“NOBODY CARES”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 18 June 1931, Page 4

“NOBODY CARES”

MEN WHO FOUGHT ACUTE DISTRESS (By Telegraph—Press Association) AUCKLAND, 17th June. • ‘‘The men who did not go to the war and took the jobs of those who did are still in those jobs, and they are the only men who seem to be prospering to-day,” said Colonel J. E. Dawson, when addressing the Hon. W. A. Veitch, as a member of a Returned Soldiers’ deputation, in reference to the acute distress amongst the men who fought in the war. Major-General Sir George Richardson, the head of the deputation, declared that the returned men out of work would have been entirely submerged but for number 5 scheme. There were many who could not- benefit by tlm scheme owing to age or war disabilities, and their cases required special attention. He urged the Minister to use his influence to have land made available for them. Colonel Dawson recalled the promises made to the soldiers on their enlistment, and suggested that the Narrow Neck camp could be used to accommodate 200 single men, the Government to provide ratipns and several lion-coms. who could easilv he spared. Tlie returned men were slipping faster thin) others into despondency. They felt that nobody cared for them. The Minister.* replying, said that the ex-soldiers had as much claim on the people to-day as when they enlisted.