SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 16664, 21 February 1918, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

STRONG CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT. GENERAL ELECTION DESIRED. [Special xo the 'Star.'] WELLINGTON, February 21. Wellington Second Division "Leacue members evidently feci strongly tempted to enter the political contest for Wellington North, and, although they Dave refrained from nominating a candidate, their protests against the administration of the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board may have a. powerful effect on the election, unless the Government ad-aquatelv meet thecriticism. Sir James Allen will have an opportunity when < intervicwhi" th/ league's executive to-day. He asks the public meanwhile to reserve judgment on the league's statements. Mr Armstrong, the president, informed a meeting of the league that he had'refused nomination for Wellington Kcrtli, as the league's claims were too sacred to depend on a by-election. Thev could onlv make one real test of the feeling of the country on this all-important questionthat was a General Election. (Applause.) They hoped, there would he no necessity, but ha could say it was in the hands of members of the House and the Cabinet to say whether justice was to be done, or whether the members of the league would be forced to press the issue to a General Election. They had it in their power. It it icame to the point, they were sufficiently organised for that. " The speaker went on to enumerate a number of cases where the . board's/ original grants had been reduced: since the allowances had been increased. He produced a printed form of notification of these reductions, Indicating, lie suggested, that the board contemplate a wholesale, rescindment of

the grants made. The form, which is printed with spaces f«r fe&s aaaias and amounts of grants, ia ac ioltewa:— Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, Wellington, 1918. Dear ,—ln view of the increased ' separation allowance* payable to you by. the Defence Department as from Ist January, 1918, tho board, after carefully reconsidering your case, have decided to resume their existing grant of . In arriving at this determination, the board, holding that, in accordance with your present circumstances, the abovementioned obligations can now be met by you without any undue hardship, have instructed the War Expenses Department to discontinue payments.— Yours faithfully, , secretary. " Now," said Sir Armstrong, " statements were made to us by Cabinet Ministers and to the House tha't there \va6 no need to make the separation allowance we asked for because' of special provisions—premises mad© that have been broken. Are we going to stand this?" (Cries of "No" and a2>p]ausc.) A motion urging members of the league to endeavor to secure the Government's defeat in the by-election was ruled out of order.