A DIFFICULT POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 50, 27 August 1921, Page 5

A DIFFICULT POSITION

EX-IMPERIAL SOLDIERS' NEEDS.

Tho problem presented by ex-Imperial soldiers in New Zealand in need of assistance was discussed by a deputation, from the Advisory Board of the Patriotic Society, which waited on the Minister' of Internal Affairs (the Hon. Mr. Downde Stewart) " yesterday afternoon. The board had- recommended '— that, in order to conserve; local funds for local; soldiers, the responsibility for assistance to ex-Imperial soldiers, should be placed upon the War Funds Council, the body administering funds that have been placed under national control. It proposed that local societies should deal with the men on the understanding that grants made to them would, be refunded by the council. Mr. B. W. Shallcrass, honorary secretary of. the board, said that ex-Imperial soldi-are who were suffering from war injuries and tubercular disease had come to New Zealand. They had fought for their country, and the board felt that if they required assistance here, the assistance should be given as liberally as possible. Some of the societies were empowered by their constitution to deal with such casee, and most of the societies had been giving assistance. But the board hoped that tho Government would make these men a chargei upon the War Funds Council, or adopt some other method of dealing with them, in order to relieve local funds, whioh might all be required for local men. Mr. A. Macintosh said that some of the ex-Imperial soldiers-who had come to New, Zealand were not physically capable of working. The arrival of such men- had been checked now, but those already in the Dominion had to receive attention. They were a serious charge on the various local funds. Some of th© cases were particularly distressing. Tho men had served the Empire, although they did not happen to have been members of the New Zealand forces, and they became stranded in the Dominion without. any means.

Mr. R, j. F. Aldrich said he haid every sympathy with the Imperial soldiers, but if they could not be made a charge upon the central fund, he would have to advocate preference being given to New Zealanders in the administration of local funds. '

The Minister said he recognised the seriousness of the position. The War .Funds Council would have to decide afe an early date what its attitude towards the ex-Imperial soldiers was going to be. It seemed to him that a very dear definition of responsibility must be laid down in these cases. Ex-members of the New Zealand forces had first' claim on" the patriotic funds. Some of the exImperial men were anxious to have their pensions raised to the New Zealand level; and to be given the benefit of the repatriation scheme. These claims would have to be considered very carefully before any additional liability was accepted. He would be pleased to confer with the hoard again after the War Funds Council had suggested lines of policy. Mr. Macintosh said that th» Wellington War Relief Association had not contemplated anything more than the relief of actual distress. It assisted ex-Im-perial men into employment, and made small grants in urgent cases. The Minister said he had formed an impression from the newspaper reports that the association was doing some work that belonged more property to the Repatriation Department. It would be wise to keep as nearly as possible to definite lines.

Mr. Aldrich said that the 1 number of applications from ex-Imperial men was expected to decrease. Greater care was being taken now in tho selection of immigrants.