A FRESH START.

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

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 with 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 Ciovernment 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 members 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, but 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. Rest 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 sulficiently 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 vour 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. Mr H. 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 15 members of a ! committee \v;is then proceeded with, but Mr R. D. Martin intimated his intention of withdrawing from the ballot. He could not accent the interpretation placed on the constitution bv the council. There were thousands of Second Division men. he said, in New Zealand, who were opposed to conscription and who abhorred it. but who, nevertheless, were willing to accept it. The fact of the league having accepted that | interpretation meant that when the I military authorities came to them as j they did to the last conference, and 'asked them to hunt out the single men. they would have to do it. Under that interpretation, no man who 1 was not going to the war should rej main in the leaaue, and as one who jhad been turned down by the miliitarv authorities, he could not remain in the league, because he was not goi ing to be an instrument to compel other men to ao. as he would have to under that interpretation. He would withdraw from the league with great, regret, but would continue to do his best to assist the dependents of those who had to go. (Applause.) i A Fin-Hi"r Withdrawal. Mr 11. .1. Yates also intimated his intention of withdrawing. He also lhad been rejected as unfit, and he I could not he a party to compelling ■another to take liis place. He would 'also do his best to assist others. (Applause.) The chairman paid a tribute to the good work done l>y Messrs Martin and Vales. Doth men had worked conscientiously in the interests of the Second Division, and he appreciated the points that they had made in their addresses. Mr Vales, in particular, was a man of \er\ high ideals —too high, in fact, to be an ollicer of an organisation that had to slick its feet into politics. Mr 11. 1\ Herbert also asked that his name he withdrawn from the ballot; he had been classed (12, and under the circumstances did not consider it right that he should remain a member. Mr .1. lU'id said that he disagreed entirely with the view taken by the previous speakers. He was a conscriptionist, and thought it his duty to be a member of the league, although he was a long way back in the ballot. It was absolutely necessary that such an organisation as the Second Division League should con-

linue in existence, as both the public and Parliament had short memories. Mr Junes asked whether, under the new interpretation, it was permissible fur 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 i constitution. j The following committee was elected:—Messrs 1". Allen. M. Allow, iL. J. Campbell, J. E. Congrcve. T. S. Dacre, 1.. Parr, L. Gordon, \Y. Hiles, J. Hamlet. C. H. Jubb. J. R. Moore. J. P.eid. li. Smith. G. W. Staniland, W. L, Thomas, J. W. White. The Work Accomplished. i The chairman said that, although the business for which the meeting had been called had been completed, |hc would like to take time In review jtlie work of the league. Previously jthe Government did not recognise its Iresponsibilities to a soldier until he was put on board a transport. The [league had made representations on the matter and succeeded in inducing | Parliament to recognise the justice |of its claim, and now a man had full j benefit allowances and pensions ini- | mediately he went into camp. The i league had tried to get a pre-ballot j medical examination. It had not succeeded in securing that, but had sei cured the concession that a reservist had three months' leave after the medical examination before going into camp. Previously, ton, the pension had onlv been 27. - a week flat I rate, but the league had pressed for a • schedule of pensions for injuries, and this had been secured. The pensions of widows, with and without children, had been increased, allowances had been increased, anil the property embargo in regard to widowed mothers' pensions had been lifted to some extent. It had also been provided that the brother and sister of a soldier might also receive an allowance. Good work had been idone in connection with the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, and never again would a wife be told that she "could go to work" by the board. Neither would her earnings, ; if she did go to work, he taken into | consideration. The league was now i struggling to setmre a minimum alj lowance of two guineas per week j for the wife. That was little enough. | Considering the high cost of living, ; the two guineas was worth only 30/-. Allowances for Wives.

In reply to a question by Mr H F. Herbert, the chairman said that the avowed policy of the board was not to take the wife's earnings into consideration, and the il'MI income which debarred a woman from receiving financial assistance did not include earnings. If the board was departing from that policy it was the duty of members to bring the cases they were aware of before the executive.

Reverting to the discussion on alllowances, Mr Armstrong said that Uhe league was now working to | secure that soldiers' deferred pay I might be saved against the day when :he returned. Wives were very much troubled over the fact that they were unable to save anything at present. 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 I a man's individuality, and it was not :casy for him to get back into civilian I life and hold his own. It was right, therefore, that there should be a nest [egg to tide him over the period of ! transition. Work for Those at Home. Mr Armstrong here emphasised the duty of the men who were not going themselves to assist the men who were, land their dependents. (Applause.) Every-man in New Zealand should ibe organised to that end. Other advantages secured by the league in the direction of confinement expenses, etc., were also referred to by the speaker. The league had protested against the ridiculous action of the Defence Department in classii tying the H.M.S. Philomel men—who | had been serving abroad—as home 'service men, and that matter was • being rectified. The league was not only concerned about getting good I conditions of service, but also in securing good administration. The ' war was not all for nothing. It was | his firm belief that they were moving .on to a better condition of living. hearts were being touched that had j never been touched before, and people were also realising the mean- : ing of the industrial struggle, and jhe believed that the Second Division League would in the future be a factor in bringing about these better conditions. (Applause.) Several questions were answered I by the chairman concerning medical examination, and the education of ; soldiers' children. Mi' H. J. S. Goodman moved that i t hearty vole of thanks be accorded ; Mr Armstrong and the Rev. J. Tockcr ■ (who was on the platform) for their presence anil assistance. The Rev. Tocker returned thanks fin behalf of Mr Armstrong and him- : self.