RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17727, 11 September 1919, Page 6

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

QUESTION OF GRATUITIES. DEPUTATION TO POLITICAL LICADERS. SYMPATfO'TWC REPLY. (Pb» United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 10. A deputation of upwards of 1000 soldiers marched from tho ciub liouso at 5 30 p m to bring boforo tho political leaders a request that the war gratuity alwuld bo on tno basis of £150 for each soldier with two years service. Tho public thronged tho route followed by tho procession to tho larliarnonUiy Buildings, whero tho men were met by Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, ~?, r J , lol 'and, and members of both Houses ino leaders were greeted with cheers, hoots', anrl general uproar. Mr Massey appealed for quietness, and his ell arts wero supplemented by tho spokesman ot tho deputation, but all to no avail Mr Massey exclaimed: "This is simply LmposIhf'l rcfuS ,° to &tcii " Ho suggested tnat the spokesman, bo received in tho Cabinet room. This was agreed to, but tho crowd remained in a boisterous mood, hooting and yelling being interspersed with tunes by a pipe band, which led the procession. x The speakers were introduced by Mr Aldntch (secretary of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association), who drew attention to the resolution passed by tho Wellington branch at a meeting in tho ™™ ffall last night, at which it was resolved that the soldiers should demand £150 by way of gratuity, for each soldier on two years service out of New Zealand, such i Un Lu P moro or less according M tho length of service was moro or less than two years Every soldier would bo put on an equal footing as to rank. Captain Sievwright, who was the first speaker, repeated the arguments adduced by him at tho Town Hall meeting last mgnt, the main point being that tho returned soldiers, being 8 per cent, of tho rS?Jr^ on ' should receive 8 per cent of the ±-150,000,000 added to dominion values as a result of winning the war. i¥r • M'Kenzie, who was appointed by last night's meeting, said ho deprecated the use of the word gratuity, as what they wero asking was a reward for their services, and not oharity. The only man who made any sacrifice during the war was the soldier, and while ho was away fighting tho others who remainder at home were making huge profits. Tho retailers were making larger profits than ever boforo. Tho wool growers were not satisfied with 45 per cent., but demanded and got 55 per cent lho sum of £3,000,000 was paid to the Union Company for charters of ships, so it

mado no sacrifices, but the. soldier could not-participato in these. The speaker eontended that what was fair for the soldier was fair for the civilian, and what they were now asking for was something to mpko up for lost opportunities. -Mr Massey, in his reply, said that if there ?w ?u y A do!V on the P art of the soldiers that the Government did not intend to do everything for tho soldiers that was fair and just, ho hoped they would get rid of that idea as soon as possible. Tho reason why the question of gratuities was not settled before this was the absence of tho leaders on tho other sido of tho world whero they were doing their duty in another way 1 heir colleagues here had held the matter up till their return. Tile same thin" had happened in Australia owing to the absence of Mr Hughes and Sir Joseph Cook, lho attitude of tho Government was favourawe- to the returned soldiers, in proof of which he. mentioned that when vacant occurred in the Ministry recently he appointed two returned soldiers to positions They wore good men, and the soldiers could i? 'V? tho , m lookln S- after their interests. J-'ault had been found with tho land settlement policy of tho Government, but great work was really being done. No countryhad dono moro than Now Zealand, for in addition .to those settled on the land 2000 men were now learning trades. Ho recognised that the soldiers represented the manhood of New Zealand. Scarcely a family was not represented, and many of the men would not return. It was the desire of eve.-y member of Parliament to do moro for them than any other country in tho world Jt was in part true that a soldier went on the land with a mortgage, but. though it

might r.ot do advisable to permit soldiers to sell land for some time, ho knew that in many cases, if they were allowed to sell today they could make a largo profit on tho purchasj pnee. As to deiav, he had boon oozing into the gratuities scheme. Not till then did he realise the complexity of tho tas'c in front of tho Minister of "Defence, than whom no man had worked harder in the soldiers' interests. The proposals would probably como before the Cabinet in a week —perhaps 10 days,—when the representations by the deputation would receive careful consideration. Ho thought ho could promise that the Government's proposals would give general satisfaction to tho community at largo and to the returned soldiers in particular. Sir Joseph Ward said ho could not settle the gratuities question except so far as an individual member of Parliament could help. Ho must wait and see what proposal tho Government brought down, but ho was prepared to so a way to assist the soldiers. Ho considered that tho present inflation of land values was a great danger to the country, and en the subject of speculation he said that if a soldier returned i<nd wanted his farm back ho would not hesitate to take it from tho purchaser and give it-back to the soldier at the price tho purchaser paid for it. That was the only way to etop speculation. If these monstrous inflations of values went on, and a. soldier found when he came back that he was unable to got land, that might sow tho seeds of revolution. He was anxious to assist tho Government, and ho would not make its task difficult. Sneaking for himself, ho said he was prepared to do a fair, right, and just tiling^ Mr Holland said the Labour Party would stand for tho fulfilment of every obligation to tho returned soldiers. Whatever their views on tho war were, they stood by them. They insisted upon an adequate wage for soldiers, and while one man was required to civo his life the other should be compelled to give up his money. Ho was not prepared to say on tho spur of the inoir.Pi'fc what "mount of money should-bo paid, as he had only been asked to attend the deputation at ihe last moment, but his reply would certainly bo given within a week, and the party would stand for a flat rate. The Labour Party would place no obstacles in the way of the Government fulliliin;r its obligations to the returned soldiers, though he realised t'r.at no money payment could adequately recompenso the men who went into the trenches. Mr Aldritch thanked tho speakers for tho cereal reception, and the crowd quickly dispersed. (From Oub Owk Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 10. The deputation was particularly noisy, and it managed to smash windows at tho entrance to tho Parliamentary Buildings before it dispersed. While the Ministers and the deputation's spokesmen were in the Cabinet room, whore the demands wero presented and the replies given, tho men outside were making a great noise. Many of them did not know what had happened, and were shouting for Mr Massey. After some time the Prime Minister interrupted tho proceedings to go to a balcony and tell the crowd that he was receiving tfioir representatives. He got a poor hearing, and the uproar continued after he had retired. Then Mr Semple made a brief speech, exhorting the men to reasonable behaviour and reminding them that a general election was coming. Sir James Carroll also mado a soothing speech. Most of the window-breaking was done liy one excited individual with a walking stick. The police were present in strong force, but contented themselves with seeing that no unauthorised persons entered the doors of Parliament House. After leaving tho Ministers the spokesmen returned to the deputation, which was still making considerable noiso outsido tho shattered windows of the porch. Mr M'Kcnzie said that he and the other spokesman had interviewed Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and Mr Holland, and had got a. very favourable hearing. Voices: What is it? How much? *Mr M-Kcnzio said that Mr Massey had assured them that the Government proposals as they at present stood would go before the Cabinet for further consideration this week.—{Uproar.) They havo to recognise that although Mr Massey was Prime Minister ho had not power to say at five minutes' notice what the Government would do.—(lnterruption.) Ho must consult his colleagues.—(Cries of dissent.) They could

not do anything- further thero that night. A meeting had been called for Friday * for tho purpose of receiving the report of the deputation, and that was nil they lia<l for them that night.—(Uproar.) Captain Seivwright thanked the returned men for their attendance. The spokesmen had _ interviewed tho members of tho threo parties in tho House. They asked tho leaders to go to their parting and settle what they were going to do. "Let mo tell you this," ndded Captain Seivwright. "yesterday tho gratuities seemed a long way off; to-day they aro getting nearer. I can toll you that wo shall have tho gratuities definitely ono way or tho other beforo tho elections