SOLDIER TOPICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19814, 4 December 1919, Page 7

SOLDIER TOPICS.

, items of interest to y 11 DIGGERS.” (Written for the "Star.”) The writer ot the following notes is contvilvutmg « weekly column to the " Star," dealing with nibjonln of topical interest to returned men. Inquiries may be 'addressed to “Dugom,” care of the 11 Star " (Ifflc-e, and returned men desiring infer- j matron or advice are invited to ooumunieatc with the writer, vrlto will do his best to Jiely them. | V . | The election campaign is now in full | swing, and at street corners and in i public schools and hulls,, candidates arc busily airing their news and exhorting all and sundry to turn down, the 11 other fellows” and vote for them. The interest .taken in this election is very groat, possibly owing to the evenness of the parties, the large- number uf. independent candidates, and the bid for power made by the Labour Party. Having decided to keep aloof front politics i as an association, members of the' Ito- j turned Soldiers’ Association _ aro able to pick and choose their individual! fancies and to question candidates on | any matters on which they desire, in-! formation. In Christchurch the light j is between the Liberal Party and the j Labour Party, the Reformers having I apparently realised that they have sin all chances ol success. The Labour candidates may bo jolly good follows, and they may be able to make many attractive promises, but while tiro war was cm they did not do any tiring to help ! the fellows who were 11 over there, '' but ■ instead, hindered the Government and j backed up the shirkers. On the other hand, not only did tho Liberal Party 1 adopt a very loyal attitude during the i war, but much of, tbo good legislation, passed by the National Government for , the benefit of tho soldiers was duo to i the influence of tho Liberal members of the Cabinet. Of tho parties before the ' electors at the present time, tho, one ! from which the returned soldiers can ' expect tho most is unquestionably the i Liberal Party. 1 The report submitted to the Repatriation Board last nignt dealing \ with the position in regard to subsidised ; soldiers employed by bootmakers, affords an example of the necessity for i the board being continually on tho 1 alert to see that the men receive a , square deal from their employers. It • was stated that of the fourteen subi gidised men in tho trade, only two had reported that they were satisfied with I their treatment, and it was urged that ’ an effort bo made to establish boctmaking and hoot repairing classes at. j tho Technical College. If this were j done the men could spend about six * months in receiving instruction before going to an employer, and it could be made conditional that the employer:, should give them thorough training. It is generally understood that, when an employer accepts an apprentice he contracts to teach that apprentice the trade, failing which he is liable to a penalty. Surely in the case of subsidised soldier apprentices, some power should be possessed to compel employers to teach the men thoroughly, instead ( of putting them on to what is ostensibly girls’ work. This is a matter \ which affects a big number of soldiers, I and should be inquired into at once. Bootmaking is not the only trade j affected. Provision Is made in the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act, 1919, that if any person dies, to whom financial assistance has been granted under the principal Act and! any amendment thereof, and his beneficial interest in the land in respect whereof such assistance was granted is acquired by Ids widow or by any of’his children, or by ! his father or mother, further financial assistance in respect of that land may he granted to his successor. 1 1 I ' The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act of 1919 contains the following section;—“ All persons who ■have served as members of an Expeditionary Force, and who, having returned to New Zealand, have for any reason not been discharged from that Force, shaß be entitled as if they were discharged soldiers within the meaning of the principal Act to tbo benefits provides by section two and section three of tho Discharged. Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act, 1917.” It was announced some time ago that j in cases where returned soldiers, not in i receipt of pensions, wished to insure j their lives, the Defence Department | would pay any loading arising trom war injury. The Minister for Defence lias now announced that the concession is j being extended to cover nil returned soldiers, including those in receipt of pensions. If tho insurance offices demand an extra rate from a returned soldier on account of injury sustained on service, the Government will pay the amount, leaving the ordinary premium to the soldier to pay. Some discharged soldiers who wish to purchase homos under tho Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act are at a loss as to tho procedure. The recipe is given by a North island writer as follows:—Find your house (up to £9OO worth—in rare cases £1000)); got an airplication form (land agents or lawyers might oblige without commission or joo); fill in tho form, got tbo option to purchase “signed”; send the result with a valuation fee (£2 2s ns a ( .rule) to tho Commissioner of Crown ' Lands. Then get down and pray. A I final tip: If you_ get the house," apply to tho Repatriation Department for a j loan to furnish it, but nsk her first, J