SECOND DIVISION CONFERENCE

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13937, 21 July 1917, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION CONFERENCE

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. SYMPATHETIC BEPLY. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 20. The members of the Seeond Division Conference waited on the Prime Minister this afternoon, and speeches were made.on the lines of those made at the meeting with members of Parliament in the morning. • Mr Massey, replying, said' he had practically no fault to find with the views expressed., As to the request for the early examination of the Second Division men, he could say the examination would be made as early as possible. The Defence Department would give effect to the promise he was making. The most important point of all was that regarding dependants! If the men went, their dependants would be considered to be, for the time being, wards of the State, and the State would do its duty to them. The dependants would be looked after. They would be glad to notice the British pensions scheme, the principles of which had been adopted by the conference, was-particularly generous. Regarding the question of financial ability, he could not go into details at the moment, but he would say that whatever England-was able to do for its soldier:, New Zealand was also able to do for it-. Parliament would have the question !• JW with later in the session; long forlorT'tlie Seeond Division was called en to go to the front, lie had always been in favour of pensions by right, but there had been difficulties.hi the way. When New Zealand passed its pension scheme, that scheme was the most generous in the Empire. Since then others had im- - proved their schemes, and maybe New Zealand should revise its scheme, Speaking generally, he was in sympathy with ihe deputation, He was not a rich man, but if every shilling he possessed was needed.for the carrying on of the war, ;t would be given willingly, ami there were tens of thousands more in New Zealand who were of the same,frame of mind. ' • Mr Armstrong said they were particularly anxious to know if these matters would be settled before the Second Division was called up,. Mr Massey said: I don't think there _ need be any doub't about that. I will do my best in that direction, but cannot make a definite promise.