DISCHARGED SOLDIERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15866, 12 December 1923, Page 5

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS.

PROTECTION WITHDRAWN.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES' RIGHTS.

RESTORED IN THE NEW YEAR

(By Tel?graph.—Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

The legal protection aflordeu" discharged soldiers against execution of bankruptcy or distress has been fins subject latterly of criticism on the part of local authorities, and the electric power boards. At the recent conference of Power Boards a resolution was passed urging the rights of boards to recover certain debts owing -to them by discharged soldiers. When the matter was brought to the notice of the acting Prime Minister (Hon. Sir F. Bell) to-day, he intimated that the Government had come to a decision, and he made the following statement: — " By legislation and by certain war regulations protection was granted to discharged soldiers for a period after their re-entry into civil life against the execution of bankruptcy or distress by providing that no such process should issue without the express consent of the Attorney-General. The object of the legislation and the regulations was to prevent the discharged soldier being harassed during the first years of his business occupation after the war The period'during which such protection was provided in regard to all dscharged soldiers has elapsed, and the protection is now limited to discharged soldiers who have been assisted by money of the Crown, either in land or business and who are still indebted to the Crown, the object of the existing restrictions being to prevent priority being obtained over the Crown debts. Certain difficulties have recently arisen. Consequent on the existence of the restriction on process in favour of ' assisted' discharged soldiers, loans cannot be raised by local authorities, even for the purpose of roading land settled by discharged soldiers, because of the existence .of the limitation of the power of levying for rates, and electric power boards find themselves unable to arrange for the supply of electrical fittings for the same reason. '• The Government consider it still necessary to preserve the protective regulations in respect for past years now in arrcar, but witli respect to all rates and other liabilities to local authorities, incuding eeclric power boards, which may be incurred after January 1 next the protection is to be abolished, and an Order-in-Council having thai effect will be issued."