CHANGE NOT WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 10

CHANGE NOT WANTED.

WAR PENSIONS BOARD.

CONSTITUTION PROPOSAL.

U.S.A. STRONGLY HOSTILE,

The executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association last night decided o oppose the suggested changes in t e constitution of the War Pensions Appea Board; suggestions made by the Govern ment with a view to economising. ® ir George Richardson, .who presided, euo gised the work of the board in atten - ing to the interests of the disabled men who had lodged appeals for pensions. He said every application was careful.} and sympathetically attended to, JM?. that he had been very favourably . impressed with the extensive knowledge the board possessed of each mans al record. / . Mr. T. S. Miller, treasurer of tnc Auckland R.S.A., said control was, anil should rightly be, in the hands of one individual, who, being a returned man himself, was in a position to give Ir whole attention to each appeal. The ser< vices given by Mr. H. Aekins, secretaij of the board, to the disabled men ha been invaluable. With regard to the Governments s"g gestion that magistrates be appointed o control the appeals, the chairman sa> that that arrangement would not be 8 . all satisfactory for, as a magistrate- 0 , duties were already onerous, full jusnee could not be done to a cause that needed careful and sympathetic attention. • Colonel T. H. Dawson stated that, when the bargain with the Governnien had been made shortly after the war, two doctors and a judge of the Supren' p Court had been appointed to decide whether an applicant's appeal j Ol assistance was a genuine case of, wal disablement, and Sir Walter had filled the position admirably. Mag ls trates would have to treat it as a "spare, time job," whereas it needed carefu study. . . .. V-,, It was decided, ©n the motion T. S. Miller, that a letter be sent tc the Prime Minister protesting agß llis the abolition of the War Pension? Board. It was also resolved to circii lariso the New Zealand the three other associations and Cabine Ministers. A committee of three, QO". prising Sir George Richardson, Mr'. -• C. A. Sexton and Colonel T. H. DaWSOi' yras appointed to handle the matter.