THE SECOND DIVISION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16205, 7 May 1918, Page 7

THE SECOND DIVISION.

CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION. MOTIONS ADJOURNED. The question of allowances to members of 'the Second Division was raised in the City Council last evening by Cr. D. G. Sullivan, but owinjr to certain Court eases coming on this week further discussion was adjourned till the next meeting. Pursuant to notice of motion Cr. Sullivan moved— '"That the Council condemns the mean spirit displayed by tile Governinta towards members of the Second Division and their wive.-; and children m the matter of allowances, and calls upon it to immediately grant the full demands of tliu Second Division League, and the Council declares emphatically that the* increa.sc of sixpence per day in children's allowances decided on by the Government is absurdly inadequate as a solution of the problem." Speaking in support of his motion, Cr. Sullivan said it had been stated that the Second Division were trying to drive a hard bargain. If that wore so the Gavernnicnb had taught them how to drive a hard bargain. They all knew that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, when in England, tried to secure the utmost copper from the people of the Old Country lor our wool and meat, and then Mr Masscy apologised in tho House of Representatives last session ior not being able to secure more because of the competition of the Argentine. The men of the Second Division, their wives, and children were having to pay for this hard bargain. Mr Massey had the amazing impudence to say that the Second Division were not playing the game, after he had tried his utmost to secure for tile woolgrowcrs and the meatgrowers the last possiblo farthing. The wives and children of tho men who had gone to tho front, and the wives and children of the men who had to go had to sulfer for this hard bargain, because the high prices obtained in England had enhanced the prices obtained in this country, there being a seventeen and three-quarter million war profit. C'r. Sullivan read a list which showed that out of the £2 12s 6d which would be received in allotment and allowances by a wife with one child she would have to pay £1 32s 2d petweek for food and lighting, and 15s for rent, leaving 5s for clothing and other things. The food and lighting were made up as follows: —JJread 3s, butter 3s 2d, meat ss, inilk 2s, coal and ga3 7s, potatoes 2s, sundries 10s. Continuing, lie said tho case against the Government was absolutely convincing. If councillors thought the motion was framed in drastic terms they had to remember that no mil]; and water methods would serve with a Government which had attempted to provide only 25s a week pension for a totally disabled man.

Cr. Hunter soconded the motion. They were all convincod, he said, that the demands of the Second Division League were reasonable. The Government wanted shaking up, and very strongly, by a responsible body like the Christeliurch City' Council in order to make it realise its responsibilities. Cr. moved as an amendment: "That this Council, while condemning the resolution passed at the recent meeting with reference to the Second Division_ held at the Opera House, and while repudiating the same ns being disloyal and in no way representing the tine feeling of the citizens of G'hristchurch, is of the opinion that the present allowances to soldiers' dependants are in many cases quite inadequate, and urges the Government to deal with the matter promptly in order to allay the present widespread dissatisfaction.''' Cr! Howard rose to a point of order. The Council, he said, could hardly take &uch a motion when there were Court cases pending. Cr. Beanland thought that in this ease the whole matter might be discussed at a later stage. The Mayor (Mr H. Holland) thought that the matter should be held over till the next meeting. Cr. Sullivan said he did not agfoe to this. He thought there should bo no discussion on the Sunday evening episode. Cr. Hayward moved that further discussion on the matter be postponed till the next meeting of the Council in order not to prejudice any of the cases coming before the Court that week.

Cr. Flesher claimed that Cr. Climie should be allowed to move his amendment first.

Cr. Taylor seconded that amendment. Cr. Climie thought it was the proper course to postpone the discussion. Cr. Flesner seconded Cr. Hayward's amendment.

Cr. Wells contended that Cr. Sullivan's motion had nothing to do with with public meetings. Speaking with considerable lieat she said if thev were going to have conscription let" them have it properly. Tliero should be no age limit, all should ho called up. Men over 45 years were driving the young men to the front and calling them shirkers. The old men should go first. If she felt on the war tho same as the old men said they did she would go to the front immediately without asking the younger men. Cr. Sullivan said the Second Division expected that the Council would shelve and dodge tho motion.

Cr. Howard said he was not in any way implicated in the Sunday night meeting; ho was not even a Second Division man. Tho Council must know that even tho single men did not secure sufficient pay or else the Council acted wrongly in making up tho pay of its employees enlisting to the same as what they were receiving before they enlisted. Tho motion that the debate be ad- . journed till the next meeting was carried by 11 votes to 5, the division list being as follows:— For: Crs. Taylor, Hayward, EH, Loasby, Peek, Beanland, Climie, McICellar, Flesher, Williams, and the Mayor. Against: Crs. Sullivan, Wells, Howard, Hunter, and Btirgoyne. DOMINION PRESIDENT INTERVIEWED. CHRISTCHURCH REORGANISATION. ... Mr R. A. Armstrong, president of the National Federation of the New Zealand Second Division League, was in Christchurch yesterday on business connected with the reorganisation of the League in Christchurch, which, in consequence of the recent troubles, is now practically non-existent. He stated to a "Press" representative that ho had already seen a number of the members of Cthe Executive of the Christchurch League, and ho was satisfied that tbe present unfortunate position had come about entirely through a series of misunderstandings. Firstly, lie . thought, such a position c °uld never have arisen if the League's constitution had been adhered to. Its. objects were equally clear, and were stated as follows:—(a) To assist the Government to bring the war to a victorious conclusion, and to secure by constitutional methods tho conservation of the general welfare of all 6oldiers and their dependants in New Zealand, (b) Tho above objects being wholly national, the League shall bo strictlv nonparty. The Christchurch League was now without executive officers, practically all having resigned, and he had come to Christchurch with the idea of calling the Canterbury Provincial Council together to go fully into the matter, and decide what steps should be taken to put the Christchurch League on a sound i

footing. The meeting of the Council, would be he'd in Christchurch tliis week. From what had already appeared in. the papers, the public must I>p aware that the League was not in any way responsible for the motion wnich had been carried at the recent Sunday nigi't meeting at the Opera House, nor ior the regrettable demonstration at the barracks the following Monday. the different branches of the Leaguo which had exnressed an opinion on these matters* had deplored the extremists' attitude and actions. At the same- time it must be fully resolved that the League intended to continue its pressure on the Government with a view to constitutionally obtaining adequate and just treatment for soldiers and their dependants. A Dominion conference would be held in Wellington on the 22nd inst., and the united determination of all the Leagues would then be decided.

With regard to the disturbance in Christchurch, he had already said that it appeared to be the outcome of a, genuine outburst of public feeling following on the policy of drift adopted by the Government, and lie noticed that the Mayor of Christchurch had also primarily blamed the Government. He would point out to reservists and others who were strong i n their condemnation of what had happened that it was ill their power, by taking an active part in the vital public questions under discussion, to maintain the balanco of .sanity in all expressions of public thought. It was a duty every reasonable man owed to himself and to his city to actively support those who were working along constitutional lines for the betterment of the conditions of soldiers and their dependants. He hoped that the really great constructive work dono by the League would be recognised by those for whom the work was done, and that when the Christchurch League came to be once more brought into action all reservists would rally round the organisation that had put up such a bold fighting front to the authorities, and was now compelling them step by step to do the right thing bv all soldiers and their dependants. The conditions of servico were not yet what the League aimed for, but a comparison with the conditions existing in 1917 was sufficient proof of the League's success up to the present.

_Mr Armstrong will leave for Tim.mi ftlier to-day or to-morrow, and speak m that town.