WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2551, 27 August 1915, Page 8

WAR PENSIONS

RULES TO BE OBSERVED Regulations under tho War Pensions Act aro gazetted. Extracts from the full set of regulations follow:— The Registrar shall record the receipt of every claim in a book kept for the purpose, and shall forthwith transmit the claim to tho Commissioner with a report as to the eligibility of the applicant, and the Commissioner shall submit the claim (together with the Registrar's report) for investigation and determination by the board. In connection with the investigation of pension-claims tho following provisions shall apply:—(l) If:in the course of investigation evidence is required on any specific matter, the board, or any person authorised by it, may inquire into the same, and fo.- tho purpose of such inquiry free access shall be given to—(a) The registers and records of any State Department or office ;,(b) all real and personal property of the applicant and all books, vouchors, and documents relating to such property or to the income of the applicant. (2) The powers of inquiry and search hereby given shall he limited to specified applications for pension, and shall not be construed as authorising any general search or inquiry. It shall be the duty of all officers of the aforesaid; Departments and offices, and of any bank, insurance company, or other corporation carrying on bushiest in New Zealand, and of all officers of the Post Office Savings Bank, and cf any other Government Department which receives investments of money from the public, and of any private individual, to make true answers to all questions, and to afford (without fee) all such information as may be reasonably required for the purpose of prosecuting such inquiry as aforesaid. There shall from time to time be paid out of the Consolidated Fund' into ihe Post Office Account by way of imprest whatever moneys aro necessary in order to enable tho instalments of pensions granted under tho said Act 10 lo paid out of such account, and tho Posdli,as-ter-General shall thereupon pay. such instalments accordingly. Every pension granted shall be payable by equal monthly instalments. If tho pensioner desires lhafc tho office of payment shall be' cnanged. ho shall make application to any registrar or postmaster. If a pension certificate is lost, destroyed, or mutilated, tho pensioner or his duly authorised agent appointed under these regulations may make application, supported by declaration, to any registrar or postmaster, -who shall forward the application to the Commissioner, with his recommendation. The Commissioner shall, whenever be is satisfied that it is expedient to <ic, so. having regard to the age, infirmity, or improvidence of the pensioner, or any other special circumstances, issue a. warrant authorising payment of instalments to any reputable person named' in the warrant for the benefit of the pensioner. For the purpose of ascertaining whether a pensioner is entitled to a continuance of pension, or whether the amount of any_ pension should be altered, tho Commissioner may require the, .pensioner at tho close of any income year, or at any other time, to furnish a statement regarding his incouio and property and any other matter that m'ay be deemed necessary. On receipt of this statement the Commissioner shall forthwith proceed _to verify the contents thereof, and in, due course submit it, with the result of his inquiries, to the board for determination in the same' manner as in tho case of a pension cfaim. It shall be the duty of all Government officers, so far as possible, to /assist applicants in the preparation of their pension claims.' It shall be the duty of every Registrar of the Supreme Court and clerk of a Magistrate's Court, on the conviction in his Court of any person whom he believes to be 1 a pensioner under the 6aid' Act, to notify the Commissioner inivrit- . mg of the fact of such conviction, the nature of tho offence, and the punishment imposed. It shall be the duty of officers of .thp lolice Forco to render such services as may-be required by tho board in connection with the investigation of any claim or any inquiry under tho said Act. Authority to incur expenditure by any such officer on any occasion must be obtained beforehand! from the Commissioner on behalf of tho board, either direct or through any registrar. Every application under the said Act by a member of the forces on account of partial disablement shall, if the board so requires, be supported by a certificate from a duly qualified medical practitioner, setting, out whether the applicant is either permanently or temporarily incapacitated for work,' and the nature and 1 extent of his incapacity. In considering, any application by a member of the-,forces in respect either qf total or partial disablement, the board shall take into consideration the records of the Defence Department; but where it is not satisfied as to tho nature or extent of tho applicant's dis- i ablement, it may direct that a further examination of the applicant bo made by a registered medical practitioner to be nominated by the board'.