The Dominion. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1917. PENSIONS AND ALLOW ANCES.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 2, 27 September 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1917. PENSIONS AND ALLOW ANCES.

. Though: it ];&s not been possible in tho time at our disposal to analyse- closely the Government's proposed new scales of pensions and allowances-.for our soldiers and their dependants, it is obvious that, they go a long way towards meeting the unanimous demand for a more liberal recognition of the country's responsibility .to those called on for military service. The new scale of pensions is likely to win very gen ; eral approval... It provides, a minimum pension of £2 a - week • for a man 'Completely disabled, and this amount, is reduced in, accordance frith a fixed scale in the case of tho disablement being of a partial nature, tho details being fully set out in tho Bill. The wife of a completely disabled man receives £l a week, and 7s. 6d. a week is allowed for each child. Thus a disabled man with a wife and "one child will be entitled to a pension of £3 Is. 6d. a week. In certain contingencies this minimum pension may be increased to the extent of £1 a, week, provided that tho 'total pension does not exceed £5 week. It is not necessary tc\ pursue the matter in any detail to 1 justify the claim of the Minister oi? Defence that, on the whole, the pension scale is fair and reasonable. Sik James Allen in tho course of his "speech last' evoning quoted, instances to illustrate the pensions -that would bo paid in given circumstances; but the bedrock fact is that the pensions scale starts with a minimum of £3 a week -for a man and h'is wife in case of total disablement, and is increased by 7s. 6d. a week ■ for each child; with the right to make claim for a further payment up to £|, a week if it can be shown that the pensioner is not able to maintain himself and his dependants in accordance with the' standard of comfort to which they were accustomed before the war. .In the case of the death of a soldier, his' widow, in the event of there being no children, will receive a minimum of £l Ids', a week, or in the event of having one or more children, the widow's minimum pension will be £2 a week and 7s. 6d. a week additional for each child." Thus, a widow witli. two children would receive a pension of £2 15s. a week. Although this rate of pension for ths' widow and' children of a soldier is higher than in any other of the world, it constitutes a'weak spot in tho Bill, and in many cases will bo found to be inadequate. It , is true that an extra, allowance to tho extent'of 105., a week may bo granted, but that is optional. In the matter of allowances, which are tho all-important factor in enabling the families of married men to maintain their customary home life with a reasonable degree of comfort and security, it is quite plain that too much is left to the will of the financial Assistance Board. The position is that a soldier receives pay at the rate of ss. a day; his wife is allowed £l Is. a week additional, and 7s. a week is allowed for each child. Thus • a man with a wife and one child, even if he allocates 4s.'out of his ss. a day- for the upkeep of his family (that is £l Bs. a week) can only be certain that they will receive in addition another £l Bs., or £2 16s. in all. While this may be sufficient in many instances, if must be .recognised that a substantial proportion.of the members of the Second Division sjro men of some position, who' have good homes, and who pay rente running considerably over £l a week. In Wellington especially it is difficult to get anything - but tho very smallest class of cottage under £l a week rental. Are the homes or these people, who are paying up to £2 a week and over, to be broken up and the wife and children forced possibly to go into lodgings or amongst strangers? Provision is made in tho Bill for assistance being granted for tho payment of rent, insurance premiums, tho interest charges on mortgages, cte„ but there is so much uncertainty as to what is being clone or what will bo done in this respect that the position wants clearing up. lnero should be some more definite under-

taking on the.part of the Government respecting its liability to assist—the. right of the soldier should ho clearly and definitely fixed. A number of the minor provisions of the Bill go in the right direction, and, broadly speaking, both the Minister of Dei'encb and the Government are entitled to credit for the advauce made. It is unfortunate that the second reading debate should have collapsed in the manner it did, for there is room for discussion on some of tho detail provisions of the Bill which are open to improvement.