SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17323, 24 May 1918, Page 5

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

DOMINION CONFERENCE. (Peb United Phess Association.) WELLINGTON, May 23. Ai, the conference ol the {Second Division League to-day a committee was appointed to draw up a report on tho repatriation problem. Tho conference recommended that the (jovcrnmont adopt the principle of extending State responsibility to all soldiers and their dependents from discharge or demobilisation until full rehabilitation in civil life, such State responsibility to take the form of a continuance of pay, allowances, and financial ajssistance. suoh as is paid to a soldier and his dependents during active service, the minimum period of responsibility to be not less than three months, to bo extended where licoessary on the recommendation of a special local board, to be set up under a department of repatriation. The following- recommendations adopted : 1 hat the practice of allowing employers to appeal for the exemption of employees bo discontinued: that any reservist of German parentage who appeals for exemption on tho ground of German svmpathiea and is granted such exemption should bo interned or put to some work of national importance on military pay; that, in view of the altered conditions of the war, the Government bo urged to organise all fit retired men in order to relieve fit men of military age for service; that all CI men be given a month after medical examination to make any temporary domestic and business arrangement before being ordered to parade for the physioal training camp; that the reservist be given a month's testing m a physioal training camp to test his fitness, and if ho be proven unfit give him his discharge at once. If the CI reservist be proved medically fit after the try-out lie be given two months' leave of absence so that ho may return to his home and make final arrangements for his dependents, and disposing ,of his business preparatory to his going into the reinforcements. THE REPATRIATION PROBLEM. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. THE WAYS OF LEAGUE MEMBERS. PORTENTS OF TROUBLE. (Fkou Ouk Own Corbbspomdivt.) WELLINGTON, May 23. It is impossible, apparently, for ■ the Second Division League to abandon officially the original demand which it has so consistently made for a separation allowance of 6s a day for the wife of every soldier sent to the war from this country but it is quite evident that tho heads of the league have given up hope of ever getting this extra allowance. The members of the league have really put themselves out of court by admitting that the extra money is needed not so much for the maintenance of the dependents of the soldier while he is on service, but rather as a nest egg for use on his return. In other tion money is quired for repatriaWhen the conference decided yesterday that a deputation was to go to-day to Sir James Allen and the other Ministers, an unofficial delegation went to have a talk with tho Minister and learn from him what he would say m reply to the demand for 6s a day for the wife. Ho gave he delegation pretty clearly to understand " say "Np," and this was no doubt reported to the heads of the league, lncn it was that the committee set to work to draft proposals for certain repatriation measures to bo advocated by the league. There is no doubt at all-although th& is -• l f° *.• denied consistently—that the intention was that these repatriation proposals were to be instead of the 6s demand. An attempt was made to get these proposals approved by the conference before the deputation went to interview the Ministers this morning, but some of the members of the conference who are not quite in the swim raised the question about the schemes, and in the limited f ", 1 ? available their opposition served to hold them up. The heads of the league understand quite well that the 6s n f aVe t0 u dropped; but the rank and file of members even at the conference tYon ir ?° ntrol in tiis situation There are the elements of a row and a rupture in the league. The chances aro however, that Mr Annstrong, an extremely otn tt J® °j alrman ' will be able to fs over 1 ' 4a a** 3 Unt ' l the conference i ho , ys P* 33 member after membei has to leave for home, and if the wffl'l£F iStt® °-fi m l0 u nger the chairman Ti a mucil smaller meeting, j i y? st part of the more re-' sponsible and level-headed of the delegates ne L w idea the schemes for repatriation is that every soldier shall ?rv n'fT u® m forces m this country after his return, be kept on pay and allowances for a period of three months timiFiF W f « mC he , may have , an opportunity of findmg employment. There is much to be said in favour of the ide£ as well as some few things against it, In tho case of shiftless men it would lead to £ ;dle ? ess and Un the other hand the present law allows nlan J»>ns- discharged penniless, all a \t JT 1 °, very s Olll,0 ® ending from the day that lie dons civilian clothes The present organisation for the assimilation of returned men on discharge is a good one and a far more complete one than is popularly . supposed. H it will please anybody it may bo advisable to ohango the name of it to Department of Repatriation; but the to g bo ISa / °^ 1S^ lng is 115 good is likely Mincer. y *** or ne^ If the Second Division League does offintjf come round to recognition of rethe^e^o l \dli n lor er the S tSTIThs sss s little attention to the Second Di\S League. The returned soldiers will attack the league, and they expect to hive support of the public in the attack. There is no possibility at all of the return,^ Snd