HOME SERVICE FORCES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23719, 18 August 1942, Page 4

HOME SERVICE FORCES

DISABILITY PENSIONS

REPRESENTATIONS BY N.Z.R.S.A.

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 17. The provision of war pensions for members of home service forces, including the Home Guard, who suffer injury while proceeding to ,or from parades or leave was discussed by a deputation to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) from the Dominion Executive Committee of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, states a report supplied by the executive committee.

The deputation submitted the following resolution:—‘‘That disability (accident or sickness) occurring (1) while within the boundaries of a camp whether on duty or not, (2) at any other time while actually on duty (or going to or returning from duty), (3) when actually proceeding on or returning from-leave, and (4) in any other case if it can be shown that the condition was caused or aggravated by their service, should come under the War Pensions Act.”

The deputation stated that the association appreciated the difficulty of arriving at any definite basis for the acceptance of claims for war pensions from home service men, and also appreciated the Government’s action in setting up a special committee to consider some of the cases under the headings outlined in the association’s resolution. In some of the cases considered by this special committee, the equivalent of the full war pension and other privileges had been granted as compensation. The association felt that the Government had recognised the principle that these men were entitled to adequate recompense, ana it failed to see why this could not be done through the War Pensions Board.

The deputation further suggested that, provided a man was travelling definitely on a service warrant, going to or returning from his destination, he should be considered as coming within thfe provisions of the war pensions legislation.

The Minister, in reply, said that there had been a large number of accidents suffered by men going to or returning from parades. The question of war pensions for Home Guardsmen and territorials had been receiving the consideration of the Government. The War Pensions Board had stated that such injuries were not attributable to service in the forces. The Government had considered that there was hardship in some of the cases, and had therefore appointed a committee to go into the matter. The Minister further stated that the cases of injury of home service men while on leave being left to the War Pensions Board was a policy matter for Government decision. If it were decided that a man travelling pn furlough with a warrant meeting with an accident was eligible for a war pension, these cases would automatically come within the scope of the War Pensions Board. There were many difficulties to be considered, however, before a decision could be made. The Minister promised that the represental tions would be borne in mind when the matter was being considered.