THE RETURNED SOLDIER

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1917, Page 4

THE RETURNED SOLDIER

m . WORK IN PUBLIC SERVICE. . THE SUPERANNUATION BAR. • "The problem of providing for the employment of th e returned soldier - has been most ably undcrtaktn by my colleague,", said the Hon. G. W. Russell. "There is, however, one x» Qase of this problem which has come prominently before me as Minister charged with the administration of the Public Service Act. There is a strong desire on the part of the Government that every assistance should be given to returned soldiers in the way of public employment, but as the law stands at present these men can only be, employed in temporary positions and cannot be made permanent officers of the service. "The question involved is a large one, and it is possible that the numbers affected will not be so great as might seem probable at first glance. However, when we come to deal with 80,000 or 100.000 men it is very possible that a very large number of them will look for employment in the public service on their return. There will be many men who have been weakened by war service who will look, and will look with perfect right, to clerical employment in the Public Service as tbeir future occupation. It is possible that the doors of the service in regard to examination will have to be widened to meet these cases. These men will deserve every consideration, and 'if they have to begin at the bottom of the . ladder and work their way up, a way must be found for them. There is, however; one great bar to the employment of soldiers in" the Public Service, and that is the Superannuation Fund. All the acturial calculations for the fund are based on the assumption that only young and healthy per : sons will be allowed to enter the service. It would be impossible to apply (this test to soldiers, because it would debar a great many of them from entering the service. The question therefore, is whether it is possible to provide superannuation for such cases .without unduly burdening the present superannuation funds, which might indeed break down if a large number of men in weak health were admitted, especially, as experience has shown that some of them do break down in health after their rteurn here. I have brought the matter before the Superannuation Board for consideration, and the board is now considering a proposal made to them that a separate branch of the Public Service Superannuation Fund be established for the benefit of all returned soldiers entering the Public Service. This . fund would be a temporary fund. It would be suported by the usual contributions of the participants,, but all the other money required to maintain the fund in a f solvent condition would have to be taken from the Consolidated Fund."