EX-SERVICEMEN.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19916, 1 May 1930, Page 15

EX-SERVICEMEN.

REPORT OF COMMISSION. COMMENT ON NON-ISSUE. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, April SO. "The Government is showing an entire lack of sympathy for the welfare of the unemployed ox-soldiers of tho Dominion," declared Colonel T. H. Dawson at the annual meeting of tho Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. I can only conclude that Cabinet has not a great interest in tho welfare of these men." Colonel Dawson referred to the recent sitting of tho Rehabilitation Commission set up by the Government at the request of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association at the expense of tho men themselves, which sat in Auckland last November. A large mass of evidence collected from all over the province was presented at the sittings. So far, however, neither the'report nor the recommendations of this Commission had been ißSued. Any scheme of employment for ex-soldiers conld not be successful without Government assistance, and private employers would not act without a lead. "Some Minister of the Crown has forgotten about this report, or is too busy to attend to it," said Colonel Dawson. "Too busy electioneering," suggested tho chairman. A motion brought forward by Colonel Dawson stated "That the meeting viewed with great disfavour the fact that tho Government had taken no action regarding the Commission's recommendations, and had not published its report." "Colonel Dawson was quite right in saying that tho Government has been very lax in giving no lead after six months,"-said Major-General Sir George Richardson, at a later stage in the proceedings. There had been a great deal of work to bo done in connexion with the Commission, he said, but all tho evidence available had been brought forward to enable the right decision to be made. "Unless the recommendations are to be acted upon the Commission will have been an entirely useleas expense," concluded the speaker.