RETURNED SOLDIERS

Southland Times, Issue 19125, 18 December 1923, Page 2

RETURNED SOLDIERS

PROTECTION AGAINST LEGAL PROCESS. LOCAL AUTHORITIES’ RIGHTS TO BE RESTORED. (Special to the Tinies). WELLINGTON, December 15. The legal protection afforded discharged soldiers against execution of bankruptcy or distress has been the subject latterly of criticism on the part of local authorities and Electric Power Boards. A resolution was, passed by the latter, urging that the rights of boards to recover certain debts owing to them by discharged soldiers should be restored. When the matter was brought to the notice of the acting-Prime Minister to-day he intimated that the Government had come to a decision and he made the following statement:— PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION. “By legislation and by certain war regulations protection was granted to discharged soldiers for a period, after their re-entry into civil life, against execution of bankruptcy or distress by providing that no such process should issue without the express consent of the AttorneyGeneral. The object of the legislation and the regulations was to prevent the discharged soldiers being harassed during the first years of their business occupations. The period during which such protection was provided in regard to all discharged soldiers has elapsed, and the protection is now limited to discharged soldiers who have been assisted by the monies of the Crown, either in hand or invested in business, and who are still indebted to the Crown. The object of the existing restrictions was to prevent priority being obtained over the Crown debts. EFFECT OF RESTRICTIONS. “Certain difficulties have recently arisen consequent on the existence of the restriction on process in favour of assisted discharged soldiers; Loans cannot be raised by local authorities, even for the purpose of reading land settled by discharged soldiers, because of the existence of the linii tation of the power of levying for rates, and Electric Power Boards find themselves unable to arrange for the supply of electrical fittings for the same reason, if the Government consider it still necessary to preserve the protective regulations in respect to past years now in arrear. TO BE ABOLISHED. “It has now been decided that with respect to all rates and other liabilities to local authorities, including Electric Power Boards, which may be incurred after the first day of January next, the protection is to be abolished, and an Order-in Council having that effect will be issued.