WAR GRATUITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12754, 25 September 1919, Page 6

WAR GRATUITIES.

There will be a feeling of regret that steps were not taken which would have ensured that the question of war gratuities was one irreproachably above party. It would have been better, for instance, if the amount had been decided by the National Government before it went out of office. It was a settled thing long ago that a gratuity should he paid, and the National Government should have shouldered the responsibility for fixing the amount. However, the Government had to meet the House with proposals known only to the Cabinet, and it was too much to ask members to swallow the lot, without an opportunity for examination being given. It will be seen that the Government carried its proposals by a majority of seven votes on the first essentially party division of the session. The Liberals had the support of the Labour members, while the Government received a vote froth Mr Hornsey, who has become a kind of political Ishmael. The later amendment by Mr M’Combs seems to have fallen very flat. If the Labour Party had shown half the enthusiasm .in finding soldiers as it is displaying in tho matter of pay, there would be a more kindly feeling about its sincerity.