SECOND DIVISION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 2

SECOND DIVISION

DOMINION CONFERENCE THE QUESTIONS OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES. The Conference of the Second Division League was continued yesterday, Mr 11. A. Armstrong presiding. There was a full attendance of delegates. A special committee which bad been appointed the previous day to consider the question of maintenance recommended that the pay of Second Division men should be 5s per day, the same as that of tho First Division. A minority of the committee supported the demand of Fcathcrston and Canterbury that tiro rate should bo 6s per day, it being considered that the extra Is was necessary on account of tho increased cost of living.

' a long discussion took place on the subject. An amendment that the pay should bo 10s per day was lost by 44 voltes to 11, and another that it should bo 7s was negatived by 44 votes to 13. Then it was proposed that it should be (is, and this was negatived by 28 votes to 26. Subsequently it was proposed that the matter should bo left to Parliament to decide, and this was carried by a large majority. It was recommended by the committee that tho separation allowance to wife or sole dependent should be 5s a day—when this came to he considered it was proposed that the • rate should be 6s a day for a wife and sole dependent '.exclusive of the ■ soldier s children). This was carried. The committee’s recommendations that tho allowance for children should be Is 6d per day and for a motherless child 2s 6d per day were carried unanimously. An extra allowance to a v.ife too is a. chronic invalid of 10s a week and to an invalid child of 5s was recommended and agreed to. • It was decided to recommend- pensions as follow : —To widow and children, £3 3s, to widow without children and solo dependent £2 12s 6d, a child 10s 6d, motherless child 17s 6d, extra allowance to wife (chronic invalid) 10s, and child (chronic invalid) os. Totally disabled soldiers pensions were recommended by tho committee as follow; —Single or married soldier £2, wife and sole dependent £1 (to bo increased to £3 3s on death of sqjdier in case of widow Vith children, or to £2 12s. 6d if without children, each child 10s 6d per week); motlierlees children, 17s 6d; chronio invalids, wife 10s extra, and child oh extra. Age limit of benefits to children to be males seventen and females twenty. Mr Chapman moved that the fetish scheme be adopted (including flat rates, according to injury and disablement), augmented whore necessary, in accordance with the difference in rates of wanes in normal times in New Zealand and Britain. This was carried in preference to- the committee’s recommendation. MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS. It was resolved: “That the confer-ence-impress upon the Government the necessity of more thoroughly organising the department in connection with finding work for returned soldiers. 1 The following resolution was car-ried:—-“That the Government be requested to provide all men on actual service with an official sign for display on their business premises to skew that they are on active service. ’ It was also resolved that the league is of opinion that a Minister should bo appointed by the Government to deal with soldiers’ affairs solely, and that tho scheme of the Discharged Soldiers’ Information Department be fully explained to the men during the homeward voyage, and not on arrival, as at present. RETURNER SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION. Mr Seymour, representing the Returned Soldiers’ Association, attended the conference and delivered an address in which he indicated- that the opinion of returned soldiers was that a rich country like New Zealand could afford to-be more generous to the dependents of soldiers who had- given their lives for the sake of the Empire. The authorities were eager to do tho proper thing, hut they were bound down by scales and regulations. (Cries of “Smash them.”) A lion-hearted leader seemed to be needed who would boldly toll tho country what it should do. (Applause.) The Returned Soldiers’ Association was not associated with politics, but it wanted the right thing to be done Ibr men who had been m action, and their dependents. Replying to questions Mr Seymour said that ho had investigated many cases of complaint, but ho bad been unable to discover an instance in which the Defence Department had not acted quite fairly, hampered as it was by scales and pre-war disabilities. (Hear, hear.) In regard to pay, his own opinion was that it ought to be raised all along the lino on account t-f the increased cost of living. Increases should be retrospective, in -which- "wasters’’ should not participate at the discretion of patriotic societies. EVENING SITTING.

At an evening sitting the following resolutions were carried: “That allowances be paid monthly, commencing from the tune a soJdiei leaves for camp.” “That a ration allowance of 2s bd a day bo paid to all soldiers, Whether married or single, while on Una! leave.”

“That allocated. pay and allowances shall not be affected by the misconduct of a soldier-” “That the allowance for a suit of clothes for a soldier be increased to £5 from 30s, as at present.” “That the receipt of the old-age pension or an income not exceeding an eauivalent amount from any other source shall not debar dependents from participating in the benefits of any separation -allowance or pensions provided.” “That the Government shall pay a soldiers’ obligations as defined in the War Regulations of January ibtn, 1917, provided the amount incurred dees not exceed £2 a week.” ‘•'That in the event of a soldier being declared missing or killed, the allotments and separation allowances he contained until a pension is granted. “ “That the State should pay lor medical and dental services for dependents of soldiers while on active service,, and the Government be urged to make arrangements with' the, Bntish Medical Association, the Rental Association, and the sfew Zealand Trained Nurses’ Association to give cff H-t io this remit." • ■ - - “That no persons of military ago

bd allowed to enter the Dominion for the purpose of taking up positions vacated by New Zealanders called up for service.” A MOTION NEGATIVED.

The following proposal was negatived: —‘‘That-tho league deplores tho multiplicity of departmental regulations connected with all legislation that is in operation for the welfare of soldiers and their dependents, and with a view of expediting the administering the Military Service Act and War Regulations, and of reducing the cost to the State, the Government be urged to take immediate steps to reduce the number of expensive boards, and have all military departments and branches thereof administered by experts of improved capacity.” A proposal: “That the Government be asked to grant further concessions in regard to the postage on parcels for soldiers” was withdrawn. MATERNITY ALLOWANCE.

A r(.(init from Featherstou as to maternity benefits was referred to a sub-committee, which reported in favour of an allowance of £6 with an income restriction of £SOO, and a provision for railway travelling expenses when required. A BRITISH PRECEDENT.

A committee sot up to report regarding the adoption of the British scheme for tho relief of disabled soldiers recommended that soldiers should he nut in as good a position as they were before the war, or as nearly so as possible, with a 50 per cent, advance on the English minimum and tho maximum of £3 las, bringing tho Now Zealand allowance up to £5 12s 6d. Consideration of the matter was referred to another sub-committee. DEPUTATION TO PARLIAMENT.

The president explained that he had been trying to get an appointment with tho Prime Alimster for a deputaton from the conference, but without avail. Tho telephone had been frequently resorted to during tho day, but it was always represented that Mr Massey was too busy. He suggested that in the meantime ' a small deputation should be appointed to wa ; t on members of Parliament today. This was agreed to.