RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Waipa Post, Volume XVII, Issue 962, 1 July 1920, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

£ND THEIR SETTLEMENT ACT.

DISCUSSION AT TE AWAMUTU.

STRINGENT RESOLUTIONS.

Consideration of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, and complaint as to portions of it, were the subjects of a special general meeting of the Te Awamutu Returned Soldiers’ Association, held in the Oddfellows’ Hall last evening. The president (Mr S. Walker) occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. The chairman reported that the question of the suspension of advances had caused a great deal of trouble. Headquarters had desired that great consideration should be given to the matter. The Association would be asked to carry the following resolution:

(a) That the benefits of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act be available to all soldiers at present entitled to these benefits, and so to* avoid penalising many soldiers who have recently returned to New Zealand, and or have lately been released from hospital and or have lately completed their period of training under the Repatriation Department.

(b) That provision be made that any loss incurred shall be borne by the country as a whole. Mr Walker outlined Ithe -present position, stating that it was strange that so little money was lefit to carry out the advances scheme. The special provision clauses as contained in the Act at present needed careful consideration. He would move, therefore, the adoption of the resolution.

Mr G. Hessell seconded the motion, which was carried.

Work of Conference.

The secretary (Mr D. M. C. Mcßurney) then reported on his work at the Dominion conference as follows: “ I desire to submit herewith my report as delegate to the Dominion conference. As all the matters dealt with have been fully reported in the press my report will take the form of a running commentary of the proceedings. The agenda paper was a heavy one, but most of the remits received careful consideration. The matter which was considered of most vital importance by the conference was land settlement.

The report brought down by the land committee (of which I was a member) was practically re-affirma-tion of the report brought down at the October Conference, stressing particularly the acquisition of large estates. The report was adopted without dissent. The whole conference as a deputation waited on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands in connection with the supension of advances under the Discharged Soldiers’ .Settlement Act. The Ministers denied that here had been a suspension of operations. One thing made perfectly plain by these two gentlemen was that they were right against the purchase of dwelling houses, the contention being that it was better to build than to purchase at the present high prices. The conference by a series of resolutions expressed dissatisfaction with the evasive and unsatisfactory nature of the Ministers’ replies. Tlie Pensions Scheme. “ The committee set up in connection with the pay, pensions, and allowances re-affirmed all the vital resolutions of the last conference. One of the principal recommendations was that the pension for total disability should be £3 10s; suplementary and attendants to be over and above that; dependants’ pensions to be reivsed pro rata. The Te Awamutu remit re the Pensions Appeal Board and the Wellington remit providing for an advocate or friend appearing before the Pensions Board for applicants for pensions were recommended. The report was adopted. The report of the repatriation committee also was a reaffirmation largely of resolutions of the previous conference, and as such was adopted by . the conference. It was resolved to request that the allowance to subsidised workers be increased. to allow of wages being brought up to at least £3 10s for single men and £4 for married men. - “ There -were several remits on the agenda paper in connection with the question of the influx of Chinese and Hindus, and a strong resolution of protest was carried. “ The magazine Quick March was considered to be in a sound financial position, and the paper had made good progress. It was asked that all Associations assist to push the sale of the paper.

New Organisation. “ The question of organisation led to a somewhat protracted discussion, but there was a greater degree of give and take in the discussion than at the last conference I attended. The committee brought down a report recommending the appointment of travelling secretaries for New Zealand to be appointed and controlled by Headquarters. This met with strong opposition. There was a very general expression of opinion that the organisers had served their iturn, and that some other means of putting life into the Association should be adopted. It was decided that there be five districts, namely, Auckland, Wellington, Nelson-Marlborough. Canterbury, and Otago, and that at the provincial conference a committee be elected, that through the conference each district or province determine its own form of district organisation; and that no group con/tain less than 400 members. Delegates to the Dominion conference to be elected by the provincial conference.

“ General Birdwood attended one of the sessions of the conference, and received a splendid reception. “ I thank you for the honour of appointing me as your delegate to the conference.”