Means Test Criticised By Patriotic Council

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30585, 30 October 1964, Page 8

Means Test Criticised By Patriotic Council

Opposition to the application of a means test to those seeking accommodation in veterans’ homes was expressed at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council.

Members who spoke against the means test said that men who had assets, although often they were not liquid assets, and were unable to care for themselves, could not because of the test enter one of the veterans’ homes. The means test was applied by the homes co-ordination committee of the National Patriotic Funds Board in Wellington. Both the Canterbury representative on the board (Mr G. A. Harris) and Mr D. Barrett vigorously opposed it and the council passed a motion endorsing their views.

It was reported that during the year the council made grants for the 1939-45 war of £5747 Is 10d, for the 1914-18 war of £2851 13s lOd, for K force of £146 Os Bd, and for the Malayan force of £ll. Hospital comforts payments totalled £1458 Is 10d, and general expenses £2290 13s 3d. The balance in the patriotic fund was £39,606 5s 2d.

This was sufficient for about another four years, it was said. However, there was the national reserve of £530,000 for the use of all councils throughout New Zealand, and Canterbury would probably be the first council to call on this fund. Over-all funds should last until about the year 2000. The peak period of demand, however, was still to come, and would probably last for seven or eight years from 1985.

Officers elected were: dep-uty-chairman, Mr G. A. Harris; council, Messrs P. H. Wood, Hi S. Farrar, W. E. Olds, J. N. Clarke, and J. W. Niven; committee, Messrs Wood, Farrar, Olds, L. R. King, J. Davidson and Harris.