SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXII, Issue 17099, 28 September 1917, Page 7

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE.

A conference of the Second Division League opened at Wellington to-day. Mr R. A. Armstrong, the National President, said in regard to the proposals published to-day, that the Government had undoubtedly met the League in some respects, but not in all. The Government must be asked to reconsider some of the proposals, which were quite inadequate. He moved: "That this conference of the National Federation of the New Zealand Second Division Leagues, while expressing its appreciation of the fact that the introduction of the War Pensions Bill by the Government Has placed the League in the position of knowing exactly what the Government proposals are, would respectfully but most earnestly request the Prime Minister to delay the committee stages of the Bill until at least this evening's sitting of the House, so that the conference may have an opportunity of fully examining the proposals and making such representations to the Government as may be found necessary before the most important stage of the Bill is reached." The motion was seconded by Mr Dash, of Waimate, and carried, unanimously. Two of the vice-presidents were instructed to at once present the resolution to the Prime Minister. Referring to the pensions proposals, the president maintained that no woman could live on 30/- a week, and that in these days of high prices a child could not be fed and clothed for 7/6 a week. The allowance for a wife had been raised to 3/- a fair increase, but the League had asked for 6/-, and the League suggested that the child's allowance be 1/6, but the Government proposed to raise it from 9d. to 1/-. The president characterised the majority of the replies of the Minister of Defence to the questions in the House regarding the calling up of men of the Second Division as distinctly unsatisfactory.