THE SECOND DIVISION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16214, 17 May 1918, Page 7

THE SECOND DIVISION.

CHRISTCHURCH LEAGUE

>fEW EXECUTIVE ELECTED

to loyalist section of tho ChnstiJndi Second Division League has finIW prevailed in that organisation, a siting kcld evening electing a w executive from which tho cxtrem£u are missing. Tho meeting, which Z. attended by about one hundred pmbers of tho League, was presided # by Mr B. A. Armstrong, presiJLtrf tho National Executive. Tn opening the meeting, the chairexplained tho reasons why memSShad been called together, and why l «as in the chair that night. As knew, several unfortunate circum£Sces bad arisen, duo, ho considered, misunderstandings, and a number of 1 members of tho executive of the rL»ue b ad resigned office. W hen ho to Christchurch there was no i>*<>cutivo in existence which he, as national president, could consult. Acho called together a meeting 2"the Canterbury Provincial Council tha League and put certain questions t them, to which .they supplied renties These questions and replies Mr Armstrong read to tho meeting. A iecial committeo of the Council, he !iid was then set up, of which he was amember, to call that evening's meeting He took it that thoso present Lre willing to abide by the Provincial Cbuncil's interpretation of membership of tho League. AVe as a nation had to adopt conscription in order to fight against our enemies, and consequently tho members of the Second Division League must support tho Military Service Act. Under no circumstances had tho Leaguo failed in its duty to soldiers and dependants. It bad achieved a lot, and, working along constitutional lines, it was gointr to j achievc a lot more. (Applause.)

A BREEZE. ]' Mr A. Jones, a member of the old executive, roso to a point of order. Were members to swallow the interpretation of membership that the president had read out? , The chairman said tho Second Division Leagues were to be found from the North Capo to the Bluff. It was impossible for tho Christchurch League to secure any results by pursuing an individualistic policy. Mr Jones: Wo are tho democracy, not the Canterbury Council. Mr Armstrong said the Canterbury Council had determined tho lines of the meeting. There was nothing to prevent anyone disagreeing with it from withdrawing. There was nothing to prevent anyone forming another organisation. Mr Jones: We havo formed one. Mr Armstrong said the policy of the Second Division organisation had teen laid down. "1 warn you onco more," he said, "that anyone who wishes to leave tne room can do so." (Applause.) Mr Jones: Our money and support have been obtained from us under false pretences. , Tho chairman: I am not going t<r have you delay this -meeting. "I am not goine to permit this man to go any further," he added when Mr Jones persisted in arguing the point. Mr' Jones: I'vo said all I wanted to sav. . . !Tho chairman said he was not going to permit. Mr Jones to disturb the meeting, The objects of the Christchurch League, which Mr Jones had joined, , . were to act loyally to home and country, and co-operate with the Government in securing provision for their wives and families. Mr Jones: This meeting is not in order, because members have not been ad- ' mitted by the constitution ticket. The i nominations have also been made in a very irregular manner. There has j . Been some treachery. \ ' The chairman said every attempt had been made by means of notices to mem- ; bars and advertisements in the papers to let all members know.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers was then proceeded with. The only nomination for the office of president was that of Mr H. S. J. Goodman, . and he was accordingly declared clected. Similarly, Mr H. R. Best was .elected hon. treasurer. • Two nominations, those of Mr L. J. Campbell and Mr H. J. Yates were received for the , position of hop. secretary. ,Mr Yates Baid he would withdraw his -nomination in favour of Mr L. J. Campbell. 'Mr Campbell said he was quite satisfied, that whatever Mr Yates had done t ;W not done, had been done with cood intent.

•, , Campbell was duly declared elected.

• WITHDRAWALS. jR- IX Martin said he wished to withdraw his nomination from the MJUncil, He did not agree with the intflroretation laid down by. the Council, believe that it agreed: with- the constitution. He was a founWv 1 , member and had at all times tried to cany out the League's objects ffl a constitutional manner. The inwrpretation laid down by the Canter- , owy Council meant that a man joining . we league must be a conscriptioaist. • P Oll to the war) were op- ~ -ffff 1 -* 0 conscription. • He considered, ti n «^+° nscr }§ tlon '? ts , *** anti-oonscrip- •^?! st s could easily hav© worked hand«W d and secured beneßts for Seoond Dmaion soM.ers. Under the new inwpretation every member of the ' ijf? Bl }! wo ?j d be bound to hunt for the Government desired (Cries of "No.") He t] 1 ® married men in the «Mgue would be willing to go to the SSS 2S*.become hunters,, merely, > win am? ®J 7IS,on defaulters, the same tke Second iaJr 2 n S 00 !? bo r.eady and willthie fro £ nt '. wo/ld not apextension of time, and would rt demand three months' notice beforo _ I P?S into camp. Fortunatelv m «n. Gover nment 'had deAould not «n + +^ a few £? ys that he nErf f ° ° war - He had been * 8 an honest man he could to other me£? tfr® +1. T® re B ro tted to have to ro- ?? League, but he,would conhelp mon going to the W 1 S B tu d he onl y. wished to with- < ho .(K™' 1 ' s®. hn <* also been classed . , < % tt cons c«enti«is and religious SK% h ° C ?P d na ? force any other ', mh* tJttSLK of an y Peraonal assistI them. he was prepared to help - ■ < ciaW 4f mstr ? n g said .he fully appro- 1 .v'te' $.jirtj jswfcjg V, *£ be t ?° list of 1,66,1 asscd C 2. Sff Wctinn necessity for nn Ml'i k*ing declami° ? Xe^!j t ' T vr the following »d elected.- Messrs F. Allen, V A Con CT; T - S- Dacre CirHilea, J. Ham. SmiTi: J ," b V- R - Moor 6' J - Staniland, W. L. > v - White. il&'Jrafrtotdl • ho took an entirely v ,' ew from the other speakers. sl 'PP°, rt to the Military Act, and, therefore, could be jjgfffly* * conscriptionist. He had joinBecond Division League for this

reason. "When men were conscripted they ehould receive a square deal, and the Second Division League was the only organisation that could do anything for reservists. He hoped to see tho League remain in existence after the war to protect the interests of soldiers and their dependants. A GENER AL ELECTION. Mr A. Jones asked would they, under tho new- interpretation, bo allowed to work for a general election. The chairman said that under the present constitution the League was non-political, but there was nothing to provent an alteration in the constitution. The Dominion Conference was meeting Ministers on May 23rd. He hoped that Ministers would meet their wishes in an amicable spirit, hut if members were dissatisfied there was nothing to prevent them altering their constitution, provided thirty days' notice was given. "WORK OF THE LEAGUE. The chairman then gavo a resume of what the Second Division League, has done since its formation. He considered that the recent outburst in Christchurch was a genuine one against the conditions prevailing. Had it not been for the League the Government would have gone along in the sweet old way, hoping that peace would come some time. And then when there came the sudden demand for more men there .vould have been outbursts all over the Dominion, instead of only in Christchurch, if the conditions existing in 1917 had not been altered. Under tho old conditions tho Government did not recognise its responsibilities to soldiers antil they stepped aboard the transport. Men could be sent into camp at a day's notice, a soldier's wife received a separation allowance of Is a day, and his child 6d per day, whilst a widowed mother received 7s a week if she did not take in washing. The maximum amount of a pension for disablement was 2os per week, and then it was awarded at the discretion of a Board. ; When tho Financial Assistance regulations first camo in, the regulations were divided into two sections. Those for tho voluntary iecruit were made easy because he did not require much assistI ance, those for the balloted man were I made harder, because naturally he required assistance. He had to apply for total exemption, and then the Military Service Board might advise the Minister to grant assistance. On the other hand, the voluntary recruit simply had to fill in n form. There was no provision for siclc benefits, maternity cases, or operations. "What was tho position now? As tho result of considerable pressure Lhe League had been able to secure tV-at frcm the moment a man went into camp, and was put on the pay list, he was able to claim all "fljuo benefits 'under the Pensions Act. The League tried to secure an early medical examination of reservists, but had beeu informed that it could not be done. Subsequently a definite promise had been given that every Second Division reservist would be given three months' notice from the time of being called up to the time of his entering camp. Now there were scheduled pensions by right for disablement, the maximum pension' being £5. The pension of a widow without children had been increased from 25s to 30s per week, and • she was entitled to claim an extra 15s to bring her up to her pre-war standard. The widow with children had had her pension increased to £2, with the 15s extra if necessary. Allowances to wives had been increased to 21s per week, those to children to 10s 6d, and widowed mothers were entitled to an allowance of 10s under certain conditions. Provision had been made for allowances being given to brothers and eisters. The suggestion of the Financial Assistance Board that wives of reservists could go to work would never be made again. The Second Division League were now endeavouring to induce the Government to appoint an official to help' and advise reservists in regard to financial assistance. The object the Leagues were working for was that a wife should get £2' 2s a week clear. The Financial Assistance Board's policy was not to allow the wife to save one penny. "Whit the League wanted was to ensure the establishment of a Bmall fund to which a man might have recourse upon returning to New Zealand. They wanted a mpn to have some feeling of security that when he returned to New Zealand he would not be driven on to a glutted Inbour market and accept any wage. It was the feeling of the wives olmany soldiers that .this, would be the case, and it was the hope of the League to remove that feeling. (Applause.) They did . not onlv want to confine themselves to getting certain rights; they hod to see that they were administered properly. After all only one out of seven or eight of them would have to go to the front. Those °?t of it must look after the interests of the men who went. (Applause.) lhey must continue to be organised and preach the gospel throughout New Zealand of the duty of the man who did not have to go. The wife of a soldier now received a special maternity grant of £5, and could go into a St Helens Hospital free of cost. Free medical treatment was provided in hospitals for dependants of soldiers, And the Government assisted with medical expenses. In all cases the Government had at first said it could not be done., hut the League had secured them, and if the League kept pegging away t "®y would secure the remainder of what they were asking for. Votes of thanks to the chairman and the Rev. B. Tocker (Geraldine) for attending tho meeting, were carried.

TO THE EDITOB QT "THE PRESS."

Sir, I have been noticing the resolutions passed by the Second Division .League, and I must say I am amaze'd and disgusted at these male shirkers. Ten thousand of our boys are killed, thousands of others are crippled and wounded, now there are only a few left in essential occupations, and tho unfit. How much longer is the Government going to allow these shirkers to hide themselves behind women and children's petticoats? The majority of their women will bo for better off than they have ever beon beforo under the present ponsion scheme. There are married men travelling ai-ound for grocery orders, and serving in shops, etc., that are far more able to stand the strain of war than the 20-year-old boys we are sending. The boys and •ingle men havo done it all up "to t&e present, and their mothers (if widows) get 10s a week to live on, and are not able to go out to work like a young wife could, do. The married men were quite willing for the conscription law to be passed to take our boys, thinking their turn would never come. If we had had a just conscription law the married men would have stood an equal chance with the single men. They have more to lose, and they have wives and children to protect, and it is only a coward that would hide, behind a 20-year-old boy, and a coward that would send another to protect his children. Mothers' hearts are breaking for their boys, but who cares (certainly not the shirkers who have sent them) P TTie mothers aro many of them old, the boys are helnless. It will be to the everlasting disgrace of New Zealand if the Government do not mnke these socalled men do their duty, and make them take their place in the firing-line with, the yonng boys they have sent. What :s good enough for the boys and their is good enough for tho shirker and "his wife. —Yours, etc.. MOTHER.

May 15th