cu given leave? AVelsh: 1 went home on my own account. The Minister: Against order."'? "Welsh : Yes. Mr Harper (to W T elsh): Your people live at Onmam? Welsh : Yes. . . Mr Harper explained that vvelsh had gone home on his way to Hanmer Springs. The Minister pointed out that he oiil so decidedly against orders. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. Mr Allen, in reply, said that he was always glad to meet returned soldiers and those connected with the C.D.C., and to hear their grievances, because he wanted to rectify any that were of a legitimate clmracter. W r elsli's -ase was on© that showed how matters could be misrepresented to the public. He did not suppose Welsh did it for any reason, but it was a clear case of misrepresentation, and it was on such '..ike cases that the Department was being abused and wrongly abused. Welsh broke orders, and instead of going to the Convalescent Hospital—the right place for him to go—he had gone home. It might seem, to the public, a hardship that a man should be sent to convalescent hospital or home instead of to his own home, but it was done because tho Department and the. Public Health Department were anxious to do everything possible to restore invalided soldiers, as far as possible, to their original state of health. As to free railway passes: they were aware that it was decided some time in December to issue these, but the decision did not come into operation till January Ist. The passes were to be available for three weeks from . 'he last date on which a soldier had been before the Medical Board. Tho cases cited by the deputation referred to men whose "boarding' took place prior to January Ist. and prior to the free railway pass system coming into operation. To meet these cases the operation >f the system had been extended to April 30th. so that returned soldiers could get th e benefit of tho Easter holidays. Major Francis (at tho Mmister's request) stated that any soldier who had not got his railway pass prior to January Ist, could apply for it to the Base Office, or the local Defence Office would make the application if he signed it. The soldier would get his pass at the local I>efence Office on signing a receipt and an undertaking that so long as he was in uniform he would be under military law. Mr Allen (continuing) said that there seemed to be one or two case* which' were sort of betwixt and between. In ,the case of men who had got passes for a- fortnight only, a pass for the additional week would be issued. Referring to the non-reply to Mr McCallum's communication. Mr Allen said that there had been some cases of correspondence not being answered owing to neglect of clerks. Any of them who had seen the Records Office and seen the amount of work done there would not wonder that letters were sometimes overlooked. One or two clerks had been "hauled over the coals" for neglect, and he could say that there would be, practically, none in the future. As to Medical Boards, the Minister said that they were not by any means

easy things to get in working order under the new scheme. The scheme had had to be changed, and it was possible that the Boards were not being set up as quickly:as would be liked. The reason men had to stay in the centres until "boarded" was to obviate expense. ~ Regarding lodging allowance, the Minister asked to be supplied •with a specific case. Tho allowance had been made retrospective, and every man provided for in the "Soldiers' Handbook" was entitled to it, and if a man felt he was entitled to it, all he had to do was to apply for it. With respect to clothing, the Minister said he hardly knew what the grievance was. The Department now practically issues two suits of uniform and two pairs of boots to every man if he had lost his uniform through no fault of his own; if through hris own fault, the soldier had to replace it. Private Madden said he returned on July 17th last, but had been unable to get boots. The Minister said that things were not then in proper working order. Major Francis explained that when a man was discharged by the Medical Board he got notice of his discharge and leave for three weeks, and at the same time he got a suit of mufti, or nn order for it, «.-• 30s in cash. Referring to the matter of men returning to duty in camp in the North Island, and breaking down, the Minister said it would be necessary to cite i specific case, and have it enquired into. It «as entirely a matter for the medical officer with whom rested the right to say if a man were fit for luty. It might be that, in some rases, the medical officer miscalculated. ftergeant-Maior Whitaker said that

men did not wish their names made public. The Minister asked that he should be supplied, confidentially, with the 'I™ s names, and Sergeant-Major U hi taker undertook to do so. Major Francis said that the Departmeat took every care to prevent men. going to camp who were not physically ht bccause it was hard on the'soldier and caused unnecessary expenditure. , Dealing with the question -whether the Deior.ee Department would continue treatment to soldiers who acceot- +? J i I,l ' discharge, the Minister said that the Department's responsibility ended when a man was discharged, but the country's responsibility did not ccase. Tie referred to the Discharged soldiers Department (under the Hon. ra tx, ' Hcrdman), and the Public HcaUh Department (under the Hon. \ ,V • Russell), and advised discharged soldiers to make full use of them. In addition, a man who was discharged and was suffering from any disability was entitled to a pension, and apnlication could be made for a pension before being discharged. Pensions could •bo hxed to take effect from the date lu ° ar £ e - As to out-patients visit.ng the country, that was a matter entirely for the medical officer. The department's object was to get the men nt as soon as possible. Mr J. J. Dougall said lie desired to emphasise this matter. Thcv had evidence every day of men deteriorating, lhey would appreciate the opportunity S° into the country and take placcs offered them. ■ He hoped the Minister

would give the amtter his personal attention. Mr McGallum said that men would regain their health quicker in the country. The Minister: That is very likely—but it depends on the town tho soldier wishes to go to. Mr McCallum: It's the country. The Minister: I know; but there are some country towns that are no better tor a man than a city like Christchurch —in fact, are a good deal worse. It's all a matter for tho medical officer. Mr Turnbull: The doctors say tney haven't got the power. The Minister: It' they haven't got the power we will give it to them. THE PROMOTION QUESTION. Referring to tho matter of commissions for returned soldiers, the Minister asked if they considered it would be right for him to promote non-com-missioned officers or men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who happened to be in New Zealand without consulting the G.0.C., and without asking that officer to consider the rights and privileges of others? They had the ear of the Minister, but tho Minister had t.o do that which was equitable and just to every man in he force, and every man in the force had tho same rights and privileges. So he could not take upon himself to advise any single promotion in the forcc; it must come lrom the officer in command, through his captains and subalterns, who were in a position to ascertain the qualifications of tho men who had been in the trenches for eighteen months, and had done their share of fighting. He could not pick out men who had returned to New Zealand for promotion;.it was a privilege that must be extended to every man in the force. What he had d<sne was to ask the G.O.C. to nominate five or six men in New Zealand out of the returned soldiers fo promotion with the Reinforcements. He had telegraphed three times asking for a definite answer, but had not yet received it. The G.O.C. had power to make promotions equal to o6 per cent, of casultics. There had been some difficulty owing to men away sick being retained on the strength, but the G.O.C. had been allowed to take them off tho strength, and make promotions. They could see that he could not do what they asked without giving the men in England, in Egypt, and on active service the same riglxt. The Minister added that he had asked General Godley to recommend five or six New Zealanders for commissions in the Imperial Army, but he had not yet received an answer. He thought that they would agree that in the matter of promotion he had done all that could lie done. He had just had handed to him a cable message from General Godley, which might deal with the matter, but he could not say whether it did or not, as it was in code. If it proved to be so, he congratulated in anticipation, those who would be promoted, and sympathised with those who could not get their commissions— he was sorry to say that all could not get them 1 The Minister was thanked for receiving the deputation, and left the C.D.C. Rooms to catch the express.