MEN AND MONEY

Evening Star, Issue 16353, 20 February 1917, Page 4

MEN AND MONEY

AND NATIONAL ©KCAMSSATHE.CLAIMS OF THE SECOND DIVISION. MILITARY SERVICE MATTERS. DEFENCE MINISTER INTERVIEWED. Sir James Allen, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, in reply to an interview this moraine, made reference to tlio following interesting matters concerning military service. The next ballot will ba taken in tho first week of March. Unlike tho lateat ballot, it will be -a normal one. Consideration is being "ivwi to the question of "-Lombiiiy out'* tho remainder of tho First Division before the fust class of the Second Division io called up. It was v. ith a view to this that tho policy of granting conditional exemption only was adopted. Those lleservists whoso cases hc.vo boon adjourned tiiu <tio by tho Military Sen ice Boards will likely have their cases roconni iored before the call upon the Second Division is made. Their names are withdrawn fiom subsequent ballots merely for tho purpose of avoiding confusion. Bub tho fact that they have been j;iven conditional exemption only maintains the State's hold v.|>on the.m. '1 hoy may not by any nieuiis bo out ot the coil art" clamor of war.

'J.'he whole question ifi now under the investigation and consideration- of the Industrial Efficiency Board. It is true that the board havo no power to act, but the scope and purpose ot* their duties aro comprehensive and definite. This service is to take stock of the industrial needs of the Dominion under war conditions, and report as to essertia! .and non-essential industries, tho supply ot labor, curtailment of public services, organisation, ;uid so on. So fat- tho board havo submitted two reports to tho Government. One of the-s*? contained a recommendation as to t-he appointment of .another member for tho YVelliiigUwi district, ai tho chairman's time would be fully taken up by his official dutii'.j. This recommendation wao given effect to. The oilier report, in which the board recommended acceptance, of a fair proportion of tho proposals submitted to them, dealt, with the. question of organisation, concerning which subject there is a supplementary report, which deals with soldier:".' farms and other matters. The Minister proposes to make a statement as to these questions within a, .short time. | Tho lir.it work of the hoard is to deal with the important, questions .affecting the interests of soldiers who have lefWarms or business to p, on active service. 'Jlien the board have, as early as possible, to inthe. position as to industrial organisation. Privnt.:- employers, chambers of commerce, public bodies' and representativo orsjairisutions can materially liclp the State and the Empire by pelting to work now on the question of services under their control. Their recommendations will be welcomed n.ndgivcn most careful omirdderatioii. T'he bua,rd are goinc: to appoint expert advisers throughout the Dominion, so that the best advice obtainable as* to tho needs of essential industries may be secured.

As to t!i') question <,f the exemption r.f derirynion—a question that lias made verv many people cross—-the MiniFfer savs there h-t? been -a. jrro.;i:fc deal of rnisiindcvstandmir ahout, the. subject, The Minister of l)e----i>noe lias no power to crant exemption in ■iny ease, and no exemptions liavo been ponied. What ha* been rhuie «s a matter of policy has been this: The Minister of Munitions, with the appv.v.il of trie Minis-t-'.T of Defence, has sent to tho Mitita-rv f-iervico Hoards paying that from the eviflonco which has bc-fii given him. he ennsidera that, in a. e;i*». it is against, the public interest b, ~; :n that dor&y.nian ii;f> camp. Tile hoards mar or may not, act npon that certificate. If'the people think that the boards ar;.' hound to a-et upon the Minister's certificate they are making a. <u'eat mistake. Only a few days ago in \Wlliii2ton the hoard' din not, Accept -the Minister's certilicflt« for their guidance and did not exempt tii,- appsii.'.Tits concerned. Ceri ideates reinmincndinsj exemption are. given on the muter-

standing that the heads of tlm churches pledge- themselves to -apply only fur ccrtihy.nt.cfi for men who are ybsohtt-eiv essential in iho public interest.

As to tite claims of the -Second Dicision, as indicated rather loosely at- the rim meeting of the .Second Division League in the City last night. Sir Jsin.es Alien points <HK that, refipscfiiiii t-iio demand (or nonft'ous as of right, the law new provider, for the cranting of a pension in tin... case of a soldier's death, irrespective of emolument, income. 0 r anything else. The penstem is granted as a matter o; riirht. In regard to the. question of .allowances, a -voat deal has already l«i done, in 'the direction of increasing the scale -nv making provision for ihe. payment tip' (. tJ J;2 a week for rent, insurance, and other obligations. The, (Government, arc piooarcd to. accept facts as to difficulties .ami ,Wievi'.nc.es. Rut it should be remembered that the I tovernniont. will .have great dilHeulLv in ilcabiig wiili (he. qr-j«ioih It is neecssary to start wuh a definite standard. By that tli? .Minister mi-aits that tile .scale <il' pay. pensions, ami s-> on, it.ii;-';. be based mi the enmities disclosed, "not by the. highest pay in the land, but those dl.s-c!c.--ed by the. pay of the working elass. The pay of ;!ie soldier cennot be~<tr:i!ed in proportion, to remuneration in privat.' activities Every man must be treated alike. It is therefore a. matter of standardisation. In the opinion of the Minister, the military pay of a single man in tile Now Zealand Expeditionary Forces :-,. all things .-cKid-r-'d. very good. And the scah' of allowance, and conditions as to food and clothing arc also very ccorl. Witli regard to married men. a gi'eaf deal has been done already to meet the dilfrreneo in their domestic oiieuinstances. '! lie separation allowances to wife and eh l ! hen have been increased by new regulation;. J: is a matter for the country ],, i-unsider whether the scale is suiiieioul' or not. The question lias Tcviiy not yet seriously cropped tip, and will not fo arise until the Second Division is .-incut to be. called up. No marned men with children have hvti tailed to (-o, although several have Rone voluntarily. Doubtless the question whether •enough has been done for jiiarried soldiers will be discussed this coming session of Parliament. The somewhat common idea, that a. fittiny goal for N'e-.v Zealand's military en terprise on behalf of ;h<> Empire would be l!ie simply ,>? 100.000 sohliers- is shattered by the Minister of Defence, who cannot understand why .anyone should fix a. limit or infer that'any "limit lias been fixed, lie has never made any state.m-cit encoiiracin:: to the . idea. Ho' hw .-e,.r.-<--d

that over 10G.C03 mi>!i had enlisted in New Zealand (of ■■rmrsi-i a considerable proportion of that total have been medically rejected), but there has h<--en no talk of a limit. .No doubt an exact, limit could bo fixed definitely if a s«r arof." ii: the, land and fixed beyond ail doubt the last day of the- war. but. such a dependable prophet is not known in Xew Zen.'and. "Tho Dominion is determined," said Sir .Lames, "to see th<? thine; through to n. finish. Wp are pledged te send -a- monthly reinforcement consisting of some 2.5C0 mo:). If th« country is behind us, and 1 am confident that it is and soul, tho Government will go on .-ending that number till virtorv is ours."