VETERANS AND PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1662, 31 January 1913, Page 3

VETERANS AND PENSIONS.

Sir,—Amongst - the ninny reforms' promised or in process of accomplishment by. '.the Massey Administration,',the. Military, Pension, Act for 'the hitherto neglected < veterans of the Maori wars is one of the most; popular. , This was. clearly seen from'the Hansard reports of. the speeches made in Parliament last session rfrom members bothiof the North and South'ls--lands on, the passage of'the Military Pensions BUI. These, speeches were almost unanimous, and form interesting, reading, by everyone acquainted, with tho circumstances and the hardship's endured in the many campaigns in which thecolonial troops so often . distinguished themselves,'and it seems, a matter ' of wonder: that previous Governments have neglected so ; long their duty. in' this res-"-,peot. , It speaks volumes also for our', colonial veterans that they havo refrained from agitating all'those years past their just claim for such recognition, i as is now so justly determined, upon by the Government now in power. But-there is one phase of this question which appearsv to be a regrettable mistake, and which is causing in many cases, a feeling of disappointment, if not resentment;, which/ should certainly/be avoided in the awarding of those military pensions to' those brave and high-spirited of our own selves. It is rumoured that instead of limiting, the ..inquiries into the bona fides of the claims to tho simple the medal and identity.of the claimant,' pin-pricking questions into the privato:history of those veterans and of tneir wives and relatives, ,and their 'position in lifo are insisted upon, and which should have no bearing whatever upon-the question of distribtuing tho pen-' 6ion to those who suffered, and bled for our country-over forty years ago.' The j pension, instead of limiting •it vto : those splendid old veterans themselves,'-, should be extended to those of their widows who"•; may still have • survived, and who may nbt hivo married again.^, : But at all'; events, the : veterans thejnselves must be -/relieved from anyNinnoyance, and from questions foreign to the bare fact of having the war medal,' or the' right of ad-, quiring ono under tho regulations. Each of these should have his name enrolled in the list of this small, but highly honourable pension without further-cavilling and annoyance of any description whatever; otherwiso' the 1 injurious effect uponthe youth of this generation will in all probability tend to seriously increase, and extend, the,existing reluctance of many of the'latter/from joining the colour?, if they can possibly avoid' it.—l am. etc., ,' QUANTUM SUFPIGIT,. Eotorua, January 25. /' ■ -■' ; A i, - -•'