CASES OF HARDSHIP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 58, 3 December 1918, Page 7

CASES OF HARDSHIP

Rirrrj.'NKo soldi la-s , jjkaths rUOM IXI'LUKXZA. Questions were askd in lli« llotwe of llepresentatives yesterday about the hard ca.ses of retimied soldiers who have died of' influenza during ilm recent epidemic after their discharge, from Uie Army. Dr. Newman mentioned two.cases, the first- that ,of ;i returned, soldier , who had been hold in camp some little tifiie before discharge, and ha<l died whili* !)i tamp, and the second that: of n o'cturned. man who had gone into private employment. Both men had died, ami he wished lo know whether in I lie second taso the soldiers' depeiuhinU would be enticed to a pension. Sir James Allen said Hint the dependants of the soldier who had died in cams before discharge voiiM be entitled lo a pension. In the other true it would be open lo the dependants to apply to the Pensions Hoard for a pension, and if there ivas any reiyomiljl? evidence \a«\ the num. liad siil'r'erecl impairment ol health by ireasmi of his service overseas. iiiitl hiid'tlierefore fallen a.n easier victim to I lie epidemic, liis ilepeiidlints would be entitled to receive a neuron. Mr. Aii<lc.;-joii put a similar question. 'He mentioned the eases of leturiied'nien employed in the Defence Department as clerk-; , in city olfice*. branches' of the Department, iv'-a* clerks in cam f> in the lieuords Dflice. The Jlinister said that the men in camp would be entitled to. pensions, and their depemlaujs would he entitled''in the event of death of the soldier. The clerks in city offices ot the Department were con'iilereil by the ])e----partinen'l mil: to be. entitled lo pensions, bint if it i.-ould 'he shown I hat impairment, of health on service abroad had contributed to their deaths from influenzal in New Zealand the board had power to award pensions to their dependants.,