TIED HANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 280, 24 November 1915, Page 8

TIED HANDS.

PENSIONS ADMINISTRATION. HARDSHIPS OF SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS. WELLINGTON MEMBER'S PROPOSAL. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. ( Members of Parliament are being circularised by Mr Robt. Fletcher, member for Wellington Central, with a view to getting them to petition the National Government to call an immediate session ( of Parliament so that the War Pensions , Act may be amended on more liberal line 3 than the War Pensions Board appears to be obliged to administer it. Mr Fletcher, in common with most .members, p has had to concern himself with the grievances of pension applicants. One case in particular has aroused much local concern and sympathy. It is that ( of the father and mother of Lieutenant Frandi, a very gallant officer of the Wellington Infantry Regiment, who was killed at the Dardanelles. Mr Frandi, sen., is 82 years old, and nearly blind. His wife is 66, and nearly blind. The old couple had been receiving the old age pension, and were being substantially helped by the late Lieutenant Frandi, who allotted to them out of his pay £2 2/ weekly, or hal£"°the total. When the news came that he had given his life to his country, the pay ceased, and the parents made application for a pension payable to dependents. The Board after consideration, replied on the official form in the stereotyped manner, "application declined." Apparently— though this was not stated—the Board was acting under the section of the Act which states that tbe applicant, to prove a right to the pension, must produce proof of having been supported by the deceased soldier during the twelve months preceding his enlistment. Also, it was a disadvantage to the applicants, apparently, that the late Lieutenant Frandi possessed a small property. This property, however, unfortunately for the parents, is not realisable to-day, and the actual outgo is greater than the income derivable from it. There is official proof of this fact, states Mr Fletcher, who informed your correspondent that the Pensions Board, though taking the extreme view indicated, has now come to a more humane decision regarding tie case. "I feel very strongly," remarked Mr .Fletcher, "that when men go to the front and sacrifice their lives for us who I stay at home, that their dependents should not be able to claim upon the State. There is an obligation upon us at home, which we ought to meet. Apparently the Pension Board administers the law as it finds it, and tie Ministry is sympathetic to the point of view I have expressed, but without Parliament the Ministry is helpless, hence my action. I have no party feeling in this matter, and my first act was to send a copy of the circular to -the Prime Minister with a letter to the effect that I am sure it has his sympathy and support." Mr Fletcher's circular is'as follows: — "Dear Sir, —In approaching you on the very serious question. of the War Pensions' Act .and jts >a pperatipns since coming into force, niiifttie full sense of the responsibility which rests on you and mc as representatives of the people. It .must be conceded that numerous cases have been rejected by the Pensions' Board* which have caused great hardship and injustice to the dependents of those who have given their Hves to the Empire's cause, and the time has arrived when the Act should be amended in the direction of a fuller and more humane recognition of the great sacrifices that have -been made by the gallant sons of New Zealand. I do not wish to impute any harshness to the members of the Board, who, I believe, are acting conscientiously within the limitation of the Act. T say frankly that the spirit and intention of the legislature is not being given effect to. The wish of every member of -ythe New Zealand Parliament in passing' the War Pensions' Act was to. see that the dependents were adequately provided for, and that no false economy was to operate in the administration of the Act. Unfortunately numerous cases of cheese paring, limitation and reduction of pensions have occurred, and I say. in humanity's sake it ds due to each and every member of Parliament to rectify the matter'at once. i "An amendment of the Act is urgently necessary, whereby onr wishes and the wishes of the people of New Zealand should be made mandatory and not permissive, so that on the establishment of. a. title or claim for dependency, the pension should be paid forthwith. I have had numerous cases of hardships 'brought before mc, and no doubt you have had a similar experience, and 1 confidently approach you with a view of petitioning the Right Hon. tme Prime Minister to immediately call Parliament together for the purpose of amending the Act in such a manner thai; all willing to serve their King and country, but who have been held back from enlisting to the duty they owe their wives, famf lies-and dependents, may receive a definite assurance .that .those whom they may leave behind will receive from the State the full mtad of recognition that their unselfish sacrifice unquestionable entitles them to expect. This is not a party-appeal—l consulted n°ne .of the Ministry in the mattera We know that even their hands are* tiod'-bv the, legal observances of the Act■ .as L ft stands; and it is for each and every one Of us members to approach the Ministry : in" the direction indicated. I feel that the members of- the Cabinet are desirous of doing justice in this matter to our soldiere and dependents, and that the immediate summoning of Parliament will assist them in the solution of the difficulties which are apparent to all. I shall be glad, therefore, if you will join with mc and other members in requesting the Right Hon. the Prime Minister to hold a short session of Parliament to amend the Act."