RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16821, 29 May 1919, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

- POLITICAL ACTION DISCUSSED, /. ''PROPOSAL REJECTED., ~ .... (Per Press Association,) • V .: " CHRISTCHUE,CH, N May 28. The question of political action was discussed at tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers'. Conference to-day. v , Before the discussion . . opened, the President suggested that every -dele- . gate's vote should be recorded, and he .' moved that for the purpose of this ' discussion on the proposed political action of the Association the words 'Apolitical action," shall 'mean action ■[ which is concerned with the election of ' candidates for Parliament. This was carried.

Mr Andrews (Auckland), moved that tho article dealing with, the scope of tho Association should be altered by the deletion of tho word "non," that occurs in front of the word "political." He said he felt that the future of the Association depended on th© remit' being adopted. Ho had been opposed to political actiQjii, but Parliament had completely failed in its responsibilities. Local ' Associations had redressed thousands of grievances, but the whole i csult of the work of the Executive had been a failure, except to secure an inadequate mufti allowance. After dealing with the attempts of the Association to secure assistance, ho said the strongest claim was that of retrospective allowances to married soldiers which tile' Association had now been offered as a bribe, because an election was approaching. This was part of what was asked, and _it was offered as a gift, not as a right. • Realising that every, pledge made by Parliament had been broken, hj» had become a convert to political action, but not party action, if in one electorate there were three or more candidates the Association should place its pledge beforo them to sign, and if all signed the members of the Association could support whom they pleased. If, however, oh© refused to sign, the Association should endeavour to secure Ms defeat. In seconding the motion, Mr McGill (Wanganui), said that the only power they could have was political power, Mr Cowles (Wairarapa), moved as an : amendment that '"non party" should 'be substituted in the motion for !. "political." '■■ Mr Andrews agreed ; to accept this.

Mr Watts (Waimate), _ suggested that no amendment of motion should ho admitted. The President said that if- the conference accepted or refused th© principle of political action as indicated in the motion, it was competent to decide whother action should be party political action or non-party. The prime issue was clear-cut. Political action having been decided, amendments and further definition could be admitted. Mr Hastings (Temuka), said no one cculd deny the grievances of soldiers, but the Government would really do what it could if not hampered by I party action. Politicians, however, had

gone back on their promises. The measure should be .deferred until they got the pulse-beat of the whole Dominion.

Mr Willis (Hawcra),- said the -.. Association should not adopt political action as far ;is the election of members was concerned, but should tty'/to cleanse politics. . '' '' Mr Long (Auckland) said-ihey could, find no other means 'of reform- save political action. The Association had arrived at a dead end, and the. of the conference would b waste'd if hV ction were taken. ,-■■■'

Mr Malone ((Napier), said that 'if action were taken as proposed they would alienate a large amount of public; support it would be the first step towards the end of the Association.

Mr Reeves (Hastings),] said members must bo careful as to how they used the right of political action. The Association might be used by ■unscrupulous men to further their own ends.

Mr Cowles (Masterton), said that the only political action they should indulge in was that referring directly to soldiers. '". : ■ / ~..• -.--.-'«--:

Mr Dalhousie (Auckland) said that he wanted the Association to wake up from the lethargy of non-political action.

Mr Harper ,(Wellinton) said, that, if by political action they would get unity in the Association he would lend his support, but hie doubted if unity would be attained. Australia had taken political action and had failed. (Success would be attained only in getting the general public behind them, and many people had assisted the Association because it was non-political, and members would be false to their trust if they departed from the constitution. Mr Walker (Christchurch) said that the principal planks of the Association were non-politicalism and non-sectar-ianism. To depart from-these would result in the loss of public - support. Individual members should bring pressure to bear upon members of Parliament. He suggested that members should be selected by the Association to stand for Parliament in the interests of the Returned Soldiers.

Mr Pollock (Auckland) said that only by such action as proposed could the grievances of returned soldiers be remedial-. There would be no interference with ordinary controversial politics. , Mr Best (Dannevirke) was opposed to the taking of any deliberate and particular political stand.Mr McMamfe fDunedin) was opposed to political action. Mr Jacobs (Paimerston North) said that the Acts on the Statute Book were not equitable, "• but the administration w'as bad", and if a political body was formed it would probably result in a split in the Association. Mr' Read (Blenheim) protested against direct political action. Messrs Brown and Pridham (Wanganui) favoured the proposal, Mr Brown stating that he would like to see definite limitations of %he prbposetJ political action incorporated in the motion before conference. •

Mr Watts (Waikato) said' that the public of New Zealand looked to the returned soldiers to strike the right note in _ politics. The. Association could decide upon what form of political action it would take' after the

■ ■ . ■ : .i-i. > motion had been carried. "" .'-.":!',' Mr Luxford (Waikatd) • said that if the proposal' was to be.fytb; confine action exclusively to returned soldiers' interests lie would vote'. /against it. He appealed to the Conference tq pass the motion in, order that) they could •idealMwrth the fbrihation of a definite party- and piatlorniv : ; : v.;:.- ■-■■;'-. At the. afternoon Percy Br andon ( nnde-r----ttopd that under the Got! Servicer Ke-!-guistibhs no civil servant cowld belong; -Va a political organisation, and- if/"the' AsEOcatJ'On. farmed■'iitself'into-, a political body; - eyery civil servant iin it| I wouljd. be obliged, to .resign; vHe would j :. sti-onigly oppose'ithe motion, it such ,a : - disability were placed' upon: civil ? savants. He did niab liink,the time'ripiq for the AssocuaJtion to'f'Qrm itself into a political association. -'" ' Waisher (Tauiranga), said there were a 'number of members of the Association in the military forces. , and according to the Army Regulations no ; sbldi»>r Was, alloiwe/J to- take part in; ; -political action. ■ The Association, -would lose a. number of very able members if it formed Hself into-a, political body. Mr 'N. B. McOallum (ChristchnrchV, said that the men who had gone away had had all shades of political opinion, and it was, doubtful whether on their return they could hi' expected tlo see eye to eyei with one another on party pob'tfes. Rather they would stand by their old political beliefs. It was tread-' ing on dangerous ground to part from -a policy which hind the unanimous approval of the public, and till® Associa•tiopa should anply it r i?lf to constructive schemes for -tili.p. cj-'neral -'good'. Mr ■ "Witty (Nelson), said the only bond that was holding the Association's members toge%er was the fact that they had .all seen active, and that they were all out for the good of the men who had gome'■ to) the war and returned! injured, and their dependents. The danger of division if the motion was carried, was very real. After a debate which lasted all day, and until nearly 7 p.m., the Auckland! , remit in favour of political action was negatived' by 50 votes to 24. Mr Andrews, the mover, tilianked the opponents of the political aot'oa fpr thear sportsmanlilke attitude towards . the remit. His .side was beaten but iitot discfliuraged, but there would be "no . split. (Applause.) He intended to work fairly tc reverse the decision mi . the flesjt conference. / - '

BETROiSPECTIVEI ALLOWANCES. Sir Jamos Allen attended tho Returned Soldiers' Conference this after. n«on, and the matter of retrospective allowances was gone into with him.

Sir James said there bad been, a, difficulty owing to imperfect records. He recognised the unfairness of paying 6-niy from Hie date of embarkation and his estimate was baasd on tho date of going into camp. Ho proposed to pay in ■ June what had already been agreed to, and if the Conference could'suggest! a way out, lie would pay from the date of ■aftfestatio'ri', bulb this "would be a second payment. Ini regard to children's allowances, the Conference could discuss ihe; matter, and Cabinet would giv© its decmon full consideration. So far, however, he did not think retrospective .allowances to children were justificable. .Speaking on repatriation, he said that the present machinery, with cer-t-aiti amendments, would i ulfil most requirements. He gave it as his candid opinion, that the more the Association, kept out of-poilitics'ifche hotter.,.