IMMIGRATION

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11659, 25 October 1923, Page 11

IMMIGRATION

MEDICAL APPEAL BOARDS. “A WISE MOVE.” After careful inquiry during his recent vieifc to England into the, procedure followed in the United Kingdom, Sir Andrew Russell, president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, has returned convinced that medical appeal boards—entirely removed from departmental control—such as have been set up at Home, are a wise move. He found that, as in New Zealand, disabled Soldiers in the United Kingdom refused to accept the decisions of an appeal board which was under departmental control. Accordingly after much pressure, the British Legion of ex-service men succeeded in getting the Government to set up appeal boards directly responsible to the Lord Chancellor, not only for the purpose or settling the question of attributability and. pensions generally, but also to revive, when called on to do so, the fine assessment of a pension. SELECTION IN ENGLAND. While in New Zealand, General A. G. Wauehope, one of the members of the British Overseas Settlement delegation which recently passed through the Dominion, spent Some little time in visiting soldier settlers on their farms. He has left the Dominion with the intention of recommending to the Array authorities in England that certificates of character shall be given to selected Imperial soldiers who wish to migrate. In a letter to the general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, General AVaucbope states that the New Zealand Government has promised him that Imperial soldiers in possession of such certificates will receive special consideration, though no material advantages, as migrants. Ln order to be able to show the AVar Office authorities that the proposal meets with the approval of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, he has asked for an assurance to that effect. “It shall be my duty,” writes General Wauehope, “to explain to them in what close contact and how muoh help >ou give to all ex-Imperial soldiets coming to New Zealand. It is thanks to the kindness of your officials in various centres that I have been able to meet about 70 ex-Imperial soldieTs and at manv New Zealand soldiers on their farms. 1 wish to state how very grateful I am to the R.S.A. officials for their help and kindness and for all they do to help the ex-Imperial soldiers.” QUESTION OF FINANCE. The Dominion Farmers’ Union Executive has received the following reply fiom the Government in regard to a resolution passed by the union dn regard to land settlement and rural bour:“A very satisfactory agreement has been arrived at with the Imperial Government in the matter of assistance towards passages, and the scheme thereunder is in full working order. It remains for the residents of the Dominion to take advantage of the nomination system to -obtain the desired additional population. In this connection might I suggest that your union consider the advisability of utilising the system, of nomination to satisfy the farmers’ demands for rural workers?

“The question of a land settlement agreement has not been overlooked, and as soon as the time is deemed opportune the neoessary steps wil] be taken to obtain such an agreement. It is, however, held that the Dominion is yet far from being in a position financially to adopt any definite scheme herein.”