SOLDIERS AND DEPENDENTS' WELFARE COMMITTEE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16984, 21 April 1917, Page 3

SOLDIERS AND DEPENDENTS' WELFARE COMMITTEE.

Tho monthly rncating of tho above commitioo wis held on Thta-sday evening; present —Messrs Charles Speight (in tho ohuir), 15. C. Iluzletfc, Jas. Bcgg, J. L. Salmond, James Horn, P. M'Skinimins, jun., and S. Solomon, K.C. It was resolved to alter tho night of meeting to tho second Thursday in each month. Tho Advisory Board wroto stating that tho Minister of Defenco had stated that tho j)resent regulations under which payment of widowed mothers' separation allowances might bo mado would be proportionately relaxed as regards tho qualification of a nununum allotment of 3s a day of deferred P a y> ui particular cases whero a soldior established that ho was unablo to allot tho lull amount of his deferred pay. Each would bo dealt with on its merits, and tho allowance "would bo granted, provided tho mother's income from other sources did not exceed 7s a week. Tho Minister contended that to give cffcct to tho request that tho full old-ago pension of 10a per week would not debar applicants from receiving tho separation allowance would bo going too far.

Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman wr6to stating that it was thought that difficulties in tho way of providing adecpiato means of livelihood during tho period of tuition might have deterred many returned disabled men from endeavouring to loarn new branches of industry, and to meet this trouble tho Government had decided to grant special allowances with a view effectually to doing away with any deterrent of this character. The maximum allowanco would bo £1 per week, additional to any pension. Tho granting of im allowance would bo subject to tho branch of training selected being approved by tho department as prima facio suited toi tho man's capacity and physical oondition, and its continuance would depend -upon tho recipient's good conduct, regular attendance, and satisfactory progress.—Noted. Tho Relief Committee reported that since lost report some 39 new applications ,for assistance had been considered, and scale allowances wero granted to 21 of these caso9 —seven were granted allowances making an aggregato weekly payment of £3 7s. Grants totalling £19 12a lOd wero made to oiglit of the applicants, ono was declined, and tho remaining two cases wero deferred ■pending further inquiry. Eighty-five cases were reviewed, to 61 of whom allowances making a total weekly payment of £27 18s yd wore inado, two of w'inm received grants totalling £7, seven wero mado grants amounting to £20 15s, eight were referred for further inquiry, and allowances to tho remaining nine eases wero discontinued. Applications wero received from 28 returned soldiers, and eight wero granted euma totalling £31 ife, 12 wero granted weekly allowances amounting to £14 Is for various short periods, and tho remaining eight applications wero deferred pending further inquiries. An application from Mr ™.?^ oscrs foT assistance to take up land was referred to tho monthly meeting. Tho secretary was instructed to write to tho Minister of Defence regarding tho delay in remitting separation aiid children's allowances. It was decided .to reoommend to tho Finance Committee that £100 each be contributed to, tho Y.M.C.A. and tho Salvation Army—such grants to continue per month for threo months, when the question shall be reconBidered,—those euma to bo devoted exclusively to New Zealand soldiers overseas, and thai each institution bo asked to supply regularly an outlino of tho work done. Tho Finance Committee recommended accordingly, and tho executive adopted tho recom-' mendation. It was resolved that the execu■tivo bo recommended to urgo the Government to make moro adequate provision in the way of pensions to dependents, so that the necessity of patriotic societies supplementing pensions might be obviated. Tho attention of the association baa also been directed ■to the practice of men insuring for small amounts at a high .war premium.—Report adopted. The Finance Committee submitted the following statement of expenditure tro to Thursday, April s:— , Payments Tbtal _„ . _ . 'or month. expand iftrre, Belief to depen<tent» _. £1,244 4 0 £15,341 14 u Allowances and advances to soldiers _ 152 18 11 1,98G' 7 6 Comforts to 6oltliar3 in hospital in N.Z. _ 104 3 3 1,223 1 2 Comforts to N.Z. soldiers overseas _ — _ — 2,349 o 0 Waikmnitl Homo _ — ' 255 17 5 Awiptmi Camp „ _ — 5 0 0 Kecruiting Committee — 173 2 6 Administration expenses 59 1G 0 959 7 0 Balance „_ — — 49G 9 6 £1,550 19 2 £23,290 0 0 Tho secretary submitted a report of a meeting with Mir Douglas Seymour (general secretary, Now Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association), held on April 5. Mr Seymour stated that his association wished to see adequate measures taken to cope with the difficulties which might present themselves when tho l>ulk of the men returned. The association urged that tho necessary machinery for handling these men should bo ready upon their return. Tho work was not so much for tho present, but for tho luturo. In tho meanwhile they' were chiefly desirous of seeing a uniform system adopted for the relief to soldiery 1 to bo administered on a scale assuring fc<r tho returned soldier a "fair deal." It was also urged that tho present schemo for land settlement was not Ht all satisfactory. The chairman assured Mr Seymour that the committee was at all times most willing to co-operate with tho returned soldiers in any movement for thoir betterment. _ Mr Soymour agreed to submit m writing various matters for tho comznittoe s consideration.

Mr Titchener reported that during the month 16 returned men had been listed to tho bureau; 14 men had been placed in employment. Acting on tho department's advice two mens names were strode off tho Employment Wanted" register and 6vo were unemployed Of these, ono man taped to report, anotJior was desirous of taking advantage of tho Government sabsidy and freo technical education, whilst every endeavour waa being made to placo ron i amin s threo in suitable employment . Iho Second Division league wotd offerl wg co-operation in patriotio worlc—Tho secretary to reply that the cammitteo would b« glad to malco uso of thp co-operation of trio league when necessary. Several applications from, returned soldiers tvoro dealt with.