FIGHTING MEN'S LIABILITIES.

Northern Advocate, 14 December 1916, Page 1

FIGHTING MEN'S LIABILITIES.

MR ALLEN'S EXPLANATION.

WHAT GOVERNMENT WILL DO

(By Telegraph. —Press* Association). DUNEDIX, December 13.

A deputation, representing the OtagO Patriotic "Association, waited on the Hon. James Allen to-day, with reference to the position of men eligible for service who have financial obligar tions. The deputation cited cases o£ men who had financial responsibilities, and who would lose everything if they went to the war. The suggested that an extension of the Moratorium Act might meet tho case, or that the Government might make a grant to assist these men to keep their property together till they came back. In reply, Mr Allen said the Government had only one course—to fix the pay for approximately the lowest paid labour in the country. A married man with one child should receive equal to £194 a year. With regard to a man with a widowed mother, of whom he was the sole support, Cabinet had decided to make a change. If the widowed mother were only partially dependent on a soldier she would receive a separation allowance, and If she had £250 capital in the savings bank or elsewhere it would not count against her. If Bhe had an income of 7s a week, separation allowance would still be paid to her. Men receiving £300 or £400 a year might be badly off if they had liabilities in regard to rent, insurance, etc. He was prepared to recommend that the Government made provision for those cases for rent, insurance, and various other items concerned. He had the basis of a proposal.:, tQ submit to the Government, but it had been held over pending consultation with the Military Service 'Boards. Proposals were in concrete form to make some provision for men who otherwise would be exempted because of undue hardship. He thought the scheme would meet a great many difficulties that had arisen.

The Minister went on to say that in almost every district farmers' unions and farmers had a rough-and-ready organisation by which farmers going away had neighbours managing their farms in their absence." The system should be extended, and his proposals were almost in concrete form.

Farm labour was a difficult problem, and the Boards would be informed that there were certain industries as essential as fighting at the front. The coal-mining, woollen, meat, butter and cheese industries were essential. The matter of utilising the labour of the country for home service had been before -him for some time, and he had had before him proposals on the subject prepared by the Department. Hβ would like to know whether the labour people were prepared to discuss 1t with the Government. A problem of that kind was too great a problem to face till Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward returned. The Hon. J. T. Paul had suggested that the Government should take the whole of the people for service at home at soldiers' pay, with the allowances and grants made to soldiers at the front. The mau who had built m> a business and was called up by ballot might be examined by the Military Service Board if his case was one of undue hardship, but that man might be more urgently wanted at the front, and the Government might have to do something to keep his business together. A proposal of that nature will be. embodied in the matters to be discussed at the forthcoming conference.