RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 34

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

r lhe Prime Minister* (Mr Coates) received a deputation from the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association on Saturday morning al the Grand Hotel, on several matters affecting the welfare of returned soldiers. Mr E. J. Anderson (president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association) referred to the matter of “permanent casuals” in the railway service. He said that some eight returned soldiers, with from five to eight years’ service, had received notice of the termination of their engagement. He understood, however that these notices had since been withdrawn. It was hoped that seme thing in the nature of wnat was being done in New South Wales would be done here. In New Soutk Wales men who had been in the service for a period were placed on the permanent list. Thero was no question as to the capabilities of the men concerned. One was a man who had been with Sir Ernest Shack leton and it was he who had constructed the jury rudder which brought the vessel back to Port Chalmers. The deputation asked that these men should receive something in the nature of permanent appointments, and also that his should apply to men who *ud been t 5 years or more in the service.. One of the men on behalf of which they were appealing was too old to come into the superannuation scheme; but that did not matter. It was a question of permanency of employment. He trusted Mr Coates would do all he could to place thee© men on the permanent staff. The Prime Minister, in reply, said there were difficulties in the way of putting casual workers cn the permanent staff. If he treated returned soldiers differently in this respect it would make a lever for others. Mr Anderson said that when the railway men were away at the war, others were taken on and were now on the permanent staff. Mr Coates said that if these returned soldiers had been in their employment for from two to five years they need not worry about their jobs: but it was quite a different jnatter when it came to a question of placing them on the permanent staff. That involved a matter of policy—his own policy, too On the other hand he was not going to have these men turned out; that was his policy, too They need not worry about that: until the communication ( the Returned Soldiers’ .* seociation came to him he did not know that returned men were involved. The Minister then referred to the difficulties of making “casuals” permanent. He knew the men had got notice, but that was given unknown to him. Mr Patterson then introduced the matter of better access by road being given to the settlers on the Wilden rune. The Minister said he was q te familiar with the country, and would discuss the matter with the Minister of Lands on hi return t' Wellington. Mr M‘Crae introduced the matter of the M‘Kny limbs, particularly the lege. He hoped that arrangements would lie made wherebv Mr Forth would be enabled to go to Wellington to familiarise himself with these. The Prime Minister said he thought the Hon. F. J. Rolleston should be consulted on this matter. He knew that Mr Rolleeton was keenly interested in the subject. He '"ould see what could Se done when he returned to Wellington. Mr Anderson then thanked Mr Cpatee, and extended a henrtv invitation to him to visit the Returned Soldiers' Club on the occasion of hia next visit te Dunedin.