REPATRIATION SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17026, 6 December 1918, Page 6

REPATRIATION SCHEME

ADVANCE TO OPEN BUSINESS.

■ INCREASE TO £300 PROPOSED. [by teuohat-b.—aracur, cobksspokdent.J WELLINGTON, Thursday. Tho debate on the second reading of the Repatriation Bill was continued in the Houso of Representatives, after the telegraph closed at 2 o'clock this morning. Mr. W. Downid Stewart (Dunedin West) said the Bill was belated. Organisation should have been developed long ago. ( Only now, after four years of war, curative' workshops were 5 being 'equipped !at Rotoroa. These should have been established two years ago. Disabled soldiers had been compelled to idle their, time away, and men had been retarded in their recovery because they were worried about their, future. He did not consider the constitution of tho Repatriation Board suitable for the work the Board would have to do. The proper course would be to make one Minister wholly responsible for repatriation. He did not support the general objection to a military man having to do with repatriation, All •would depend on the character and personality of the man. In England General Richardson was doing quite extraordinary work in preparation for repatriation. Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) urged that one Minister should be in control of all matters affecting returned soldiers. . Mr. 0. Pi Talbot (Temuka) also supported the demand for a Minister for Repatriation. He urged that a maternity allowance should be provided for the wives of soldiers, to encourage them to marry and raise a strong, brave race. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) said soldier settlers were supplied with land up to the value of £8000, while only £250 was provided for the soldier who went into business. Out of 26,000 soldiers who had returned, only 1000 had been settled on the land. The Bill showed no clear appreciation of the great problem of repatriation The Hon. W. D.. S. MncDonald submitted that the Government had done much to help the returned men, though a large numbor of them had signified that they did not need help. The great majority of 60.000 or 70,000 who had yet to return would be able to place themselves without difficulty. He believed that every ■ 'member of the House took a real interest in the soldiers, and Ministers felt that the best and the utmost that could be done would not be too good for the soldiers. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) • ureed the Importance of direct representation on any boards set up under the Bill.

Sir James Allen began his reply about 3.15 a.m. He said the benefits of the Bill would be extended to naval ratings. There was flood reason why there should be a difference betweon advances for land settlement and town business. The security was wholly different. The limit in Australia for a business in the towns was £250. ■

The Bill was read a second time at 3,25 a.m., and the House rose. . _ .When it was proposed to take the Bill in Committee to-day, the Minister, at the request of Mr. Isitt, deferred the matter until to-morrow to enable the Returned Soldiers' Association to meet members and Ministers to discuss the' proposals. Sir James Alien added' that it wag proposed to increase the loan to enable men to reestablish themselves in business to £300