SECOND DIVISION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16217, 21 May 1918, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION.

CII V rocxcifs ATTITCDK

>T,W CAIMiILTD.

■ „ ,'oitui f ' witli the GorornA to" MilBont .no-n! bv IT. Sullivnr. «*■ tlw dicr3 '"'", the ('itv Council fortnight®(<it,"rYoClnnic ui«ved an innendmeut ?irf, rclmcd to the * anil a, a ie>ult the ~OUS<? il (Ir-ii'.cd to adjourn the debate ".edition cases ar.in, out of the jjJU H"" 5 " h niuiit's meet ing of the ColinSul Tifa" 1 1'comlcum.- the "' .li-u.avcd 'he Goveiii,nf'an S! .-.,nK uiciiihw. of tin* i-econd d their w.vos, and cl.ilB,vU " n ,i ni . ror allowance, and < lren,n , to inline liatclv grant, I ill' 'liiii |M' 4 'Vrnjfil (Mhirt's omthat "ticrcase of Mxpenct; ' l','v in allo.vanr-cs decided tiv'tlie Government is absurdly Hi; "v/ntate •»* = n ' ,l!;on '' 10 " U IT Mavor asked counc.Ho.> to look fVho mixtion ll0! " " n " n l ,artl!ll I ,o:nl ; * view Tlie subject «hnuld be treated „ it . merits and not trom a party ; B ' of view. In fact, the motion Sid po through without any further P°' nto( ' nllt ! " riimie had moved an amendment. rv Climie asked net-mission to withdraw this and substitute another. He irii granted permission. Cr. Ilnyward save notice or tho fol]owiii"rr cinendnicnt, which ho- thought ffottkfmeet the case:— . . ••That this t otincil. while not desiring lohamper the Government in a vigorous urnsenution of the war, is of the opinion that the present allowances to soldiers' wives and dependants arc in Biinv cases quite inadequate, and urges the Government to deal with the matter promptly, in order to allay the present widespread dissatisfaction." Cr. Sullivan rote to a point of order. Was the preamble to Cr. Hayward's nraendraent relevant to the question of allowances raised in his (Cr. Sullivan's') motion. The Mayor (Mr H. Holland) said the amendment- had not yet been moved. Cr. Climie seconded Cr. Haywurd's amendment. He thought it was of inch a nature as deserving the suppoi t of Cr. Sullivan. Thorn was no difference I.ctneen it and the previous amendment moved, except that it contained no reference to the Opera Houso incident. He thought it an amendment that till Councillors should support. Cr. Wells said tho whole question should bo referred back to tho people. ■Nothing less than a genera] election would aottle the matter. Conscription of men having been going on there Bhoulii lie conscription of wealth. It was for the people to decide, not Cabinet.

Cr. Howard said. no man or woman who was patriotic should need to have to" state it every time they spoke. Ho protested against the substituting of the previous amendment by a new one. It *na not fair.

Cr. J,oaxby said he would oppose the amendment. The Citizens' .Association candidates were pledged to vote against all matters outside the jurisdiction of tho Council, Buch as genoral politics. Cr. Climie maintained that tho matter concerncd the Council, as if tho increases wore obtained it would save the Council money.

Cr. Flesber contended that the ■Citizens' Association members of the Council wore not bound in the manner alleged by Cr. Loasby. Cr. Sullivan con Id not ask tlie Council to pass a notion rouched in the terms his was. If Cr. Sullivan had been well advised lie would have loft the whole thing alone. The purpose for which Cr. Snllivnn had moved his motion had not been effected. Ho would bo wise to consent to the nmendmont. It would carry more weight if it had tho unanimons weiaht of tho Council behind it.

Cr. Sullivan, in reply, said people tho thought that a milk-and-water motion like Cr. Hayward's would have anv effost upon a man like Sir James Allen, were deluding themselves. Only a motion in strong terms was of any um. Regarding the questions of the Council discussing general politics, tho other sido had started the ball rolling to wising tho question of conscription. It was shner impudence for other memto dictate to members of the labour pnrty as to what they should do, Mid Cr. Flesher would be well adriwi to save his breath in future in : 'Making to him (tl*"> speaker). Some •>/th* yotmger members of the Council WOR shortly have to prove their loyalty in a much more convincing winner than the passing of expressions jj loyalty. He would not withdraw ta niotion in favour of tho amendment, though he expectod the latter to v^rried.

The amendment was carried on tho 'oices.-

CHRISTCmJRCH LEAGUE. .The new executive of the Christwircn Second Division League hold its "rtt meeting last evening. There was »fjß attendance. resignations of the late presif 0 Gresson, and secretary, J. Yates, were accepted with *V?V ana appreciation of their past "Jjras was placed on record. JOT" decided to arrange for central •Wiling places where reservists may and receive membership tickets, goffer of Mr W. Simpson to act as i thij}jg a E o nt was accepted with ■ j'^ <>o^raan and Campbell were I 0? delegates to the "Dominion ! ,n . Wellington on May 22nd. ; »J 6 , f ®V 01T h , g remits were sent forI ' n Conference:— i ft.®! th |s conference demands that ! m Ass : stance Board, financial assistance, leaves ea c ), : s,;ij guineas per week andl WhrJ J K 1 P pr wek intact and rS£V j. ref, »rnn<r liabilities as aro ! that Board." ft» ttili 00,1 insists thai) wree months' leave between medical i and m °h'lisation for camp in accordance with tho fffnt's promise." this conference asks the Gormstr"ct the Soldiers' Finanro6 ®° *° gi TO financial "eondiw IS r t h e P. I,r P oses of giving > llffi/JWucation in the children of -in i?' a -*j that legislation bo en- °* e f( T suf, h education for Soldiers cleceas °d and inconference insists that «nWlfl!7 men i t grants ti» League's , ''Mntinn il 1 s or Cs " or as wife's i so that the sol--1.; et ; P n . v may. accumulate reiuni."' ? ( ~ Qr|f fir e nce asks the Govf *• ,n . flrdpr avoid tnnecostofoift, a .V on in carrying on the in*6*^rTi!ri_ ij, country, Second Division sset ' fifc or unfit, and not 'That «. r amp." •J!®, de P ond ants nf homo serJWtfnrf ° u^.v , he placed on the same tbosa , re separation allowance v of achve service men."

A BRANCH. Oxford branch of . ovop t, ißio n League was pre- *' * e ii , J- Leech, and was - 'is# I a ttended. the proposal of scoter m n^+ r en tre, tliat every rathe , support tho prosecution successful issue, to his was appointed to attend nr X$L

the conference in Wellington, on 22nd inst.

Tho secretary was instructed to write to the Hon. D. Buddo and Mr Geo. . Forbes, M.P.'s, advising them of tho League's proposals, and asking their assistance to sccure their acceptance.

Mr G J Leech tendered his resignation as chairman, on account of his going into camp in the near future. Ho wa?. Ju-urtilv thanked for the services he had :-ctn"!r-.( d, and best wishes were expressed for his future activities.

DCXEDIX REMITS. (SPECIAL TO "THE rRESS. : ') DUNMDIN. May 2U. In the remits to the Second Division League conference, the Dunedin delegates will move:— "That the League pretest against the Government's demand that men who are classed 151 must pay tneir own medical expenses for surgical operations, and further consider that the action of tho Defence authorities in compelling a reservist to undergo a surgical operation is wrong in principle and contrary to British justice. - ' "'That the League are of the opinion that the. Government have failed in their duty to the dependants of men called up for home swvice, in that they are not paying separation allowance to these, but do pay allowances to tho dependants of men engaged as military policemen. "We demand that home service men and their dependants should he immediately placed on the same looting as the members of tho Netv Zealand Expeditionary Forces."

'"That it has com© under the notice oi' members of the conference that widowed mothers are being prevented from obtaining separation allowances and financial assistance due to them, and conference demand that the Government without- delay remedy this one of tho prcaicst. blots on their administration.'' TO TUB EDITOR 01' "TtTR I'RKSS." Sir, —Several let'-iv* have appeared in your columns <>! laie by mothers and paronts of lads >\ ho have given their lives for the cae.se ol humanity and liberty to thousands of all classes of our community. Then why, in the case of married men, should so many exemptions bo given? Only about one in twenty is the average passing, I am told. As most, of your writers have stated, it is unfnir to all our youths who have given up home life and met death to keep some of these married men to trail behind their wives' skirts, and claim exemption under any plea, so long as !,hcy can stay at home. I trust, the Board will in all cases now do their duty to the lads who are calling for help in this dire struggle for liberty, and as your issue of Saturday says, 2000 men wanted, will take notice that no man is essential, and allow no appeals. I believe there are at present in Canterbury alone many single men who are hiding in back blocks, who should be rounded up, and help "to fill tip this gap of 2OOD. Trusting that this matter will yet receive more criticism. —Yonrs. otc., ANOTHER PABENT.