SECOND DIVISION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 115, 20 May 1918, Page 2

SECOND DIVISION.

PAY AND. ALLOWANCES.

(United Press Association.)

WKIXrN T Gtp.> T ,. May 19. ißeferring to figures published' by the Defence Department showiug that New Zealand leads other, parts of the British. Empire with regard to pay allowances for soldiers and dependents, Mr Armstrong, national president of the Second Division League, stated last night that other Dominions" had ,not-y# reached the problems that ,Ne\y,. ,Zea ; ?.. .land was now facing. So far as" Aus-. tralia was concei-ned, it was only necessary to remind the people of. New Zealand that even single men in,.the Conimonwealth could .'...' please themselves whether they, went .to. the war or not. Canada apparently had, pot roade any call yet on married, reservists, as it was a only a fewv-ago that a cable announced . that the .Canadian authorities, were only then' about to call up men between 20 and 23 years. Canada therefore apparently had not yet reached the position that New Zealand was.in twelve months ago. It had ; to. be remembered -that'in 191*7 the New Zealand separation allowance for wife was 7s a. . week. against Canada's £1 Os lOd. Another recent message. from Canada stated that' soldiers' pay was to Toe considerably inZealand defence.."' Department to suggest' "that the' pjeoplc of, Canada would ask a ); 'soldier.'s wife!, with five children to exist on'"a : total ■ allowance of £lO3 IGd! -p Sua: allbfemenifcs ironi hi-riband a ( So. far as Great Bin tain was concerned .the 'conditions there and here cpuld hot be compared. - Britain's civil population . was.'.'apparently,., completely organised for./war purposes; her princi--pal 'industries were either nationalise* or under State Control ...for the war period j profiteering had been effectively dealtwith, and, if reports were to be believed, the whole of the people there, on. rations. In : Britain,' therefore, there was at least pome measure of equality -of sacrifi cc\ I K . would be time; to compare British, -oldiors .pay with; our own "when the Government 9* this country adopted the general war. legislation of Britain, and when steps were taken to ensure that the whole sacrifice did not fall alone upon the man who wa9„.found medically .fit. to serve his country. There was no reason wny. New" Zealand sho*ld.%iot continue in the- | lead, and if by that leadership sho assisted in breaking down precedents and . PTeiudices ofother countries, and induced a prevention of the repetition of ad- j ministrative of other wars, the, j greater would be- the credit to the people and' Government of. this «nmtrv.