SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17341, 14 June 1918, Page 2

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

BRANCH Al* PORT CHALMERS. Mr T. iScollay presided over a meeting called at Port Chalmers last evening to form a. branch of tho Second Division League. Unfortunately the meeting was called at very short notice, and only 11 gentlemen attended. The chairman expressed tlio hope that Port Chalmers would givo a solid backing to a body such as tho Second Division League, which was tlio only guarantee the soldier had tliat his dependents would get their rights during his absence. Mr S. 13. Mac Donald (president of the Dunedin branch of the league) detailed tho concessions which the league has won from tho Government in pay, allowances, and pensions since its inception. He instanced a cases in which, under the old pension scheme a Gallipoli veteran, who had lost the right arm at the shoulder and who in civil life had been earning £6 a week, had been given a pension of 25s a week for six months. During this time hie friends got hull a position for which he received £-1 a week, and his pension was therefore reduced to 10s when tho six months expired, ihe league, however, had compelled tlio Government to provide tho most up-to-dato and liberal pension scheme in the world, and these pensions were obtained by right according to a schedule of rates. In a fortnight tho Dunedin branch had settled 80 cases of various kinds, and it would bo apparent, therefore, that it was badly needed. No man must think that the league should assist him in aaiy "way to i > reß P° ns ibilities. They believed that the war should be won at any sacrifice but they also thought the country "should be ready to pay for it, as millions of money it , pa , id { ° r its produce, and it could well afford the bill. Their quarrel was with two or three Ministers, and they would see to it when tho time came that the present Government never ruled again.—(Applause.) JVlr Lfiwloy said there h;ul been misunderstanding over the demand for an allowance of 6s instead of 3s for wives, but this had been mado because the Government Had fallow to deal with the problem of repatriation. The Government had refused "omt blank to increase the allowance. Thev had however, admitted that their responsibility to a soldier ended onlv with his linal rehabilitation in civil life and a scheme was now being prepared by the league whereby a soldier would bo allowed throe months, with nay, if he were not back at his pre-war employment within that period. The speaker contended that it was impossible to expect, as the Financial Assistance Board did, a woman to live on , & yf.? r ' which in Dunedin was worth about £65. A minimum of at least £2 2s a week should be allowed. Ho also pointed out how Fust Division reservists had benefited from the league's activities, and said that if the Returned Soldiers' Association understood their objects better, appreciation would replace the present misunderstanding. The league wanted every man and woman to be in it.—(Applause.) The meeting resolved to constitute itself a committee to organise the Port Chalmers branch of tho Second Division League. Mr I. bcollay was appointed president, and Mr D. M Donald secretary.