HELP FOR SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 19617, 25 July 1927, Page 5

HELP FOR SOLDIERS

. UNEMPLOYMENT NORMAL WORK OF PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION The work of the Finance and Soldier# and Dependents’ Welfare Committees during the past three months was reviewed this morning by tho Otago Patriotic Association. Mr J. J. Clark was in the chair, and the following were present:—Sir George Fenwick, Messrs G. L. Denuiston, C. Speight, R. W. Glendining, A. H. Armour, J. R, White, E. R. Rosevcar, J. Begg, F. G. Cuming, and J. S. Douglas. “It would be wrong to think that the assistance we give is entirely the distribution of money,” stated the chairman in moving tho report of the Soldiers and Dependents’ Welfare Committee, which stated that 406 applications had been considered. Many soldiers and widows of those who had fallen called at the association’s office for advice and help in various ways, and the secretary (Mr E. R. Grace) had been of great assistance. Mr Grace wrote letters for them, attended to their business accounts, conferred with creditors, adjusted landlords’ accounts, and helped in countless ways. The committee was glad that thq soldiers realised that the association wanted to help them. “ We have had a heavy tax on our funds through the unemployment question,” said Mr Clark. “This is not a local, hut a New Zealand problem, and, realising tin’s, the National War Funds Council lias set up a fund to assist. We will receive £250 as our shaSe to help tho unemployed.” The allocation had not yet been definitely decided on, however. When the U.S.A.’s funds were exhausted the Patriotic Association would be enabled to subsidise them, and thus provide sustenance for those unable to work full time or t-o gain sufficient to keep them. He was glad to find that unemployment of soldiers in Dunedin was practically' normal. No excessive demands had been made on the association’s funds tins winter. It had been found that the most serious months in Dunedin were April and May. The position in the north seemed very much worse, as the bulk of tho claims for assistance came from soldiers domiciled in the north.

The position in Otago was very satisfactory, and that could be explained in several w r ays without reflecting on the North Island. The first reason was the very fine work being done by the R.S.A.with its Poppy Day money. The fund benefited the men given the work, and those who contributed must realise that the money was being well spent. Another reason was the sympathy of the employers. There was no need, as in the Old Country, to compel employers to employ a certain proportion of returned soldiers. In New Zealand they found that the bulk of employers gave preference to returned soldiers. The men had done as good at work as at w r ar, and consequently when they obtained positions they kept them on their merits. They were very satisfied with tho results of the soldiers’ work, and the committee was happy in the realisation that the men assisted were extremely grateful and firmly established in business

At the last meeting of the association (stated Mr Clark) the capitalisation of pensions had been discussed, and the meeting had considered that before any pension bo capitalised the department should first obtain th view's of the Patriotic Association on which the man w r as a charge. He had referred to the Pensions Department deducting the amount received by a. soldier from the Patriotic Society during the time he was waiting for the pension. His remarks had apparently reached the Pensions Department, and some correspondence had since passed between the department and the committee, w'hlch was pleased at tho .sympathetic way the Commissioner had considered the matter. While frankly admitting that the comment was quite correct in this case, the Commissioner had pointed out that it was an exceptional case, and a mistake had been made in the department’s office. The Commissioner stated : “It is not the practice of this department to make such reductions, and as far as I can ascertain tho only case of a straight-out reduction on the amount of the pension is the one you mention."’ Tho Commissioner had admitted that as far as the economic pension was concerned, they take into consideration any sums received from the Patriotic Association. Mr Clark said tl. department was quite justified in that attitude. The associations should be satisfied when the soldier received the amount of the pension allow'ed by law. The question of economic pensions was entirely at the discretion of the Pensions Board It was shown in the Otago case that, though the reduction was made in the wrong way, the department, with the full facts them, would have made the reduction in another way. Mr Clark said the association always found the Commissioner and his department wholly sympathetic and helpful, and it was satisfactory to know that the department was not making a reduction from soldiers’ pensions of the amounts received from patriotic societies.