SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14593, 1 May 1918, Page 4

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

■: ' ♦ LOCAL PRESIDENT' INTERVIEWED. Mn>the 'course of an interesting conversation with<Mr. J. S. Wauchop, .president* of • the r-Gisborne branch" of -. the Secfond- Division. League, this, morning, a 'Ijferald j repprter was informed *jt%t although no> meetings had \ been -held lately, the League- has been- m close touch with its members m 'Parliament. The- 'Hon. W. D.V.S.* Mac Donald and Sir. James Carroll had *• always.* displayed thet greatest* interest in' the cause of the marriedl /men,-. and their. '/requests had always. received; the fullest- suppj&rt. "As^far-as this League f is* concerned," continued ' Mr. * Wauchop, ' "We '■''<? have absolutely no sympathy with the motion passed^- in Christchurch. I feel N that there is not a member m this local organisation who would not fight for his country, only before going he would, m duty-bound to his wife and children, do his best by constitutional methods to leave theni~-ih a position immune from a hand-to-mouth existenoe." The point that pressed heavily on the minds of reservists when the session of» Parliament last year concluded was the 'allowance-. The. Government estimated m its courts throughout the country, that. 10s per Week was necessary for the, maintenance of children m the case of separation orders, and w similar :i mount m affiliation cases. - Yet prior to January 1, 1918, m regard to/ the children of married reservists, the Government proposed giving 9d per day for each child, and Is per day separation allowance to the wife. In January last;, the allowances- were increased to Is -and 15a respectively, Avhile from to-day the children's, allowance was' further ih : creased! to Is 6d. .A further 3s pcr f day was allotted from the reservist's pay. There was no valid reason why; these terms could! not have been introduced m 1917.* It was clear to the Second Division 1 men that their turn ' was com"- --| ing; and' the majority were ready and Availing to go, but it was only natural that j. entering into the' contract of marriage they should see justice done to their wives and 'families. 'The reporter • pointed) out that some remark had been made about the married men, v some of whom had families,' who h&d been at the front from the. time of the departure 'of the earlier "reinforcements. Mr, . Wauchop," m reply, said thati so f-far as those ' Inen were concerned; 'the Second 1 Division League were put to fight and were fighting their ; battle as* much as their otar. All dependents were sharing m the increased allowances' obtained by the Beague's adtion. There Were some, however, who felt the country's call so forcefully that they went away, m some instances, failing perhaps to make adequate . provision for their wiv.es and families. [Referring to the 3s allotment to the wife from the soldier's pay, the League p considered it more advisable for the Government to withhold this money, so that the returned 1 soldier can utilise the accrued sum for the purpose of again placing him 'on his feet In' civilian life. Another ■object of the League is that to; sonje extent the -unfit member of the organisation can act as the guardian of his- nibre fortunate fellow member's children' m his absence, and they. Mould thus -stand together throughout this $erjod L of war. In conclusion, Mri Wauchop said he felt convinced' that when the 1 war . opened it was plainly visible that it ' would be a world 1 war, and the Government should have adopted a firmer attitude m all $s ..measures m this direction. The earlier passing .of compulsory service, and a more liberal treatment of soldiers' dependents would) have removed the apprehension 'which palled the League into being. Personally, he wotild hate to see^ the Amer^ cans reinforcing ihe New Zealand force, and" like alj, members of .the NDjvisionj was quite prepared to go when called upon. The Government had not dealt with 1 the question of allowances m such a manner as to instil confidence m the members of the Second Division that their '"wives "and children would be cared for during their absence, for it was only after great, agitation that any increase had been made m these allowances.