Regular Review Of Pensions Sought

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29950, 11 October 1962, Page 18

Regular Review Of Pensions Sought

(New Zealana Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 10.

The chairman of Parliament’s Defence Committee, Mr T. T, Murray (Govt., Stratford) today suggested top-level meetings every two years to discuss war pensions.

He said the meetings should be between a committee of the Government and the R.S.A.

Party politics should be kept out of the issue.

Mr Murray was speaking in the resumed second reading debate on the War Pensions Amendment Bill, which implements pension increases announced m the Budget. Mr Murray attacked Opposition complaints that the increases were too small. “Why didn't they do something about it in 1958?" The trill was read a second time

pension—would have been effective for more than a year had the Labour Party been returned at the last election. He asked Mr Kinsella to restore the purchasing power of the pension in 1917. Mr Kinsella said the increases were based on discussions on remits passed at the 1961 R.S.A. conference. He had received no representations after this year’s conference because the R.S.A. had not yet prepared its case.

Resuming the debate, which was interrupted before the recent recess, Mr A. J. Faulkner (Opposition, Rossmere) said the Minister in charge of War Pensions (Mr KmseUa) had not realised the “serious position in which he has placed a colleague in the Cabinet”

Recalling criticism by the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) of the distinction between ranks, he called on Mr Kinsella to move amendments accordingly to the schedule to the bill setting out widows' pensions. (The rates range from £3 15s tor widows of al) ranks up to major, lieutenantcommander and squadronleader. to £4 for the widows of brigadiers, commodores and air commo-

dores and higher ranks] Replying, Mr Hanan said the Labour Government had increased basic pensions by 5s in 1949 without taking steps to eliminate the distinctions

A Royal commission apS in ted later by the National ivernment had carried oui its recommendation Pensions tor wives of all deceased servicemen up to major were now on the same level and within a Is of a lieutenantcolonel's wife's pension The distinction of rank m disablement pensions had been eliminated.

Mr Faulkner said the principal increase—in the basic