SOLDIERS' GRATUITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17269, 19 September 1919, Page 6

SOLDIERS' GRATUITIES

A STATEMENT TO-DAY. - %m,i ;: ?'%% DESIRE FOR DISCUSSION. >S0 y "$& GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY.. ?V [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPOSTEE.] ' ;: -??I' WELLINGTON. Thursday. . The anxiety of members of Parliament ' to know all about the soldiers' gratuities is growing stronger every day. This afternoon the Hon. G. W. Russell ' (Avon) asked the Minister for Defence whether the announcement would be mads by bringing down a Bill or in the form of a statement. If it were a. statement he wished to know what facilities would be given to discuss it. Sir James Allen replied that he would be bringing down a statement which he proposed to lay on the table of the House. He hoped to have the statement printed, together with the forms of application for the gratuity, and all the other papers conveying information on the subject He hoped that the announcement would h<j made to-morrow. He said, further, that he would circulate all the papers. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Op. position, suggested that the statement, having been introduced, the discussion should be adjourned in order that members might have an opportunity to digest the contents. Sir James Allen replied that the whole contents would be explained by himself in a statement which he would make to the House. However, the suggestion for an adjournment of the discussion was one for the Prime Minister to consider. Mr. Massey: It is quite a simple statement. Sir Joseph Ward said it would facilitate discussion if time were given to consider the matter. Mr. Russell asked definitely whether the Government intended to ask for the approval of the House to be given to the proposals. He asked whether the Government would submit this scheme in a form such that the House would take & share in the responsibility for it. This would be so if the proposals were brought down in the shape of a Bill. Sir James Allen replied that it would be impossible to bring in a Bill to provide all the conditions necessary. All the information which members would need would be contained in the papers to be furnished. Sir Joseph Ward said the only way in which members could express disapproval would be by voting against the proposal that the papers should be laid on the table. He reiterated his appeal for more time to consider the scheme. Mr. Massey said the proposals would be very simple, covering no more thin a sheet of "foolscap. Members would understand it in five minutes. Sir Joseph Ward: How are we going to express our opposition supposing we disapprove ? Mr. Massey: If you disapprove you can say so. Sir Joseph Ward said the matter was too important to be settled in that way. He wished to have an opportunity to consider the matter, and the time allowed would not bo sufficient. Mr. Massey replied that quite enough time had been taken up already. The scheme should! have been down a month ago. If the matter were deferred for a week for discussion it would held up the payments again. Sir Joseph Ward asked if an indication would be given then and there of what the proposal would be. Both Sir James Allen and the Prime Minister met this with a refusal. Mr. G. J. Anderson (Mataura) suggested that a committee of the House should be set up to go into the proposals, so that members might have .an opportunity to express an opinion on them. Mr. Massey said the Government intended to take the responsibility for the scheme, and a committee such as that proposed would cause further delay. There had been quite enough delay already. THE WELLINGTON DEPUTATION. . PROTEST FROM STRATFORD. [»Y TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] STRATFORD. Thursday.

The Stratford Returned Soldiers' Association strongly protests against the unreasonable demands in the matter of gratuities, and also deprecates ths unseemly behaviour of the Wellington branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association with regard thereto. The attitude of that body towards the Wellington press was considered unjustifiable. POSSIBILITIES DISCTXSSSD. A FLAT RATE PROBABLE. [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER.] * WELLINGTON. Thursday. It has been stated that the gratuities are to be paid on a scale making provision for different payments according to rank. There is good authority for a denial of this, and for asserting "that the payment will be on a flat rate. No safe prediction may yet be made as to the amount per day to be given. The total will be about £5,000,000, but there are so many unknown factors that it is impossible to assess the rate. The most general story is that the rata is to be Is 6d per day.