AN IMPASSE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16470, 13 March 1919, Page 6

AN IMPASSE.

REPATRIATION APPOINTMENT,

CANTERBURY BOARD'S ACTION,

There was talk of a strike on tho part of members of the Canterbury District Repatriation Board last evening, owing to the attitude of tho Director of Repatriation in questioning a proposed appointpient by the Board, and eventually tho Board decided to take matters into its own nanus and mane tne appointment and secure tue confirmation of tho Kcpatnation Board, Wellington, aiterwarus.

Air £t. .Hewlett, chairman of tho Employment Committee, reported that, iu company witti tno cnairnmn, ho met about sixiy applicants on xhursaay morning lutit, and spent aomo two Hours going into various matters with thorn, Dotn collectively and individually, i'no result of investigations showed that, to deal effectively \yitn the largo number of applicants rpr work, sustenance, advances, a much larger staff was required (which tno report specified), l'iio acting-chairman had taken to Wellington a remit on this matter.

Qpe of these proposed officers was an inspector and interviewer, to which positipn Mr Hewlett stat<4 tlie committee prppo&ecl to appoint a person who was not a returned soldier, as there was no suitable returned soldier availablo for it. On this subject the committee had received the following telegram irom the Director of Repatriation :—

"Board not preparod to consider appointment without further particulars, is ho returned soldier, what age and experience?" To this the following reply had been sent: —

"No suitablo returned soldier with necessary experience available. You must leave such details as age, fitness, fliid pxporjenfe to this Board, >vhp should be capable of judging, otherwise we are of no use."

Mr Hewlett said that, owing to the sniallness of the staff, the work could nof; hP epped with- Tho Board must tako up a firm stand and show, that it was prepared to go put of offioo if its request was not met. He wanted to mike it clear to returned soldiers and the public that thq reason why returned soldiers wprp not getting work was zip ffHjJt pf the Cantprbury Repatriation Board or officers, who wer c simply f (snowed up, ?) but it was the fault'of tho Board 1 in Wellington, which was supply, incapable.' The Employment Committee ppiild not get pn with their wprk, the staff wore working ni§ht and day. As a result they were paying out in sustenance what would hp sufficient to pay another salary fpr a year. They should take a vpry strong stand and tell Wellington that either they were fit to do tho job, qr Wellington would have to look for anothor Board.

Mr W. E. Leadjey and Mr N. B. McC'tlluin thought it a pity a returned solsPf PRuld pot bp apppirited to'the position.

Mr F. W. Hobbs urged members to take up a strong attitude arid to advise Wellington that if thp appointment Requested was'riqt niacle in two days' tjmp they would, make onb on their own account- pther tilings they deemed necessary woulij have to be done, and thpy conjd npt suffer the silly delays pf Saipspn's Board. Tlio Chairjnan (Mr W. Goss): Tho same thing refers to advances.

Mi- Hewlett moved that they send a tplpgram. stating that if they' did not get authority tq appoint the neccssary staff within two {lays, they, would do ; i"t themselves, and chance tie consequences.

Mr Leadley seconded the motion. Mr D. Jones said the chairmen of the Boards were meeting in Wellington discussing the proposals. He felt sijro the sending of such a telegram would not be advisable. He favoured giving tho Employment Committee power to pet upon the return from Wellington of thp acting-chairman (Mr A. F. Drayton). Mr McCallum assured the Board that yrhateyer action it fopje would be suppprtpd by the IlpturnecJ Solfliprs' Association.

Mr J. D. Millton supported Mr D. Jones's proposal. The chairman (Mr W. Goss) sqid that the Employment of a sufficient staff would say<j tljem mpnpy. He did not think .it fail- that the Board should be treated in the way it had. The telegrapi received alone was sufficient to inake the Board act as proposed. If thjs sort pf tiding \yent pn He knew what he would dp. •

Mr Hewlett: They have issued a challenge, apd we roust take it up. If >ye sit t}pwp under tjiis our authority tvill be lost- I thinli" it i|§ the only way to brine them tfi their senses. Mr E? J. Howard advised peaking the appointments first, and then telegraphing to Wejjington to Confirm them. He would niqve an anjendpiep't to' tliat effect'.

Mr Hewlett §aid he was quite prepared to withdraw his motion in favour of Mr Howard's amendment. j Mr Howard then movpd that the Employment Committee he empowered to consult the District Repatriation officer (Mr T. M. Charters) and emplpy a staff, and thpii notify the head office in Wellington of same, and ask thorn to confirm the appointments. Mr Hewlett seconded the motion, which, after some discussion, was carried without dissent, and the committee's report was adopted.