WAR WIDOWS' PENSIONS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17017, 14 December 1920, Page 8

WAR WIDOWS' PENSIONS.

JL » BEPLY TO MB LEADLEY. SPECIAL TO "THE PMSS.") ■WELLINGTON, December 13. Mr W. E. Leadley, secretary to th« Christchurch Returned boldiers' Association, referred the other day to a eupposed anomaly in. connexion with wai pensions. Hβ stated that a soldier'f widow could not draw e pension from the New Zealand Government unless she could prove she was engaged to her late husband before she left .New Zealand. Tho Commissioner of Pensions (Mr G. 0. Fache) points 'out. that- this is not bo. The present legislation provides that the wife of a member of the forces at the time of his deati is entitled to a -widow's war pension, and in the case cited by Mr Leadley the widow -would be entitled 'to a pension for herself and child. It is also provided that whero__a soldier marries after his disablement and within two years of his discharge from the forces, in the event of his death_ivithin seven years of hie disablement, the wife is entitled to a war pension as a widow if there was a binding contract to marry existing between tho two prior %o the soldier's departure from New Zealand, and the children of such a marriage are entitled to a pension as the children of tne deceasod member of the forces. If the marriage of the soldier takes place in New Zealand within two years of the date of the soldier's discharge from the forces, or if he mnrrios outside New Zealand after his disablement, but prior to his discharge from the forces, his wife is entitled to make application on her own and her behalf for ■ a' disablement pension during the soldier's lifetime, but at his death, if there as no contract to marry as stated above, ehe ceases to be a dependant within tho meaning of tne Act, but may. be a gratuity not exceeding twice the annual value of her disablement pension., If the marriage takes place in New Zejvlnnd after the expiry of two year 3 from the date of the soldier's discharge, the War Pensions Board empowered if, Tiaving regard to the circumstances of the case, it is of opinion that tho wife 6hould be entitled to the benefits of a denendant, to grant her a disablement pension.