THE WOUNDS OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 8

THE WOUNDS OF WAR

FORTY THOUSAND PENSIONERS WHY WAR FUNDS SHOULD BE CONSERVED MONEY WANTED FOR MANY YEARS

In addressing the quarterly meeting of the Advisory Board of Patriotic Societies yesterday morning, the chairman (Mr. L. O. 11, Tripp) took a broad 6urvey of the situation and duties of war relief societies in relation to the men they were originally intended to benefit. Now that they, were at. tho end of tho second year after the conclusion of the war, it was interesting to note how the different societies were managing and to exchange experiences.

In the case of the Wellington War Relief Association, the experience was that they had never been so busy as they were at present, and never had tho easts been so difficult to attend to. Probably that had been the, experience of every society. During the twelve months ended March 31 last, tho sum of ,£368,488 had been spent on war relief by the societies in New Zealand, whilst during the whole period beforo that the sum had only amounted to .£351,839. Tho Wellington Association dealt with each case on its merits, and aimed at making up something near tho loss a man had suffered by his war experiences. On. the whole, tho scheme was'working satisfactorily. It had been their privilege to deal with the disabled soldiers, whom they had found to bo a particularly fine body of men, generally cheerful, and, as a rule, determined to help themselves. They preferred not to pay ca6h, but to help the soldier in other ways. They had found it a good rule to adopt. ' Some of the sooiebies appeared to be under the impression that their work was done and had given away considerable sums in order to. wind up their funds. He protested., against such action, reminding them that when the appeal was made 1 in 1915-it was for "wounded soldidrs and .their (Dependants," not those who were fit and well. If at any time a society found itself with funds and no claimants, it should bo its duty to help some other fund. (Hear, hear.) < To do otherwise would be- acting contrary to the trust reposed in them by the public. That was why he was asking societies with funds and no claimants to help some other mow needy society. Official figures uo till March 31, 1920. showed that the total number of pensions granted bad been 38 3G6. At that time there were over. 1000 men in the hospitals, many .of whom had not been before the Pension Board, si that roughly 40,000 men or their dependants were in receipt of pensions Then there were the permanent dfetfSU roughly, about 3000 men with 20 per cent, disability), who were Si on temporary pensions. There were '1141 temporary pensioners J could be assumed that a considerable number of such cases would become permanent.

Men Who Break Down. Then there was the very !»***■?* Li *« experience. Some mea wh that' would lie needed. Mr. Tripp said »X/.f t " e patriotic a *I™«1W Comfcil, the Red Cross Socioty, to see « Y^^nelit „ thit tho Bed Cross should reliev* fr'YAtcl and Salvation Army ot. fe d he invested and should be used to help any Syin want.of Stated" that 0» de P* rtm f V-'lr , s the means of conserving funds for (lis- ; „Med soldier*. Ho dwelt upon.the. i»oE, „„6sed at the Pnlmerston North confeenee particularly that one refer-. ring to"societies with more funds, than they know what to do with. He un erstood that in tho caso of Hetfton. which h«d cent a large number of men, iunds *„„ nearly depleted, and it was their duty to see, if necessary, that the H«etton Society was provided with, iunds, on the care of diers occupied nearly the whole ot the day. and is reported under another 'hcadin°' . i_.j.„,.,t« Puncinns. .

inadequate Pensions. 'Mr Aldricli moved:—"Thnt tho. attention of the Patriotic Advisory Board he drawn to the fact that a number ot patriotic societies are supplementing the inadequate pensions of disabled men, and are thereby using their funds to relieve the Government of ita responsibility towards disabled soldiers; and that the board be urged to advise all patriotic societies to assist the E.S.A. in its demand for adequate pensions by endeavouring to force the Government to carry out its responsibilities towards the disabled sqlV'was decided by the board: "That tbe present pension 6cale is inadequate, and should be increased." , The board endorsed" the following remit front Hie Returned Soldiers' Association—"That this conference is of the opinion that the nraetice nf payimr eash grants to permanently—totally and partiallv—disabled soldiers' according to the "schedule of pensions, is inadvisable, and■ uvijes that each'case be treated on its merits, having due regard to tne economic loss of the soldier." Conserving Funds, Without much discussion it was agreed: "That the board strongly recommends that each society should set aside a portion of its funds for the benefit of permanently and partially disabled soldiers and their dependants, and those who may broak ('own as the result of their war sp-vi'i" " A further resolution—"That the delegates affirm the- principle and recommend their several societies to adopt a scheme whereby they will holp each other, if it should occur that at a latei date it should be found that any society ,has not sufficient funds to help tho permanently disabled men and their dependants, and those who may from time to time suffer as the result of thoir war service"—was referred to the conference of patriotic societies which Mr, Tripp was authorised to call for the end of September.