THE REPATRIATION BOARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 58, 3 December 1918, Page 5

THE REPATRIATION BOARD

PRIME MINISTER TO BE CHAIR- ' ,;, ,MAN. , ;, It has previously been announced that the Minister;-o'f. Defence' was to be the chairman of the Repatriation Board. The Minister has retired from this pcition, at his own request, it is understood; and he will devote the' whole of his attention to the- work of. dealing With the '.soldier before .discharge, as he will, in this capacity, have to deal with all curative and; educative treatment of partially.'disabled men. The. chairman of, the board is to be the Prime Minister, and Mr. Herries is to ect in his absence. SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE URGES IMMEDIATE ACTION.. , ' Tho. Government's delay in dealing with the, question of repatriation came in - for. strong censure ,at the meeting of tho. National Executive of the Second Division League last, evening. It was pointed out that other countries had grappled with this question long ago. Australia had a. Repatriation Act on the Statute Books in 1917, and this had been amended and liberalised again this year. Members of the executive expressed the opinion that tiie New Zealand Government apparently 1 llot fl,,1 .V r ™^ c tho very serious aspects of the question. War 6ervice even to tho strongest of men had been shown to.'have an unsettling ertect, and only the most carefully thought out plans for the future would avert trouble. Tho suggestion that 'probably a Board of Ministers would be in charge of the repatriation Department was adversely criticised, it being held that one Minister should have full charge and responsibility. The following resolution was carried: . "That the National Executive of the Second Divisioi/Lenguo views with alarm the continued dilatoriness of Government in regard to the question of repatriation, particularly in view of the fact that thousands of eoldiers aro now bsiiiT discharged, and that official statements point to an early return of the men from overseas, and urges upon Government and Parliament that no further delay .be tolerated."