LEGISLATION FOR SOLDIERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18946, 21 August 1923, Page 7

LEGISLATION FOR SOLDIERS.

GOVERNMENT’S WORK 1 APPRECIATED. SOME AMENDMENTS SOUGHT. PRIME MINISTER SYMPATHETIC. (Peb United Paras Association.) _ WELLINGTON, August 20. At a meeting of th'd* Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Returned Association the following' motions were carried unanimously:— v That the Dominion Executive of the N.Z-R.S.A. desires to congratulate the Government on the spirit and terms of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Bill, 1523. It thanks the Prime Minister and -she Minister of Lands particularly for the very careful and sympathetic consideration which, with their colleagues, _thgy have given to the condition of soldier settlers, as shown by the comprehensiveness of the measure; and also expresses it gratitude to Parliament for its sympathetic and consideration of the Bill; and that a' deputation consisting of the whole of the members of the executive wait upon the Prime Minister and Minister of Lands,.to convey the resolution to them and to submit suggestions for various amendments and interpretations of the Bill which, in the opinion of the executive, would still further enhance the value of the measure. That, while unable to understand or appreciate the action of the Government m delaying presentation and general circulation of the commission's report till the amending Bill, which was based on that report, had reached its committee stage in the _ House of Representatives, the Dominion Executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. .tenders its best thanks to the Government for introducing this further recognition of the undoubted claims of disabled men and theirdependents to the consideration _ of the ■ country. The association takes this opportunity, too, of placing on record its appreciation of the able and sympathetic report of the War, Pensions Commission, and .while." recognising that the Government has adopted many of its recommendations, regrets that others were discarded. The association relies on the promises made by the Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister to have further amendments, notably clause 10, brought down by Governor-Gene-ral’s Message, and appreciates the sympathet.ic_ nature of this action. At the same time it urges tbat the Bill should make it quite clear that no permanent pension should be reduced below the figure at present paid. It asks, too, that an alteration, should be made in clause 3, 'sub-clause 1, by deleting the words “together with his personal earnings, if any,” so that slothfulness on the part of badly disabled men shall not be encouraged; and that similar deletions should be made iff clause 6 for the same reason. Finally, it requests Cabinet to receive a deputation consisting of znem- ; bers of the executive'to submit its viowf ’ of these and other cognate matters in regard to which slight amendments to the Bill are earnestly desired. DEPUTATION TO MR MASSEY. A deputation from the N.Z.R.S-A. waited On the Prime Minister and the Acting Minister of Lands (Mr W. Nosworthy) to place before them certain amendments which the N.Z.R.S.A- desires to be made 5 in the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement ‘Bill ‘ as passed by the House recently. The deputation asked that in setting up a . dominion board the association should be given representation, preferably the presi-, dent of the association, Major-General Sir ,■ Andrew Russell, or .Colonel A. H. Herbert, of Eketahuna. With regard to the district committees, the R.S.A. thought that members of the soldiers’ lands inquiry. boards should be appointed to these committees, as they bad done such fine work. Mr Massey: Nearly the whole of them are’being asked to take office. ■ -. It was asked that the Bill be amended to make provision for assisting those men who had paid their interest and rent up to date. These men should have remitted to them the value of the improvements they had effected. Mr Massey said the Bill dated back to. July, 1921, and these men would get a refund of what had been paid in excess of what was to bo charged in future. The* men would get a reduction in their valuations if they had paid their amounts" right ’ up to date, in order to bring them into line ; with others who were getting relief, The ‘ deputation asked for an extra 1, ad-'' vance up to £750 under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act to enable the soldier settlors in rabbit-infested areas to obtain wire netting. Mr Massey said he thought they would be able to deal sympathetically with this matter. He assured the deputation., that what anomalies were found would be put right, and he hoped that this would be ; done this session. In regard to the Revaluation Board, there was no intention to shut soldiers out- Whenever a soldier came along who was suitable for appointment, he would be considered. Personally,- ha had not thought of Sir Andrew Russell before, but he would be fi most suitable man, as he was not only a soldier but a farmer : too.