SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14591, 29 April 1918, Page 4

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

DEMANDS ON THE GOVERNMENT.

(Per Press Association], OHRIBTCHTJROH, this day. . There was a very large attendance last night at a meeting called of the Second Division League, many being unable to gain admittance. The Mayor presided. Mr. M. G; Gresson, chairman of the Christchurch League, said he. hoped to secure for wives and dependants an assurance that they would be adequately provided fox*. He confessed great sorrow that he had not attained his ends. He had failed because he relied on the pledges of Cabinet, which had since been broken. In regard to the suggestion that allowances had not been increased, but that financial assistance would be increased, he said the executive of the league would respect such a proposal. He knew what the Financial Assistance Board- was, and did not want charity. He moved > that this meeting of representative citizens of Ohristchurch, being prepared to meet their share of financial responsibility, insists that the Government immediately grant the demands of the Second Division League. When Mr H. J. Yates rose to second the motion, a woman m the audience said : "Must our. husbands bd^aken away j from us?" to which- Mr Yates replied, "You may settle that to-morrow night." They should insist that the women they left behind, who might be faced' with industrial conscription, would at least get bare necessities to keep m existence. Dr. Thacker said tho country was not democratically represented, and the people should circulate petitions calling on the members to resign. He would do so any time. At secret caucuses

members had been promised that if they voted for the increased allowances proposed and passed the financial Bill the Financial Board assistance would be m addition to . increases. This promise had been broken. It was a crime to offer charity to a soldier or his dependant. Mr J. McCombs said that the Government having denied Parliament a chance to discuss the matter, it lay with the people, and if they were picked to fight for their wives and children they could force the Government to do by regulation m a couple of weeks what it was not prepared to allow Parliament to do. He declared it was useless to blame members .of Parliament or the executive, but if the reservists declared their demands one voice' must be given. Mr G. Witty said that whue he did not entirely agree with the league he conceded that neither the first nor the second; division had a fair deal. Every single man should go before the married j men were jcalled up. No single man could be more essential m an industry than a man to his wife. Mr »E. Hangley, a member of the audience, declared that the motion did not go far enough; he moved an amendment: "That this meeting declared that m (the Ohristchurch citizens' opinion no second division man should- leave for camp until the demands of the Second Division League were conceded by the Government,, and also demands that an election be held immediately." •.".-• Mr H. Hunter seconded the amendment, which was carried, there being only four dissentients. . As a result of carrying tho amendment it was announced that Mr Gresson will resign as president of the Second Division League.

CHBISTCHURCH, this day. Members of Parliament ' had a conference to-day with the Second' Division Executive, and the following telegram was subsequently sent by Messrs. Witty, EJI, Thacker and McCombs to Sir James Allen : "Very strong anxious feeling here among Second . Division men about allowance to wives children. KindJy state definitely, and make public what the Cabinet intends to do regarding .allowances to soldiers and dependents. *