CAPTAIN SIEVWRIGHT AND WAR GRATUITIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 8, 4 October 1919, Page 4

CAPTAIN SIEVWRIGHT AND WAR GRATUITIES

Sir,—l havo been T.ither interested, as a returned soldier and an officer, in Captain Sievwright's fight for tho Digger and his gratuities. When I returned 'to. New Zealand wounded nine months ago, I saw that the U.S.A. had done nothing, mid. was doiti* very little, to hc&p tho.com'nloh Boldier to get justice at the hands of the Government and the land speculators' making large fortunes at their game. ' Sir James Allen had proposed <Ud. per dav by wav of gratuity, 'out that was not paid. He said "one week's tiny for every 18 weeks of servico, and that was 1 4.W. per (lav, On Sontember 1 Tup Dominion* said that Sir James .Allen, as Minister of Defence, would nnnounco to the House that the war gratuity would be &\ ner 'month 'M every month of service This was at the rate of about fid. per dav. The N.fcTt.&A; was 'asked what it thought was n fair thine-, and it said Is. per day for'Diggers'and 2s. for cap; Ifeirfs j;lia,t%r,ank.'■, Then, 'raiiifl •th^nVeeSig:' : .and .Onrtai-i 'Wii\'wVß'liti-''Slfliniigli an officer entitled to 2s. ner dav. on tho recoiiimendatioti of Ui'e N,X.R,S„\„ denounced

the •paltriness,,of tho Government's proposals nnd tho diliy-dally methods of the Ji.S.A., and demanded an ndc'quato and generous gratuity for aiil soldiers —a -flat rate—irrespective of rank. Tlicn the Government came down with Is. 6d. per day,- Thus, by Captain Sievwright's action and agitation in this: matter the soldiers/are going Jo get four times the original sum proposed by Sir James Allen. lour correspondent says: "Whoso axe is Captain Sievwright grinding? Certainly not' his own, for he might have sat tight and taken tho 2s. suggested by tho N.Z.R.S.A., or Sir James Allen's pro„P<i«tls to give his officers more than the Diggers. Captain Sievwright has ground tho axes of SO,OOO odd Diggers, unit,'apparently..sacrificed his'Oiwi.. Like ■■'ail'.-jttlio fight for'tho'man who is'; least ■ capable of .fighting for, himself,.;Cijptain .Sievwright. lias: incurred: the displeasuro of tho'executive' of- the N:Z.R.S.A'., who were ready "to' accept Sir. James: AEon's niggardly-: recognition of tho common eoldi'er ;aiici: his' fair .treatment of .tho officer. .'• :I\'a'dm'.irtf fli© stand' Captain Sievwright ':;has taken in'.this matter; and 1 am sure th«.'co'un.tiy could .as.easily pay is. a day •is -lsi- 6d. - Why has. tho.-Defence Minister :not offered to make up tho New Zea.laud,'soldier's.pay to tho pay of tho Australian 1 soldier? The Australian Digger •go.t Is.', per. day mere than tho Now Zeataijdeiv, The soldiers ought to demand this as-their right/and I am sure the country.; will pay it, Only those who .have been profiteering will object. Besidcsi.l'trilnk the. sugjfstion put forward .by., Captain Sievwright is safe and sound: tjlat-thp balance of tho gratuity claimed but.\hot'.paid in,-cash should be placed to ":the.-. credit of/the soldiers when pur:clwang. l eitlior.:liouses or land from the .Government at tho ruling inflated prices. It seems''.to ino'to be a dreadful state"'of affairs ; that-soldiers after two or three years,at the:.war have to como back to carry! tho, load of debt that the land Bpeeußatpr is getting in cash from tho .Government under the Soldiers' Land Settlement schemes. The soldier has much to fight for in this.country if ho is to get his . rights,, and I trust that Captain Sievwright will not be discouraged by any disgruntled officer or by any mem'bor of tho executive of_ the N.Z.8.5.A., who has been ready evidentto sacrifice the ordinary soldier, to please the niggardliness of the Defence Minister.—l am, Sir, '-.'"' ■ ■' LIEUT., " Wellington Regiment. ["Lieut." is' in error in .stating that Tirri Dojiiniok on September 1 said that Sir James Allen'wbuld announce that the gratuity' would be at tho rate of .£1 a •mciitlu litis paper at that time did not know"any moro than'anyone: cfeo what -the amount'would be. 'In'specnlating as to the'/decision' of Cabinet on the question, it said "it is understood that the' amount to bo asked [from' Parliament! wild be in the • neighbourhood _ of threo millions," and' added that "if bo" it would .be approximately .£1 per month of serviced The suggestion' that Captain Sievwright's action caused ■ the. amount: to bo :; raiscd from'ttd.'to Is'. 6d.' a day is, of course, humbug. Cabinet had never fixed' tho. amount at 4Jd. a day.l