SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17328, 30 May 1918, Page 5

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

CABINET DECISION REGARDING REQUESTS. STATEMENT BYJ3IR JAMES ALLEN. (Pes Uxit*d Press Association i ti . WELLINGTON, May 29. Ihe Minister of Delence, in the course of a statement, giving the Cabinet's decision upon tho endcavo irs of the Second Division League, says: 'The present separation allowances are to stand. The Government will give sympathetic consideration to improvements m the repatriation scheme, particukrly with respect to a, returned soloier who, on discharge, cannot be placed in suitable employment. It. may take some ume to evolve a satisfactory scheme, but every effort will be made to remove the fear that a soldier may have that on discharge he will not be m a position to proTW^ pr h r S f f ' K,s ife ' atld dependents. Lrovibion has been made to pay the separation allowance to dependents beino- relatives of a sojdier (other than wife, widowed mother, ana children) equivalent to tho ; amount the so t d.er provided during: the 12 | months prior to his enlistmmt, with a maxi- t mum of 10s 6a per week. Regarding grants i made by the .I'inancial Assistance Board, the board s policy is to meet recurring obli- . gations so that a minimum net income of * £90 shall be left to the wife after rent c etc ,s provided for. The £90 ie to stand! but the Minister points out th.it it is the c m mmum only, and is for a wife without r children. Ihe Government has definitely ? decided tliat a wife's earnings shall not be 1 taken into consideration when considering v this minimum, because it wishes to encourage wives of soldiers to take up occuna- v tiona during their husband's absence on c service. Ihe question of nay and allow- 1 ances being affected bv the misconduct of a soldier is to receive further consideration sl Regarding tho Cl, men, the Minister a says; At_ present aCI reservist of the Second Division is treated as a fit man and givem three months between his medical tl examination and being called to camp • but requests made are receiving careful ' con- tl siileration, and the league will be further t* communicated with on the subject at an early date." w

.The Minister regrets that the request that the age limit for children for pension be IS years for a male and 21 for a female r-annot be agreed to, but noints out that the pension payable for a. female child in av. if the board thinks fit, be continued until the n-p of 17 is. reached; and the pension payable to any child suffering from nny mental or bodily infirmity may bo continued for such period as the board thinks

The league s proposals regarding tho protection of businesses of reservists has been submitted to the National Efficiency Board n:ul the question will again be discussed with tho board at its next meeting.