EMPLOYMENT OF SOLDIERS

Nelson Evening Mail, 17 May 1917, Page 2

EMPLOYMENT OF SOLDIERS

WORK IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE. "The problem of providing fur the employment of the returned .soldier has been mm*!, ably undertaken 'by my colleague." said the Hon. C W. Russell to a Wellington reporter. "There is, however. one phase of this problem •which has come prominently before nic 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 ibe so great as might seem probable at first glance. However, when we come to deal with 80.0C0 or 100.CC0 men it is very possible that a very large number of them -will look for employment in the public service on their return. 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 o-f soldiers in the public service. * and that i-s the superannuation fund. All the actuarial calculations for | the fund ar e based on the assumption that only young and) healthy persons j 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 undulv burdening the present superannuation funds. The Superannation "Board is now considering a proposal that- a separate branch of the Public Service Superannuation Fund be established for the benefit of all returned soldiers enter;/i<r the public service. This fund, would be a temporary \ fund, supported byi the usual contributions of the participants, but all the ij other money required to maintain the J fund in a solvent condition would have Ito be taken from the Consolidated Fund."