RETURNED SOLDIERS ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 2 June 1919, Page 3

RETURNED SOLDIERS ASSOCIATION.

NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, June 2

Tlio Now Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association lias published an address to members of Parliament and public men and public bodies in this country. It is a statement of the case for national reconstruction as viewed by the association and requesting practical support. The main features of tho scheme submitted are: 1. Tho Government to require thoso connected \yith each individual industry (employed and employing) to furnish a report covering tho present and peotivo Dominion requirements of the industry in respect to (a) man power, (b) tariff, (c) capital, (d) necessary supplementary industries. 2. The Government to summon a Dominion industrial and repatriation conference to examine and collate reports with the object of forming a constructive production policy for the whole Dominion and to refer particularly to (a) the best distribution of our available man-power, (b) the of advancing State capital for the initiation and development of industry, (c) the establishment of new industries, (d) the desirability of State ownership of particular industries and services, (e) a Dominion scheme of hydro-electric power, (f) a unified scheme of reading, railways and communications generally, (g) a fiscal policy for the Dominion, (ii) recommendations for Empire policy. CHRISTCHtmCH, June 2.

At the Returned Soldiers’ Conference to-day the chairman said he had received notice of motion that the conference should resent the ambiguity of tho Gazette notice relating to tho suing of returned soldiers for debt, and should express tho opinion that the inference that returned men needed protection in this direction was distinctly discredit, able.

In the discussion it was pointed out that the regulation was likely to bo a boomerang measure, like the prohibition of distraining on returned soldiers for rent. It was utiraately decided that the executive should take legal advice and watch carefully the effect of all regulations or legislation dealing with legal processes. The general secretary reported, that there was a surplus of £IOOO accumulated from the canteen funds from Trentham and other camps, and the Minister of Defence had asked for a recommendation. The executive suggested that the funds should form the nucleus of a pension fund for dependents of soldiers who died of the epidemic and were not otherwise eligible. This was agreed to.