"ON SECOND THOUGHTS—"

Evening Star, Issue 18999, 22 July 1925, Page 2

"ON SECOND THOUGHTS—"

8.8. A. AND PORT CHALMERS JOB First impressions are not invariably reliable. When the Defence Department appointed to the position of caretaker of the Port Chalmers Drill Hall a man who was not a returned soldier, and turned down an ex-soldier applicant, the first expression, to use a Digger term, was “ pretty umpty.” But the matter was explained to a committee, and the report of tho committee at -last evening’s meeting of tho executive of tho R.S.A, put a different complexion on tho matter. Reporting that, following tho receipt of the latter of the Port Chalmers Association regarding tho appointment mado at the Drill Hall, and inquiring why _ a returned man had not been appointed, a special committee had been sot up. Mr M’Crac stated that tho committee had interviewed Lieutenantcolonel Bell. Ho had assured them that it was the department’s practice always to give preference to returned soldiers. Of the threo applicants for the positiou only one was a returned soldier, and as he was found to be unsuitable another man, who had lost two sons in the war, was given the position. The job carried a yearly salary of £3O, and there was a good deal of heavy lifting to do, which mado tho appointment of a disabled soldier impracticable, and the circumstances .did not warrant the publication of another advertisement. It was decided to take no further action.