RETURNED SOLDIERS’ INTERESTS

Evening Star, Issue 17766, 14 September 1921, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ INTERESTS

CONFERENCE WITH M.P.S. PENSIONS AND CANTEEN FUNDS. Matters of importance affecting the welfare of returned soldiers were discussed last evening at a conference held in the club house between local M.P.s and the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association. Members of Parliament present were the lion. J. MacGregor, M.L.C., Messrs T. K. Sidey, 0. E. Statham, J. M. Dickson, and E. Kellett. Dr T. Harrison (president) was in the chair, and members of the executive present were Colonels D. Colquhoun and T. W. M‘Donald, Messrs J. M'Crae, W. Wood, J. H. M‘Nish, 11. P. Jones, and P. Anderson. PENSIONS. Colonel Colquhoun dealt with the subject of pensions. He said it was one of the most important questions dealt with by the R.S.A., which was alive to the interests of disabled men. The question was very carefully considered at the last Dominion conference of the R.S.A., and after matured consideration and allso talcing into consideration the economic condition of the country, it was decided to ask for a 75 per cent, increase for widows, widowed mothers, and the badly injured. The amount of war pensions paid by the country during the past year was £1,886,953. If an increase of 75 per cent, was granted it would mean £1.415,200 more. The association recognised that, owing to the present financial stringency, it was a very difficult position to face. The number of totally disabled men was 2,130, and the amount paid to them in pensions was £126,510 a year. The number of temporarily disabled men was considerably more and tho amount paid to them was £1,223,342. One of the principal p.lanks of tho association’s campaign for increased pensions was that tho pensions schedule should bo regraded on account of the anomalies existing, and it was thought that a board of medical experts should be set up by the Government to carry out such regrading. The increases were asked for soldiers’ widows with a child or children and for widowed mothers who had been dependent upon their deceased sons. They were further asking that all temporary pensions be re-examined forthwith in order that pensions might be reawarded in the light of the fresh "knowledge regarding disability. If this were done it was felt that a saving would be effected, and it would not "cost the country any more to grant the increases asked for. The great majority of the men receiving pensions were getting under 50 per cent. It was proposed to ask for the increase only for the men getting over 50 per cent. _ It was also considered that tho principle which governed all pensions should be on a sliding scale; that was, that the pensions should bo decreased if tlm cost of living decreased. It was also desired that the scale of pensions should bo fixed every three years and based on the Government Statistician’s figures relative to the cost of living. , , Speaking also on the proposals regarding pensions, Colonel M‘Donald said that if°it were carried into practice it would not cost tho country one single pound, more than it was paying to-day. They knew the country was hard pressed just now to meet expenditure, but if anything had to be set aside it should nob be tho disabled soldier. THE CANTEEN FUNDS.

Colonel M'Donald brought np the question of the canteen funds, for which, he said, the} - might yet be called upon to make a strenuous fight. Ho would not criticise the Board of Trustees of the funds, because a decision regarding the matter was yet in abeyance, hirst of all they had been told there was approximately £BO,OOO, ,snd then it somehow rose to £116,000. It was only fair to say that £3,000 of that increase was received into the Treasury in Louden three months before the public announcement was made here regarding it. After the next inquiry the fund went up another £2,000. To their astonishment they had found that the greater part of the money had already ■been allocated to the Treasury on a fixed debenture system in the State’s undertakings at the low rate of 4 per cent., though in Dunedin they could have got 6 per’ cent., and with their 1 portion of the fund obviated the unemployment here to-day. They wanted every penny of the money paid over by the Government to the board to use the money in the best interests of the bqneticiaries, who were the returned soldiers of New Zealand. IMMIGRATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT. Mr Jones was the speaker on the above subjects. He said it had been found that a great many returned soldiers had been replaced by men from Home. They had no grievance against these men, but felt that the Government should obtain positions for them before they left the Old Land, and not put our own men out of a job for immigrants. In Hillside Workshops immigrants had been taken on and our own men thrown out of employment. He instanced the case of one returned man who was paid off by the Railway Department, though next day two immigrants were engaged. They admitted that these men' were worthy of consideration, but did say that our own men should have the first chance, and that there should_ be a restriction on immigration for the. time being while there was a lack of work. Ho urged tho retirement of civil servants who had reached superannuation age, and that men who had gone to tho war in defiance of regulations should be reinstated; also that returned soldiers should be given preference for employment generally throughout the country. Mr M'Nisli stated that although immigrants were nominated by friends _ they seemed to get into Government positions all right. In reply _to Dr Harrison, who asked for specific instances, Mr M'Nish quoted the Hillside Workshops, the railways, and the post office.

MEMBERS’ REPLIES. Mr Sidey replied ■ that in regard to the pension scheme he would be very pleased to assist as far as possible. The request appeared to bo a reasonable one. They had strictly limited the demand for increases to the most necessitous cases. By the rc-exarnination there would probably bo a considerable saying, which could bo passed on to the others. In regard to the canteen funds, he would keep a watchful eye and see if he could help to straighten things out. Tire subject of immigration and unemployment had been brought before the Acting Prime Minister, and ho was under the impression that word had been sent Homo that some restriction should bo placed on immigration. Ho agreed that returned soldiers have preference of employment, and said he would be glad if Mr Jones could furnish him with the names of those who had been given positions while returned soldiers were discharged or not taken on. Mr Statham also thought the _ requests made were reasonable, as was shown by the fact that they were asking for the increase in pension only for those over 50 per cent, injured. In regard to immigration, he said there was an Overseas Settlement Committee in England which sent out Imperial soldiers free of charge to the Kew Zealand Government; but there was the difficulty that too much was said about the prosperity of Kew Zealand. He was not taking a gloomy _ view of the future, but it was not desirable that, so many immigrants should be sent out just now. Ho Relieved they were being sent' out at the fate of 1,000 a month. Regarding the question of war disabilities (which had been raised by Dr Harrison), Mr Statham said he held that where a man had been accepted for military service and had not been guilty of wilful concealment, he should be passed just as for life insurance, and the State take the responsibility. Mr Dickson was of the opinion that temporarily disabled men, who formed the majority, would not be willing to have their pensions reduced to increase the pensions of tho minority. As to canteen funds, he said it seemed that a gross injustice had been perpetrated on returned soldiers, and they,, could trust members to endeavor to see that it was readjusted in a fair and reasonable manner. He thought there might be some difficulty, however, if the money had been deposited on long ■terns.

Mr Kellett said the association was justified in asking for the increase in pension for the disabled man, but suggested that perhaps there was a danger in asking for the increase at the expense of tho other follow. In regard to immigration, it was absurd to say that positions could be guaranteed for immigrants at this stage. He suggested that the truth should bo told at Home regarding conditions out here. In regard to the canteen funds, he would do all in his power to see the soldier got justice.