RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 131, 30 November 1933, Page 24

RETURNED SOLDIERS

SUBSIDISED WORK '

SCHEME CONDEMNED

Condemnation of the Wellington Beturned Soldiers'/ Association's work subsidy scheme for ex-soldier relief ■workers on their days off, was expressed in a letter received at an executive meeting of the association, last night from the Hutt Valley branch of the as--BO«atioi>-i •

The letter stated that the Hutt Valley branch, had decided to suspend the scheme because it was forced to the conclusion.; that it was wrong in principle* la the first place it was found that the funds which were previously used to redeem' orders for foodstuffs or clothing, supplied to necessitous families of es>soldiers; were now paid in cash to the man, and not infrequently a large portion of the money found its way over the hotel bar. There was a lot of evidence available.in support of this. In» the second place, it was considered that the. subsidy of 5s per day was-far too high, and that it had-had the effect of. definitely lowering the "value of labour as assessed by the employer,1 The time had been reached when ipeople expected a hard day 's work- from an ex-soldier for a net cost of ss. 'i Probably the day was not far distani when those same people would decline to pay more than 5s for a day's work* In the third place, the money expenifed by way of subsidy, was of gr^ates?%mefit to the employer, often a non6o]dier, vand really of little benefit to the ex-soldier. In the fourth place, the system, was not rogue-proof/ and the branch was not able. to. put on a staff to check up on the work being done. In the fifth place, .:the bulk of the money was going to the most rosourceful and best-equipped man, and practically none was left fqr the most needy. "The operations of the scheme in the Hutt Valley, have, compelled us to almost cease our usual' benevolence, and we find that numbers of families are suf" iering as a Result," stated the letter. The opinion was expressed by some members of tWe executive that the matter should be left entirely to the Hutt Valley branch.',lf the members of the branch thought.the scheme was not a success, they were quite justified in dropping it. ■;

The chairman (Colonel A. Cowles) pointed out that the subsidy was relief and not .an attempt to pay wages. What was desired was. that the men should do something for ' the ■"'relief that was granted.

It was decided to'receive the letter, and to thank the Hutt Valley branch for bringing the various points stressed in it under the notice of the executive.

A unique international congress of Williams is to be held in St. Brieuc Brittany, in October, nest year. Everybody named ■William, or Guglielmo, Wilhehn. Guillaiime, Willem, and .inst plain "Bill," is invited to go and help observe the 700 th anniversary, qf St.. William, the one-time Bishop of'this picturesque Breton - city,