WAR PENSIONS BILL

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 10

WAR PENSIONS BILL

General Approval Expressed MEASURE PASSED BY THE HOUSE [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON. July 30, , General approval of the War Pensions Amendment Bill was expressed by speakers on both sides of the House when the second reading debate was taken this afternoon, “I think we all admit that we cannot do too much for those men who have gone away to fight the battle for our country and the Empire,” said the Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Opposition. Manaw" f u), who followed the Minister in Charge of War Pensions (the Hon. F. Jones). Mr Cobb said, as one who had been connected with the department in the past, he' was very pleased that the Minister had brought down this amendment. He was sure it would anpeal to every member of the House. Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) said he was happy to see the bill, particularly the clause relating to marriages. For a long time they had told young men what noble soldiers they were; but had not made it easy for them to marry and add to the size of the population. "I am a little bit concerned about the future of men who may be ’disabled,” Mr Lee said, “although I do not think there will be as many disabled men in this war as in the last, I do not think we will be faced with the same-sized pensions bill; but we never know where we may be involved in a war of movement, in which men may be disabled in large numbers. All the re-educational and rehabilitation systems in the world will not enable a man to fit into new civil grooves easily. I cannot help feeling that we want a new departure this time, that where men are suffering from gunshot wounds only the civil service ought to be compelled to absorb a definite percentage of them at full rates of pay.”. Higher Rate Urget Mr Lee also raised the question whether the basic rati of pensions, £2, was sufficient. •He did not think it was, and urged that it be raised. There had been no increase in the basic £2 since the last war ended, although supplementary pensions had been altered. "It is almost the one basic pension which has never been altered,” Mr Lee said. ‘T think the time has arrived to consider that £2 of yesterday in relation to the wages and conditions of to-day. I hope we will revise that £2 up. and also the £1 for the wije. Things have moved on.” “We recognise that it is a fair bill, and we on this side of the House will be happy to support it," said Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North). He would not suggest that it was the last word in war pensions, but it was a good bill. New Zealand in the main had treated her soldiers generously. She led the world in the field of war pensions, and in generosity to her soldiers. Mr Holland asked the Minister to reconsider the provision by which territorials or their dependants had to prove that the disability or injury they suffered arose from war service. They were soldiers for 24 hours of the day, and should be put on the same basis as members of the Expeditionary Force. Mr E B. Gordon (Opposition, Rangitikci) said he hoped the benefits would be made retrospective to rfien who had been discharged from camps. "Our people are willing to pay a pension, and a good pension, for war service,” said the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton). "If the Minister felt inclined at any time to extend the pensions for soldiers of this and the last war, the people of New Zealand would be willing to pay. One thing lacking in the Minister's speech was any estimate of . the cost of the proposals.” The Minister for Defence: It is an unknown quantity. Mr Hamilton: But this mainly applies at present to soldiers of the last war, and it is usual to have a shot at it whether the cost is £IOOO, £6OOO. or £250.000. The Hon. D. G. Sullivan; Would the honourable member do that? "There are not many things 1 would not have a shot at.” replied Mr Hamilton. "and If I was making an amendment to a law that was going to cost something. I would like to say something about the cost.” Men in Air Force There was nothing in the proposals which he would criticise, said Mr Hamilton, who asked that the Minister should clear up the point of men going into the Air Force paying the social security and national security charges, from which members of the other forces were exempt. He also considered that nurses should be brought into the bill, and that if the pension paid in New Zealand was Higher than that paid men who went overseas to join the Royal Air Force, the Dominion should make up the difference. „ Mr F W. Schramm (Government, Auckland East) said the country should be as generous as it could to the soldiers. He asked for greater provision for men disabled while serving on home defence. . “The general expression of approval of the bill will be echoed throughout the Dominion,” said Mr H. Atmore (Independent, Nelson). Mr H. S. S. Kyle. (Opposition, Riccarton) said he agreed with Mr Schramm that the Government and the country should be responsible for any man who entered camp and suffered disability. , ... The bill might not meet with iequests made by all members, replied the Minister. It was not the last word, and the Government would have to amend the act from time to time. He mentioned that returned soldiers were giving up their war veteran allowance to prove that they qualified for service in the present war. Mr Holland; Returned soldiers are like that. , The bills were read a third time and passed.