A FRESH START.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1329, 17 May 1918, Page 5

A FRESH START.

NEW OFFICERS ELECTED. THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE. WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED A general meeting of members of the Christchurch Branch of the Second Division League was held at the Caledonian Hall, Worcester Street, last evening. The meeting was convened in accordance witli a decision of the council of the Canterbury leagues, which was held on Thursday last, to consider recent developments. The purpose of the meeting was to elect a president, secretary, treasurer, and fifteen members of an executive committee. The circular convening the meeting announced that admission would be by member's ticket, and attention was called to the following interpretation by the Provincial Council:—

"That this council interprets the constitution as binding every member to loyalty and to the support of the Government in carrying out the Military Service Act in its entirety and as indicating his willingness to serve under the Act, and that any man or woman in claiming membership accepts this interpretation of the constitution. "All memhers therefore taking part in activities of the league shall abide by the above interpretation."

At the request of the council the national president, Mr R. T. Armstrong, presided. There was a large attendance of members present. The Council's Decision.

Mr Armstrong said that he believed that what had happened recently was due to a series of misunderstandings. When he arrived in Christchurch he found that there was no constitutional executive with whom he could consult, and at a meeting of the Canterbury council it had been decided that the best way to get the Christchurch League into action again and make it a link in the strong chain of leagues throughout New Zealand was to call a general meeting of members to elect officers. The question of interpretation had also been referred to by him at the council meeting, with the result that the interpretation appearing on the circulars sent out was adopted. In view of that he took it that those present that evening were members of the league willing to accept that interpretation. He knew that in this country there had been many people opposed to conscription, including himself, bid he had been educated since then. The league had done a great deal for the Second Division and would do a great deal more.

The chairman went on to declare that Mr H. J. S. Goodman being the only person nominated for the position of president he would declare him elected. Mr H. R. Best being the only person nominated for the position of treasurer of the league was also declared elected. An Interruption. Mr A. Jones, a member of the old executive, asked whether the meeting had to swallow the interpretation of the executive. The chairman replied that that matter had already been sudiciently explained. If any gentleman had come there under a misapprehension it was open to him to withdraw from the room. Mr Jones went on to say that it was not for the council to determine the interpretation of the constitution: it was for the democracy of that meeting to determine the interpretation. (Applause.) The chairman: Ladies and gentlemen, I am not going to allow this man to delay this meeting. It is open for you, sir, if you disagree with that interpretation, to go out and form your own organisation. At this stage Mr Jones and the chairman continued both speaking together, with applause and coun-ter-applause on either side, but eventually Mr Jones subsided. Election of Officers.

The chairman then proceeded , to deal with the election of secretary. I Mr 11. J. Yates and Mr L. Campbell had both been nominated, but Mr Yates withdrew in favour of Mr Campbell and the latter was elected. The election of l."> members of a committee was then proceeded with, but Mr H. D. Martin intimated his intention of withdrawing from the ballot. He could not accept the in-j terpretation placed on Hie constitution by the council. There were thousands of Second Division men,l I he said, in New Zealand, who werej 'opposed to conscription and who abjhorred it, bid who. nevertheless,! (were willing to accept it. The fact! I of the league having accepted that \ j interpretation meant that when the, Imilitarv authorities came to them asj j thev did to the last conference, and asked them to hunt out the singlej I men. thev would have to do it. In-, |tier that interpretation, no man who' j was not going to the war should re-j I main in the league, and as one who I had been turned down by the milij tarv authorities, he could not remain ; in the league, because he was not go-i ling to be an instrument In compel, i other men to go. as he would have' : to under that interpretation. He, would withdraw from the league with great rearet. but would continue to do his best to -assist the dependents of those who had to go. (Applause.) A Further Withdrawal. Mr 11. J. Yates also intimated his. I intention of withdrawing. He also had been rejected as unfit, and he could not be a party lo compelling another lo take his place. He would also do his best to assist others. (Applause.) The chairman paid a tribute lo the' good work done by Messrs Martin and Yates. Both men had worked conscientiously in Hie interests of the Second Division, and he appro-: ciated the points that they had made in their addresses. Mr Vales, in par-j tioular, was a man of very high . ideals—too high.- in fact, to be an! ollicer of an organisation that had to slick its feet into politics. Mr 11. I'. Herbert also asked that' his name he withdrawn from the l ballot: he had been classed C2, and! under the circumstances did not con-' sider it right thai he should remain' a member. Mr J. Reid sai.l that he disagreed. entirely with the view taken by the previous speakers. He was a con-j scriptionist, and thought it his duty; to be a member of the league, ai-i though he was a long way back inj the ballot. It was absolutely neces-j sary thai such an organisation as thv\ Second Division League .should con-'

linue in existence, as both the public and Parliament had short memories. Mr Jones asked whether, under the new interpretation, it was permisI sible for a member to advocate a (general election. The chairman replied that the I league was non-political, but it was open to the members to amend the constitution. The following committee was elected:—Messrs F. Allen. M. Allow, |L. J. Campbell. .1. E. Congrcve, T. S. Dacie, L. Parr. I~ Cordon, W. Hiles, 1.1. Hamlet, C. H. Jubb. J. H. Moore, |.T. Reid. li. Smith, G. W. Staniland, jW. L, Thomas, J. W. White. The Work Accomplished. The chairman said that, although ithe business for which the meeting had been called had been completed, he would like to fake time In review the work of Uie league. Previously the Government did not recognise its jresponsibilities to a soldier until he was put on board a transport. The ! league had made representations o.i I the matter and succeeded in inducing 'Parliament to recognise the justice jof its claim, and now a man had full ]benefit allowances and pensions im- | mediately he went into camp. The league had tried to get a pre-ballnt imedical examination. It had not succeeded in securing that, but had secured the concession that a reservist jhad three months' leave after the jmedical examination before going Unto camp. Previously, too. the penision had only been 2.~> - a week Pat I rate, but the league had pressed for a schedule of pensions for injuries, jand this had been secured. The o-n----jsions of widows, with and with-it (children, bad been increased, allowances had been increased, and !be property embargo in regard to widowed mothers' pensions hj 1 be -n i lifted to some extent. M bad al.-o been provided that the brother v-\ I sister of a soldier might als . receive an allowance. Good work had lie .si done in connection with the Soldiers' | Financial Assistance Roa-d. nil | never again would a wife h- t .! i ! that she "could go to work"' h* 'h • board. Neither would her ear.-tons, )IF she did go to work, be h'fccn : t<» | consideration. The Icag-r ":•; ;i v ■ struggling to secure a mini- •;» ;:'- lowance of two guineas T»«?r »v \ j for the wife. That was little ciMr-gii. |Considering the high rest of liv:-•;, , the two guineas was worth onlv 3i)/-.

Allowances for Wives. I In reply to a question bv M- || *•*. ; Herbert, the chairman said that she javowed policy of the h-::ird was - .! 1 to take the wife's carninps ir:t«> consideration, and the KKI income v h ; rii debarred a woman from recc'.ins financial assistance did not inciu.'t* earnings. If the board was den::rljing from that policy it was the d-'ly of members to bring the cases Ihov were aware of before the executive

Reverting to the discussion on allowances, Mr Armstrong said Ihnt the league was now working 5 • j secure that soldiers' deferred pay ] might be saved against the day when he returned. Wives were very mich troubled over the fact that they were unable to save anything at present. i It was necessary that they should be put into a position to save something, because the soldier who came back was a very different man to the one who had gone away. The military system aimed at destroying a man's individuality, and it was not easy for him to get back into civilian life and hold his own. It was right,, therefore, that there should be a nest jegg to tide him over the period of 'transition. Work for Those at Home. Mr Armstrong here emphasised the I duty of the men who were not going j themselves toassist themen whowcr.% and their dependents. (Applause.) Every man in New Zealand should jbe organised to that end. Other ? j advantages secured by the league in | the direction of confinement exi penses, etc., were also referred to by the speaker. The league had protested against the ridiculous action 'of the Defence Department in classij fying the H.M.S. Philomel men—who had been serving abroad—as honor 'service men, and that matter was i being rectified. The league was not jonly concerned about getting good conditions of service, but also in securing good administration. The I war was not all for nothing. It was jhis firm belief that they were moving j on to a better condition of living. hearts were being touched that had i never been touched before, and • people were also realising the mean- ! ing of the industrial struggle, and ihe believed that the Second Division I League would in the future be a 'factor in bringing about these j better conditions. (Applause.) Several questions were answered by the chairman concerning medical i examination, and Ihe education of I soldiers' children. Mr 11. J. S. Goodman moved that la hearty vote of thanks be accorded j Mr Armstrong and the Rev. J. Tockcr ! (who was on the platform) for their presence and assistance. The Rev. Tocker returned thanks lon behalf of Mr Armstrong and himself.