THE R.S.A.

Southland Times, Issue 19515, 15 May 1922, Page 5

THE R.S.A.

CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. The provincial conference of the R.SjL carried the following motions : That this conference is opposed to the Government spending £lOO,OOO on a national war memorial until adequate pensions have been provided for badly disabled soldiers, soldiers’ widows and widowed mothers. That this conference is of opinion that the immigration of Imperial ex-servicemen and their families is far too important to this Dominion to allow of its stoppage, even temporarily. It therefore urges the Govabsorbing Imperial immigrants by providing a progressive scheme of agricultural training and land settlement, and also by giving encouragement to new industries which will be the means of absorbing industrial workers.

HELP FOR WAR DISABILITIES. CHRISTCHURCH, May 13. What was termed the reluctance of the Director-General of Medical Services to recognise the fact that in certain cases returned soldiers’ disabilities were due to war service, was severely criticised by the Provincial Conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Associations last night. It was moved “That the attention of the British Medical Association, the Prime Minister, the Minister pf Defence, and the Minister in charge of war pensions be drawn to the attitude of the Director-General of Medical Services in constantly ignoring the signed statement of medical men tracing disabilities of returned soldiers to their war service. This executive considers that the conviction of a doctor who has carefully examined the patient should be worthy of more consideration than it at present is given. Cases have occurred where two doctors have agreed that the breakdown is directly attributable to war service, but the DirectorGeneral of Medical Services has stated that such opinion was valuable in only so far as it showed the soldier’s present state of health, thus ignoring their opinion as to the primary cause, and the Dominion Conference be asked to constitute itself a deputation to the Ministers mentioned to emphasise the grave view the Association takes of the matter.” The Conference carried the following motions : That this Conference is opposed to the Government spending £lOO,OOO on a national war memorial until adequate pensions have been provided for badly disabled soldiers, soldiers’ widows, and widowed mothf ers. That this Conference is of opinion that the immigration of Imperial ex-servicemen and their families is far too important to this Dominion to allow of its stoppage, even temporarily. It therefore urges the Government to continue absorbing Imperial immigrants by providing a progressive scheme of agricultural training aud land settlement, and also by giving encouragement to new industries which will be the means of absorbing industrial workers.