THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16477, 23 February 1918, Page 8

THE SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

SIR JAMES ALLEN INTERVIEWED. The Executive of the Second Division League waited ou Sir James Allen oa Thursday to state a number of grievances against the Financial Assistance Board.

Mr Armstrong, president of- the League, said the system under which tho Board worked needed amendment. Ho mentioned separation allowances to homo service men and other matters, including inquiries whether a soldier's wife would go out to work. A distinction, ought to be made between homo sendee men who lived in their own homes and those who could not do so. Mr Armstrong quoted a number of individual cases furnishing grounds for complaint. Another member objected to the Board insisting on a married nian allotting 3s 6d a day from his pay to his wife before they would grant him any assistance. An increase of /the separation allowances was also asked for. Sir James Allen said that tlie Government, and he as Minister of Defence, were very anxious that the Board should deal liberally, and he hoped ifc was doin<* so. Concerning payment of premiums, the policy of the Board was to grant premiums for policies already taken out. If a man .wished to take out a new policy for £'2oo ho must take it out before approaching the Board. There were cases where the Board did not nay ->-e----mrums, because the men were well able ■to do so themselves. Ho was ' informed that the Board did not ask a wife whether she was goinrr to work, and had never done so. He thouerht 3s 6d a day was a reasonable* amount for a married man to leave for his wife, and was satisfied that a married man did not need more than Is 6d a day at the front. As to home service men, it could not bo claimed that home service men were on tlie same footing as the men had had to go to fight. The lfome service man volunteered, but the fighting man was compelled to go. When tlie Board was set up the idea to eliminate eases of' hardship, and as far as he knew tho JJo.ard hajj been sympathetic and was doing i* : s work well. The Board, however, had a difficult task to handle! They, could not xrrnnt every amount asked for. » He could not promise to constitute Boards cH oyer tho country. f<ic the reason that it would 'create a variety of Judgments and anomalies. JTe concluded by sayini* that lie wanted, tho Leamie to work with him and his Department.