"LEST WE FORGET."

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 215, 11 October 1929, Page 8

"LEST WE FORGET."

C. QUINN.

'■ ..i". - (To the Editor). •

Sir, — I hope you yill allow me th# spaee in your paper'to voice an opinion on -the above heading. It makes one's heart bleed to see the number of returned soldiers who are walking ahout the towns looking for work. In fact one may see them carrying their swags f from the North Cape to the Bluff, througli no faillt of their own. I noticed one unfortuunate resting on the steps of a war memorial, and when I read the inscription, "Lest We Forget," it gave me food for reflection. We have done all we can possibly do regarding the "Glorious Dead." Now, for God's sake let us help the living, who are unable _ to help themselves. It is no use waiting for' the Government • which is nOtoriousIy slow. . During the war more than £5,000,000 were subscribed by the public' of New Zealand to various war funds. These funds were estahlished for "relief" in some form 01* other. Probably- the • fund with the -.most" clearly defined ohject was the Red Oross Fund. The objeets of the other fuiids were not so eiearlv set out and were consequently of wider scope. There is over £1,000,000 held by various patriotic bodies still to be spent for tbe benefit of the soldiers of New Zealand, yet we have workless "diggers" amongst us. These funds should rtot take the place of the work the Government should do. Broadly speak, - ing they should do the work the Government is not capahle of doing. Thera is no doubt that a vast amount of excellent work lias been done throughout the Dominion with these funds. Still, in some places wi$acres on the patriotic funds boards show a great. ability for muddle and procrastination, although they excel in oratory and debates wcrthy of Mr Ramsay MacDonald himself, especially when a down and out "digger" is in front of them seeking assistance. I must say this. that the Government has no right to shelve part of its responsibilties on to the patriotic societies. There are hundreds of diggers just beginning to crack mp-with the afteiveffects. The Right Hon. Mr . Coates said he knew of personal* cases suffering from diseases causedbythe war, yet, when they liave gone in front . of the pensions board they have been unable to convince them that the war was the eause of it. And Mr Coates said something will have to he done fdr these men, but who is going to do it? "Lest We Forget" the Government and the patriotic societies can do this something by both playing their parts. There is too mnch overlappYifg, . with its consequent muddle and waste of money and increased expenditure in salaries, typists, secretaries, clerks, a,nd others, necessary and un necessary, botli in the Government and the patriotic societies, so I think that it is up to both parties to cut their cloth accordingly, and' see that every returned soldier gets a fair chance. If hp is suffering from anv disqase cslused through the war, then the onus Iies on the Government. Should he be less uufortunate, and capahle of working b'ut not able to procure work, then it- is up to the patriotic societies to see that these men should go short of nothing in this struggle for exsistance.— I am, etc..

Hastings, Octoher 10, 1929.