SOLDIERS' PAY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22920, 17 January 1940, Page 8

SOLDIERS' PAY

STATEMENT BY MINISTER ARRANGEMENTS FOR SERVICE ABROAD CONVERSION AT STERLING RATE

Troops of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, while serving overseas will be paid in the currency of the country in which they are serving. Pay will be converted to the currency of that country on the sterling • rate of exchange, and consequently the troops will not lose the 25 per cent as between sterling and New Zealand currency.

This statement was made by the Minister for Defence (the Kon. F. Jones) in reply to a letter to "The Press" from a Timaru correspondent, "Depreciated," whose letter is as follows: "New, and what would appear to oe very satisfactory, rates of pay have been announced for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but I do not think any indication has been given as to whether these rates are to be in New Zealand currency or sterling. If the former, which is presumably the case, can a guarantee be given that our currency will be convertible into that of the country where our troops may oe stationed at the sterling rate of exchange?"

.REMITTANCES TO SOLDIERS ASSOCIATION TO MAKE INQUIRIES BOOKS FOR HARBOUR GUARDS

Inquiries will be made by the headquarters; of tie-New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association about remittances to men. on active service overseas. A letter from headquarters received by the* executive of .fhe .Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers* Association was -:■ in reply to a query made earlier "from - Christchurch. The letter said: "As members of the Ist Echelon were only allowed to take £2 with them, it would appear that there will be some stipulation with regard to remittances from their next of kin. Of course there, is the question of whether or not men overseas cannot draw on their deferred pay. However, we are going into this matter and will forward the result of our inquiries at- the earliest opportunity." When M. J. D. Godfrey asked whether some books could be supplied to men on guard duty at the port, Mr E. F. Willcox, the secretary, said that some periodicals. were to be sent today, "and books would be obtained later.

After a discussion in committee it was reported that a committee, comprising the president (Mr A. E. Haynes),-and-Messrs* D.'Wv Russell and M. Richards, would meet representatives of the' ChristchTxrcli Welcome Club soon.

VOLUNTARY ' SYSTEM ' V- ' RETURNED: SOLDIERS' DISCUSSION LETTER RECEIVED FROM HEADQUARTERS Conscription and voluntary enlistment were discussed at a meeting of the executive of the Christchurch Returned" Soldiers' Association when a circular, letter was received from the Association Headquarters. The circular said: ••"■•-

"The* -Government has instituted a' campaign to obtain men to complete the 2nd Echelon under the present voluntary, system. <

"Although the policy of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers* Association, as laid down at the annual general meeting of the Dominion Council in June, is that universal compulsory national service should be introduced, the Dominion Executive feels that the Association should fully co-operate with the Government in raising the men required for the 2nd Echelon as the need for this is urgent. The Dominion Executive Committee strongly urges all associations to co-operate accordingly.'.' ''Barking Up the Wrong Tree" "Headquarters are barking up the wrong tree," said Mr J. S. Chisholm, when the circular had been read. "It is up to the Government and not Returned Soldiers' Association Headquarters t.o lay down the policy. I object to ' this continual harping on the subject. i< I, was a volunteer myself and always ; will be, and what's good enough for '„ me is good enough for other men." *-> Mr Chisholm said that different kinds * of people were advocating conscription and "a man who didn't have, the guts to go to to the last war is advocating it." He was glad to.find that men con- _ ducting the recruiting campaign locally -were keeping off the subject, and he congratulated them for it. " "But-1 take exception to the action of Headquarters," said Mr Chisholm. ,-J'We should drop this business and sink -political party feeling." *»- On the motion of Mr D. W. Russell !=it was decided to reply to Headquarters ritiat the Christchurch Returned Soldiers' Association was co-operating swith the local Recruiting Committee. .BAN ON ENLISTMENT SOUGHT ABATTOIR SLAUGHTERMEN AT AUCKLAND "' .) ■ .•'■ ' - feKESS ASSOCIATION TZLEGEAII.) '■'■'■'■ AUCKLAND, January 16. -• As a number of slaughtermen at the municipal abattoir had made it known to the management that they wished to enlist; the Auckland City Council, at a special meeting, resolved to make formal application-to the Placement Officer at ■ Auckland that essential swOxkers at the abattoir should, be placed-on the,same footing as freezing workers and debarred from military, service.

T>ie council's decision is to be-dis-cussed, by the men concerned at a meeting to-morrow. It was stated that the men. who ■were otherwise eligible for "service overseas, objected to the proposed exemption. They submit- ■; ted that they were not engaged in the ' vital exoort meat trade, and that there were oiler men who could fill their placess»n the boards for the time bein^f