FIGHTING MEN'S RIGHTS

Evening Star, Issue 16353, 20 February 1917, Page 1

FIGHTING MEN'S RIGHTS

J lie Port Chalmers Council a few weeks ago referred to their Finance Committee in a report on the Petono Councils resolution proposing to ask the Government to pay soldiers 10s per day to conscript wealth for war purposes, and to prohibit iood exploiting.. Last n .hftho Innance Committee submitted the follow? ing report to the council

nJ, co JT,' ttee ' haY1 "K discussed the matte of tbo resolution submitted by the Intone Borough Council, he* to re port that they are in sympat the menfons oi the motion, but would aik tho council to consider the following, tornnt.ve suctions in our replv - ncLipt oi Jogs , ncoine t , , m?™ y"n tUII ciWl - m P%n W nt J ; Maiimum, per annum. ~?• ? ovwnm ?'! t to W all leading Hf e STthr„^ r Ba,Md by th ° -^ o. Returned soldiers to Lave sole i-io-ht ♦l^"i S °j d ! ers to bo cnm "rafi«l to go on the Land by a system of free loans. 8 5. feod«. M lo i MVe lhe { f years. - )0S1 "* fM * period of 10 In making the above recommendations he commits are S uided bv the dS ro to hep our defenders to the 2 reate4 possible extent, and in a direction" wIS would ultnnately b , a beneflt to S

ihl I lagrCCl agrCC , Wlth the l> r of the J: U M B T^ hj Council to increase nature of his employment precludes ■is necessity., but we are strondy of the >p.n.on that the .soldier, by his edifice the serv,c o f 11; for £j »*» J'»"-clf a „d ] US dependents the right to of th£ *V lve but in tbe op^^n oi tins committee some policy on the lines wo suggest would bo more wr£ of the Stato for which he fl hk th J a wage of 10s per day. Cr Bteveiißon moved the adoption of the report and Or Love seconded diitedVtoS! tlloUßh,t lhe ieport °°ntrath^K^Ti^T* 1 ** an amendment to, of f eP ° r H bc a t pted with **"» Edition ot the othtr clauses of the Petone hj? I 1 0"' WOuld SC "' e to P^vide iLnt°r W1 lujianeo.Committie'e report recommended iJio .Mayor seconded the amendment ioi dependents as evidenced by the kr™ «mi. <l«burbcd by tho SoldiS artdDependents' Welfare. Committee. If those who grudged our soldier, better pay could only see the shiploads of shattered men arriving by return >d transports they mijrht conclude that the soldiers were worth/of at least, la-borens' =1 Cl " M * W6on «'d that soldiers' pensions should bo granted on a more liberal scale mid dependents' allowances increased rauher than increase the pay of single men. He then dealt with the matter of wealth iiixl war taxation.

Cr Powell interjected that ho might whisper something about the Water Committee s increased revenue. Or M'Lachlin thought the first duty of tho Government was to raise the money to keep our fighting forces going, and the Government were raking i t f rom those who had it. No matter what politic*; party was m power, there would be such a lot ot Avar taxation to meet presently that everybody would feel it. Cr Fail said the Finance Committee's report v.-as to be added to the Petone proposition of 10s per day for the soldiers. Cr Stevenson, in reply, said he did not think anyone was not in sympathy with the. Petone resolution. Personally he wa< appalled when looking at the financial situation, which ho proceeded to review in considerable detail. It was obviously unfair that all the men should be paid alike and sonic spend it all overseas. So lie thought the better way would be for the Mato to make adequate provision for the men's dependents. When the soldiers returned, whether maimed or not, thev should get special consideration. Re. did not understand how wcaith could 1m conscripted, as it mostly consisted of property. Such adequate provision should be made for soldiers and their dependents that no one need hesitate to go to the war bei-ause of what they might have to face when they came hack.

(r Williamson said that, as the Finance Committee seemed ■'o favor the conscription of war profits, ho would alter his amendment to read that the report be adopted with the addition of the clause " that all war pi-ofits he conscripted tu defray (lie cost of the war."—The amendment thus altered was carried without dissent.