SOLDIERS' PAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12571, 7 March 1919, Page 3

SOLDIERS' PAY.

SEPARATION ALLOWANCE INCREASED. THE NEW DEFENCE SYSTEM. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, March 6. Speaking to a reporter to-day, the Minister of Defence referred to the question of'allowances and gratuities to soldiers. Ho stated that the amount to he given in lieu of separation allowance to married men who left before the Military Sendee Act came into operation had been described as £140,000. Cabinet had now agreed to increase this amount to £-195,000, thus allowing the Minister to make the separation, allowance, of the wife of a soldier who volunteered 3s per day. Ho had asked the- Defence Department to advise him of the machinery necessary to put that into operation as soon as possible. He had told Parliament that Cabinet had agreed on a sum of £1,255,000 for gratuities, but ho was not yet in a position to say anything definite regarding the distribution of this sum, and wanted a little more time to be sure that he was doing the right- thing. Difficulties arose, when ho came to details, and ho wanted the whole thing clearly defined before he made any statement. A proposal had been made for a certain amount of pay for a certain period of sendee. He might have to reconsider that. The matter was not being neglected, and he advised soldiers to exercise patience. Speaking of a resolution favouring the abolition of the territorial system, the Minister said that local bodies supporting it were making a grave mistake, because they did not understand the situation regarding the new system of defence. He merely wished the system sufficiently organised militarily to bring into existence a defence force for use at any time it might he required and to keep a sufficient staff for training men for defensive purposes. It was desired to make more efficient civilians, physically, mentallv and morally, and prepare them for defence if they were required. He thought that men should enter camp at eighteen years of age for four months. 'Training camps were being established in both islands, and tho men would go through a course similar to that undergone by the Expeditionary Force, with physical drill. Extended dental and medical arrangements would be provided, and a man would he improved in camp and shown how to take his physical improvement into his own hands and continue it. himself.