RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 1682, 31 May 1919, Page 2

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

THE . CHRISTCHURCH CONFER- > .. EJsCE. Per Press Association. -CHRISTGHUECH, May 30. *• At tW Returned Soldiers' Conference fcbis morning,' the Executive's remit re T garding .pensions was carried, as also was the "remit from Hawera, "That the Cabinet be requested to direct the Pensions Board to apply the doctrine of pre-war disability only after careful review of the whole circumstances of each case", the Dannevirke remit "That no soldier's pension be reduced without his having first appeared before a medical officer", and the Hamilton remit "That the minimum pension be £3 15s weekly." A motion by Mr Long (Auckland), That when the application' of a returned soldier . is refused by the Pensions Board, he shall be allowed to appeal against the decision, with a representative of the Returned Soldiers' Association, to conduct his appeal, was carried. It was decided that the Government Bhould be approached to form a Pensions Appeal Board, and also to affirm that the Pensions Act should be amended to provide pensions being payable either in case of death or disablement at any time after discharge, when death or disablement is the result of war service. The Conference discussed a proposal affirming the principle of paying a totally disabled man his pre-war income, and referred the question to the incoming executive to obtain the evidence of economists. The Conference passed a resolution acknowledging letters from the United Federation of Labour and the Canterbury Industrial Association expressing good wishes and proferring help. The land question was discussed, and the Land Committee submitted a comprehensive policy. It provides for taking the matter of acquiring country lands for soldiers out of the hands of Land Boards, and transferring it to new public committees, which it is proposed to set up, each such committee to have the power of direct action, subject only to the veto of the Ministers in charge of repatriation. , Each committee, is to li<i,ve its own district and for this purpose the existing repatriation districts are to be adopted. Each committee is to consist of three members, one appointed by the Governor in Council, one by the R.S.A., and one by an A. and P. Association to be nominated by the Governor in Council. It is proposed further that the amount of advance for the purchase of stock and implements bo increased to £1250. Attention is drawn to the necessity of encouraging the settlement of unimproved lands and fostering the milling; and mining ' industries and preventing inflation of the price of land. Mr _ Stringer (Waikato) moved tho adoption of the policy. He contended that the present land machinery was out of date and the . AssociationV scheme was sound, practicable, nnd above all workable.

After discussion tlie policy, -n-ith minor amendments, was adopted.