LOANS TO WAR PENSIONERS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29068, 3 December 1959, Page 22

LOANS TO WAR PENSIONERS

Patriotic Board View On Changes (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 2. “If it’s a question of economy, surely the Government isn’t going to start economising on 85 per cent, disability ex-service-men pensioners,” said the chairman (Mr C. O. Bell) at the annual meeting today of the National Patriotic Fund Board. He was speaking to a report on the request to the Government earlier this year that the £2OO non-recurring interestfree loans which might be written off at the end of the two years should be made recurring. That would enable those with 85 per cent, locomotive disability to replace their cars at appropriate intervals. Mr Bell said the board had pressed the matter and only yesterday he had received a reply from the Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly) reaffirming an earlier refusal by the Prime Minister (Mr Nash) and saying the recurring assistance ' would riot Apply to cases where locomotive disability was less than double leg amputation. Mr BeU said the need for such assistance would become even greater as time went by and the conference resolved to make a further approach to the Government on the matter.