R.S.A. Calls For Increase In War Disability Pensions

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29162, 24 March 1960, Page 15

R.S.A. Calls For Increase In War Disability Pensions

A recommendation that war disabilities pensions be increased to become commensurate with other pensions was by members who attended the fortyfourth annual meeting of the Christchurch Returned Services Association last evening. Mr E. W. Cotter, the mover of the recommendation, which wul be passed to the association s Dominion council," said that since 1916 (when the pension was introduced) other pensions and wages had increased five-fold, but the war disability pension had only Slightly more than doubled. An amount of £5 a week was a very low target for the Dominion executive to be pressing for now, when in 1916 the amount was £2, he said. “Since that time wages and pensions have increased five and six-fold. Members of Parliament who got £3OO then now get £l5OO and £lBOO a year. That is injustice,” he said. • Mr Cotter said that the situation was a refleetion on the organisation, and fully warranted a march on Parliament Buildings. He suggested a special meeting of a committee to approach the subject from a different angle. The line pursued by the Dominion executive committee in the past had failed, he said. The president (Mr A. S. Farfar) said that a £5 pension had been sought, but the Government

had granted only a 10s a week increase, bringing the pension to £4 10s a week. A member: This is election year. Mr Farrar said that the Dominion executive committee had very capable men serving on it, and they were pushing hard. Mr W. J. Baxter said he supported Mr Cotter. Nursing sisters were also entitled to get an increase, he said. The secretary (Mr F. Barron) said that the policy was to press for a pension in line with the value of the pound. The £2 pension in 1916 would, therefore, now have to be £5 to have the same purchasing power. Mr W. E. Trott said that the 100 per cent disability pension in 1916 was based on the then ruling minimum wage of £2 to £2 10s a week, or a soldier’s pay of 5s a day. Since that was the case, the pension should be the equivalent at least of today’s minimum wages of about £ll or £l2 a week. Mr Farrar said that the subject would be discussed at the annua] meeting of the association in Wellington and points mentioned would be raised. A suggestion by Mr H. Cronin that Canteen and Patriotic Board funds should be used to provide interest free mortgages for war pensioners, war veterans, and returned soldiers who were old age pensioners did not meet with the approval of the meeting.