WAR BELIEF SOCIETIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16589, 12 July 1917, Page 6

WAR BELIEF SOCIETIES.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

REMITS FROM AUCKLAND.

The executive of the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association at its meeting yesterday unanimously appointed Mr. V. J. Larner as the association's delegate at the annual conference of delegates from societies affiliated with the Federation of New Zealand Patriotic War Relief Societies, to be held in Wellington, commencing on August 16. The following remits, to be submitted to the conference, were adopted :—

That the Government bo requested to make financial provision for returned soldiers who may desire to establish themselves in business, such assistance to be along the same lines as that afforded to returned soldiers who may take up land: advances to bo limited to tho sum of £250; provision to bo made for a sound investigation into all cusps, and due protection afforded to the Stato against advances beine made to applicants who. either on account of their immutability for the. business proposed, or from other causes, cannot, upon reasonable, grounds, expect to succeed: that for the, purpose of determining advances to applicants a board comprising business men be set up. That tho present system of obtainine retunds from Patriotic Societies in connection with returned soldiers who enlisted in districts outside the sphere of operations of the society to whom tho returned soldier makes application for assistance be discontinued, and in lieu thereof associations meet the needs of and' assist returned soldiers who have been domiciled in or enlisted from other district)! in \ exactly the same manner as would be done had the soldier been domiciled or enlisted from their district; that the conference) affirm the desirability of all patriotic associations assistants men in necessitous circumstances who have been discharged from tho training camps, as a large number of such men havo made great personal sacrifices. On their return to civilian life considerable hardship is often experienced, and in many cases there is an inability, arising from their breakdown in camp or from the strain of training, to follow previous occupations; that, notwithstanding the recent concession Of lour weeks' - ray and pension rights granted by the Government to men in these circumstances, the conference is of opinion that assistance from tho patriotic associations in necessitous cases is desirable. That affiliated associations be advised that assistance from the Patriotic Funds should not generally be declined to returned soldiers upon the ground that thev may not be entiroly without money at tho time of applying for assistance, as such a course would bo placing a premium upon thriftlessness, and do injustice in many cases to deserving men who, by their steadiness and thrift havo saved a little money which will be absorbed in their personal needs or in re-establishing themselves; in many ca=os reasonable assistance from the Patriotio Funds is due, would afford satisfaction to the donors of the fund, and at the same time be thoroughly deserved by the applicant. That the Government be advised that in the opinion of this conference returned soldiers suffering from neurasthenia and shellshock should not be discharged from tho forces while unable, owing to their condition, to sufficiently care for themselves, and that leturned soldiers in that condition should be afforded suitable treatment before being discnurged. and tins be subject to continued military discipline which is essential to their recovery. That in the interests of the returned soldiers, many of whom fail to appreciate their rights of application for Government pensions, and therefore suffer, the Government be requested to make provision whereby soldiers should be required to lodge their applications for Government pensions or signify their non-necessity of a pension at the same time as receiving their provisional discharge.