OUR SAILORS AND SOLDIERS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15812, 30 January 1917, Page 10

OUR SAILORS AND SOLDIERS.

•MOVEMENT FOR INCREASED PAY. DISCISSION BY CITY COUNCIL. At. the meeting of the City Council lu>t night, a circular-letter was received from tho Pctone Borough Council, covering certain resolutions, the effect of which were: (1) That all the men serving with the New Zealand Forces on land or sea be paid 10s per day, (2) that the Government take immediate steps to conscript all wealth and prevent the exploitation of the public, (,3) that the money so conscripted bo utilised for the benefit of the men and their dependants. Cr. Burgoync moved that the resolutions be received and endorsed by the Council. He considered tha*t t.he men had a pcrfect right to a remuneration at least approximating to the wages they earned when at work in the Dominion. In a few cases tho military pay did mean as much to a man, but only in a very few. The men's dependants woro worse off still, and he knew the case of a widow, whose husband had niado the supreme sacrifice, who was now getting the sum of 25s a week, which he maintained was s disgrace. WTion he thought of tho handsome profits that were being made hv the producers of the country, lie emphatically declared that tho action of the Government in not conscripting the surplns wealth of the Dominion for the benefit of the men at tho front and their dependants, and for the parpose of prosecuting the war, was a disgrace Cr. Herbert seconded the motaon, which was supported by Crs. McCullough, McCombs. and Sullivan. The last-named pointed out that tho motion embodied ideas which had been mooted by labour leaders in the early stages of the war, and for which they bn<i been subjected to ridicule and told they were unpatriotic and harassing the Government.

His "Worship the Mayor said that he was in sympathy with the motion to a certain extent, but seeing that retrospective action was called for, involving the expenditure of very large sums of money, lie thought the resolutions might bo iubmittcd to the Finance Committee, for farther consideration. Cr. Hnvward defended the Government from the sweeping afceusaiions whieh had been passed on it. At tho outbreak of war there was no idea it would last so Jonp; as it had, and he felt also that many of the. men who bad gone io fight, did not look for money, but had gone for the honour and glory of it. The Mayor's motion was eventually put anr] carried. Crs. Burgoyne and BeanlntvJ dissenting.