RECOGNITION OF WAR SERVICE

Southland Times, Issue 23887, 4 August 1939, Page 4

RECOGNITION OF WAR SERVICE

RETURNED MEN AND SUPERANNUATION SUGGESTION MADE TO RAILWAYS MANAGER A suggestion that returned soldiers employed by the Railways Department should be given five years’ service on to their superannuation because of their war service was discussed at the quarterly meeting in Wellington by the General Manager of Railways (Mr G. H. Mackley), the assistant generabmanager (Mr E. Casey), and the staff superintendent (Mr A. Urquhart) on the side and the president (Mr S. W. Gaspar) and other members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants on the other. .1

The subject was introduced by Mr W. A. Wright, one of the society’s representatives, who presented the case of two returned men, both approaching middle age. “We know the promises made when we went away,” said Mr Wright, who stated that he was speaking as a returned soldier on behalf of two other returned men. “We did not ask for these promises. We went to do a job. I hope the ‘efficiency’ argument won’t crop up. The average life of a returned soldier is 53 years. In Wellington in two months there have been 216 returned men buried, so I would ask that if at all possible these men should be allowed to spend the last few years of their lives with a higher standard of comfort than they can obtain in the huts. There are representations from various organizations that men should be given five years’ service on to their superannuation, because of. their war service.”

Mr Mackley, in reply, said Mr Wright had certainly struck a note that would appeal to any man in so far as the two men mentioned were concerned. The speaker added that he would take some special steps to see what could be done. He made no reference to the general principle of five years’ service on to the superannuation of returned men.