RETURNED SOLDIERS

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16504, 4 August 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS'. / Pei* Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 2. The executive council of the Non Zealand Returned Soldiers’, Assoeiation mot members of tho Cabinet to , discuss questions arising from' the hist conference of tho association. -I* lo ! Ministers present wore Sir James Al-j ion, lions. W. i). S. .MacDonald, A'‘I. Merries, Sir Win. Eraser, G - A> • Bussell, ‘and D. H. Guthrie. Sir James Allen said it was gratifying to see, tho spirit shown by tho join rued men in rehabilitating the country. He thought they were wmo not to’bo a political body, but at the same time he know that if some of them saw their way to stand for Parliament and hero returned their services would be welcomed. He regretted deeply that there was no such organisation as they proposed in existence outside Parliament and independent of Parliament to advise ou questions which Ministers wore ion fully occupied to consider. Regarding Hie restriction on j pensions he had not been in favour of | disabled men marry ing nut side New I Zealand. Ho bad nothing to say I against ibo marriages that bad taken j place, but he thought that at times | some scheming woman might marry a j soldier for the pension he world get and the one they might have. If the restrictions were now removed would there not be a ehrim for retrospection. .Mr. Harper; No. AVe agree in its dating only from tho time of legislation. Sir Janies Allen said he was willing to submit to Cabinet tho question «t removing this restriction, and also that on marriage within two years, as it affected pension eligibility. Regarding the mimninni pension to totally disabled men, tho board now made grants of £-! and £5. Air. Harper: The supplementary pension is governed by pre-war earnings. AVo want to make it definite. .Sir James Allen paid it was a matter' of policy, which would be considered; but in view of what, tiro board was now doing he did not think they had made out a strong care. lie would submit to Cabinet the quo; tion of seven r oars’ limitation. Sir James said lie had hoped to have a statement from Air. Seymour regarding what allowances they thought should he retrospective. j Air. Seymour raid they wanted the principle applied subject to n rlain limitations, to (1) a reduction to meet, the case of added living coses, which was not snllicieni reason lor cutting out retrospection wholly; (2) theoretical limitation of the country's ability to pay; f.T) limitation in individual cases where the amount was small and difficulties were groat. There would not be a. compromise on principle, and where they did compromise it would bo a question of expediency. Sir James Aden said he wanted to know what the Bill was to he. The Government had not settled the war gratuities, and that must depend upon what thev had to meet in oilier directions. AVitlt regard to the promise to provide for dependents, as soon ns he knew that men with six or seven children were going he stopped it. Allowances were not made earlier in order that single men might first be sent. In reply to a question, members of the deputation said they wished the children's allowances to be considered before the gratuities. Sir James Alien said that all would be considered together. I hi' extra L for the first month would cost LSo.OOO for men on foreign service. That would be considered by tho Government. He thought the Government had made puovision for a widowed mother. Air. Curtayne: For a. widowed mother of a married man there is failprovision, but not for a single man. Sir James Allen said that question would bo considered, as also would bo

the hearing of tho insurance policy loading due to the war disability. As to venereal disease he did not see why there should be any dilVorcnco between civilians and soldiers. Air. Hurries said that all the questions submitted would be considered carefully. He believed the success of tho repatriation work had been almost entirely due to tbo boards set up in different centres. There had never boon any friction between them and the Ministerial Board. The policy of decentralisation had proved a very wise one.

sir. MacDonald expressed appreciation of the way in which the soldiers submitted their requests. • Air, Bussell said that Cabinet bad decided it did not at present see any necessity for a Royal Commission to inquire regarding the patriotic funds. Such commission,’ if set up, would have a huge task, which would take two or three vears if the whole of tho patriotic' funds of the Dominion were to be inquired into. The Government desired only to see that funds were used according to law for the purpose for which they were raised. The Government had no power to compel societies to use funds for tbo purpose for which iltev wore raised ; it could only see they were not used for other jturposes. He was compelled, in 191 T, to withdraw tho compulsory clauses of tho Social Hygiene Bill, but was satisfied that at the first session when the question would be considered these clauses must, be reinstated. He gave an assurance that soldiers would not be treated differently to civilians. Mr. Guthrie made a brief statement in veplv to representations regarding land policy. Ho had prepared a statement, which he was sending to Mr. Seymour, sotting out the Government’s position with regard to the whole matter. This was in readiness for the return of Air. Massey, so that alterations in policy could bo considered in the light of experience.