RETURNED SOLDIERS ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17429, 25 September 1918, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS ASSOCIATION.

♦ r J.ho fortnightly meeting of the committee was hold in tho associuijon rooms last evening; Dr Harrison in the chair. Accounts amounting to £20 2s were passed for payment. Twelve returned soldiers wore admitted to membership in the association. F. A. W'addell's application for a transfer to tho Napier Association .was approved. Mr F. Norris (organiser for the National Service League) wrote asking support for the movement for the establishment of four memorial workshops as a national tribute to tho memory of our fallen soldiers. It was decided to support the movement, and forward the suggested resolution to tho chairman of the Efficiency Board. Mr C. L. Calvort was elected to fill the vacancy on the committee. Tho Secretary of the Otago Employers' Association wrote, assuring the committee of his executive's fullest co-operation in dealing with the practice of employers in exploiting returned soldiers in regard to their pensions and wages.—Received. The Secretary of the D'unedin Jockey Club wrote, stating that his committee could not see its way to reconsider its decision to cancel free passes to returned soldiers.— Hold over for general meeting. The Commissioner of Pensions wrote regarding tho position of returned soldiers whose pensions had ceased through their improved conditions, and who subsequently found themselves in need of assistance through a relapse. In such cases, all that is necessary for the soldier to do to have his e-.igibiiity detunnined is to make application to the local Registrar of Pensions, vmo will supply a fresh form of application, which, when completed, would be torwarded to the Commissioner for the decision oi the War Pensions Board. The board would; of course, require to be satisfied that the disability suffered is directly associated with his war service, but there is no limit ot time in which a second application oi this sort should be lodged. With regard to the complaints of war pensioners not being allowed to have their pensions paid into their post office accounts, he stated that, owing to the system adopted for the payment of all classes of pensions, it is not possible to have instalments paid direct to a banking account, but, assuming that all tho necessary requirements are complied with, there will be no objection to any soldier having an agent to collect his pension for the solo reason of banking it. Mr P. Hercus (acting-secretary of the Chamber of Commerce) wrote in regard to the unemployment of returned soldiers. The chamber's delegates would bring the "question forward at the annual conference of the associated chambers of the dominion. In the meantime, he suggested that a list of the names of returned men available for work be forwarded to him monthly, and members of the chamber would then be advised.—Lists to be supplied. Several complaints regarding pensions were dealt with, and in some cases it was decided to ask the Pensions Board to reconsider them. Several letters were received from Sir James Allen in reply to representations that had been made by the association. The (irst of these was with regard to the leave and allowances granted to men returned on duty furlough, which the committee had represented to be inadequate. The Minister etated that it had now been arranged to return to New Zealand, as shipping facilities offer, men who have had more than thror years' service overseas. Tho election of men for duty furlough will be entirely at the discretion of the General Officer Commanding at the front. This leave was intended as a reward for long service and good conduct. Each man, on his arrival in the dominion, would be given four weeks' leave on pay, together with a railway pass for three weeks, thus conforming with the existing privileges granted to all men who are returned for discharge because of sickness or wounds. It would therefore be seen that, under the new system which has been adopted, each soldier selected for duty furlough will receive in actual practice an average of six months' leave on full pay from the front, and this will ensure our long-service men receiving an adequate rest from the stress and strain of active service. T < _ addition, anv returned soldier who requires further leave for any purpose will have an opportunity to submit his case for the consideration of the Military Service Board of the district, and any recommendation which the board may make for extension of leave owing to special circumstances will, of course, be respected by the Defence authorities. —With regard to the com mittee's resolution ursrine: that pffect Vm ■riven to the recommendation of the Defence Commission that all fit males employed bv th« department should be sent abroad, tir . Minister stated that this is already in practice. Combing out as far as the Defence Department is concerned is constantly goin<r on, and the fit men remaining are very few in number. In order to ensure that none but those essential are retained in the dominion, periodical medical examination were ordered some time ago. Rrturned soldiers who have been discharged on medical grounds are of course not compulsorilv liable for service. Any other men employed by the department and fit for service are drawn in tho ballot under the Military Service Act. and their sendinar forward is automatic—Another communication from the Minister stated that tho suggestion that authority be granted for sold'e-r? discharged prior to June 1. 1918. to surrender to the Defence Department, at an assossed value, greatcoats and uniforms which are in their possession and are in pood condition, cannot bn given effect to. The suggestion presented many of the diffi cuHies which prevented the mufti allowanrr b-Mng made retrospective, and these diffipu'ries were fully d'V-n=sed at a ennforpneo between tho representatives of the N.Z R.S.A and this dopnrtmrnt. at which conference it wts aqrfwl that the starting date for tho incroac pd allowances wouVI be Jnne 1. 1918. With regard to the supposed scarcity nf khiiki. ho ptnted that thorp is sniffVipnt khaV- : "lotli swnilnKlp for tho requirements of department.—ln romV to the comm ; tfc<>'«. rosnlution askine tint, ; f it is considered npcpssary to clofo tho ; hotel fairs m port? on tlip ocea=ion of tho arrival thereat of troopsJiiVp. tVipv stionM bo closed n]so to thr> cronoral piih'in. Sir James sf.ited tKit. rPtnilnt'nns wliioh would c : vp ofToct to +hp motion hfiw row beon frnmeel. and were rocontlv nu'i'ishorl in *-Vio Clyz-Hn. —The communications were all received. SECOND DTTTPTON MTCV. Family men ehould know the immense value of Fluenzol, which is indispensable in camps for throat and nasal troubles. — The late Lord Rhondda bv his will left £20,000 to the governing body of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and £20,000 to Cardiff Infirmary. ijV-.- chronic chesi complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Is 6d, 2s id — Advt.