A WIDOW'S PETITION.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20788, 23 February 1933, Page 6

A WIDOW'S PETITION.

FAVOURABLE REPORT TO HOUSE. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, February 22. The plight or returned soldiers considered immediately after the war to bo free of disabilities, but now giving way under the latent strain of conditions on active service was emphasised in the House of Eepresentatives this alter noun during a discussion of the Defence Committee's favourable report on the petition of Hannah Poweit, of Wellington, for an annuity in respect ol her husband's services during the Great War. The Chairinaa.ot the Committee, Mr H. G. Dickie, .said petitioner's husband had gone away with the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and had served at Gallipoli up till the time of the evacuation, when ho had returned to the Dominion with a strained heart. His pension was stopped when ho was considered to have recovered from his disability, but he subsequently died of tuberculosis of the lungs and left his widow destitute The Committee was of opinion that the man's death .was due to his war service. "This is one of those cases where it is difficult to establish the prime cause of death," said Mr A. M. Samuel (C.. Thames). Powell had died at the age of 44, although he had been in r«bust health when he left New Zealand for the front. Evidence from medical men was in conflict, and in at least one case it was unreliable. The question was one of principle and duty, and it was 110 use for the Government to say it had -no money. ' ■■■ ' Mr J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn) said there were hundreds of men whose '■( institutions were seriously impaired on account of the war. but who ha<l linen discharged w : th clean sheets. The Government should pay more attention to men in this un.'ortimate position. The report ntabled.