MANAWATU DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1919. OVERLAPPING.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14136, 9 June 1919, Page 4

MANAWATU DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1919. OVERLAPPING.

Tu a letter to the Palmerston Patriotic Society, Mr Jas. Stevens, who has been closely associated with various phases of administrative work in connection with the returned soldiers, points to the grave danger of overlapping which has arisen because of the multiplication and variety of bodies empowered to deal with this problem. Mr Stevens sets out in detail the departments which are being called upon to help the soldier in different capacities. Enumerated they are ns follow;—(I) The National EQicicncy Board, which has acted on behalf of the soldiers and for all departments dealing with them in their various requirements. (2) The Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, which honestly endeavours to overcome the confusion arising from so many depiutments and so many regulations made by each. (3) The Financial Assistance Board, which attends to the relief of undue hardship by giving assistance towards payment, of rent, interest, insurance, rates, instalments on furniture, maternity expenses, farm or domestic servants, etc. Those payments are now made ..retrospective as from 1914 to UW. (4) The War Expenses Department for payments of allowances to wives, widows, widowed mothers, children, and other dependents of sol-

diors. (5) The Pensions Board, which deals with the investigation and allocation of military, widows’ and dependents’ pensions, whether temporary or permanent. (G) The Land Purchase Boards, which have power to finance a soldier up to £IOOO for land and £750 for stock, implements, or improvements, or to advance £IOOO for a town dwelling. (7) The Repatriation Hoard, with out interest for the purchase of tools or out interest for the purchase of tools of furniture, to recommend loans of £3OO for business purposes, to pay sustenance and educational fees, to ensure to a learner the maximum wages of his trade, and to grant free {tassages to or from New Zealand. (8) Various indefinite military and other departments dealing with the issue of free railway passes, gratuities, bonuses, invalids in military hospitals and convalescents in other institutions, etc. (9) Lastly, tho Patriotic Societies, whose powers are, happily, as large as the generosity of the people.

• In a footnote, Mr Stevens says: “If tho powers and functions of one or more of these departments is incorrectly stated by me, the fact will serve to emphasise the complicated nature of this military machine, the evolution of which will be satisfactory and complete only when there is one man at the wheel instead of eight. My object in thus drawing attention to the (State machinery is not so much to find fault it as to point out the danger, expense and difficulty of such a conglomerate system, and to ask for something loss cumbrous and costly, more simple and comprehensive, ’ ’ Mr Stevens has done a public service in focussing tho whole situation in this way. It has boon clear for some time to those who have been, dealing with the administration of patriotic funds that the position has become intolerable. The expense of maintaining thecs various departments is quite out of proportion to the results achieved and the danger of the various funds and agencies being exploited by unscrupulous persons is naturally very great. This matter is one which should be emphatically brought under the notice of the Government by the various o rganisa tio us coneorned.