LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE Sir,—ln your editorial colonmns this morning tho following paragraph appeared:— "WAK OBLIGATIONS. "The Second Division delegates now sitting in conference acted wisely in voting out a proposal that tho pay of soldiers should bo increased from the existing rate of five shillings a day. Tho married recruit as an individual is in no way entitled to more liberal treatment than the men of tho First Division, and tho fact that the members of this division and a not inconsiderable number of married men had been paid at the standard rate of h'vo shillings a (lay during nearly three, years of war is enough to discredit any agitation for an increase at the present stage. It might indeed bo urged that an increase in the rate of pay would be an act of justice to tho First Division as well as a concession to tho Second Division. . ."

I judge by\ tho foregoing that you were not correctly informed as to the motive underlying tho niovement for increased pay for ml soldiers, and hope you will be pleased to accept my assurance, as {"ho mover in tho "stonewall" at the conference, that tho minority speakers made the position dear that the increase was urged _in fho interests, principally, of tho iirst Division. Our contention was«that the present pay of ss. did not reach a standard creditable to New Zealand, and by reason of the purchasing power of the sovereign, not only in Now Zealand but in France and Britain, haying depreciated to a marked extent since the outbreak'of war—varyinp; from 30 per cent, in New Zealand to 50 per cent, abroad. On the New Zealand basis, ss. is only worth 3s. 4<L, and even the highest amount proposed (10s.) would only equal an increaso <in tho value of a soldier s nav of Is. Bd.! The proposal was repeted by 44 to 11; an amendment in favour of 75., by 42 to 13; an amendment favouring 65., by 2S to 26; and finally'an amendment:'"That the provision as to tho pay of a soldier being ss. as at present be struck out, and the matter left to the descretion of Parliament," was carried by 44 to 11—a complete reversal df previous divisions, and hailed with satisfaction by my friends "Tho Die-nards." .

Your report states that "the proposal that the pay should bo ss. was then carried." This you will see is quite incorrect, and likely to create a falso impression.

Our objective throughout was to do justice to all soldiers and not specially in the interests of married men, whoso responsibilities as such, were to be mot by tho ecale of separation allowances, unanimously agreed upon. Members of the conference generally seemed to recognise that tho soldier was not well paid at present, but the majority thought the Second Division would bo misunderstood if rthe demand for increased pay wero made.—l am, ttc.

A. C. HOLMES, Secretary, Featherston Branch S.D. League.