U.S.A. AND PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 231, 24 June 1921, Page 7

U.S.A. AND PENSIONS

DECISIONS OF DOMINION COUNCIL REGRADING AND INCREASES ADVOCATED Among the ‘decisions made by tho Do- . minion Council of the’ New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association nt Dunedin recently were several relating to pensions. The following remit was considered:— '‘That this conference reaffirms the demands of the association for a 75 per pent, increase in the pensions scale for disabled soldiers and soldiers' dependants." It was felt by the conference that before any increase was made, the schedule of injuries should bo re-graded on account of anomalies which had been found .to exist, and that the Government should be urged to set up 'a board of mpdical experts to carry out the re-grading. in regard to the matter of increasing pensions, tho conference ultimately resolved that in view of the financial condition of tho country the present time ■was not opportune for demanding a To lyor cent, increase all round. It decided hthat the Government should bo urged Ito take ths following action:— : (a) To increase tho amount of the pen ’lion by 75 per cent, where the pensions of pensioners amounted to over 50 per cent, of the maximum pension, and to leave supplementary and attendance pensions, as at present, at the discretion of the Pensions Board. “Pensioners," as used above, signifies: (1) The soldier himself; (2) a widowed mother formerly dependent on a soldier now deceased; (3) a soldier’s widow with a 'child or children. The conference did l.liot ask that the pensions payable in respect of the child or children should be increased. I (b) To appoint immediately a further medical officer, and have all temporary Ipensloners ro-examined and reclassified in order that their pensions might be reawarded in the light of the fresh knowledge now available regarding the extent 'to which a disability affects the pensioner. ~ The conference also decided that the ■ principle which should govern all pensions should be a sliding scale deterjoined by the Government Statistician s I indices as to the cost of living, on a triennial basis, the sum of .-63 10s. -being 'declared a fair maximum pension in relation to the cost of living for the year J 920. A minimum pension should also ba fixed, the conference received, which f liquid not bo less than the pension granted by tho War .Pensions Act of 1917 Tho question of allowing an advocate to appear for a pensioner before tho Pensions Board was not pressed. In accordance with the Wellington remit the conference decided that the association should take all possible steps: “(a) To secure the reversal of the policy hitherto pursued by the Pensions Board by which dependents of soldiers who apply for a pension at a date more than six months subsequent to thnt on which they first become eligible are penalised in that they cannot reefer pensions for any period previous to tho date of application except for a maximum of six months on a discretionary power apparently rarely exercised by the board; (t>> to ascertain the number of cases in which such discretion has been exercised, and, if possible, the number of cases in which such discretion was permissible but was not exercised; (c) to insist ,on the general exercise of the board's present power under the Pensions Act to gran all pensions as from the date on which the applicant, became eligible ; • (d) to secure the rectification of cases already decided in tho arbitrary manner of administration of the Pensions Board by which the benefits of the statute are largely nullified; (e) to ensure that the Government ahull notify at lea«t t} 16 next-of-kin, and, if possible, all other dependants, of their eligibility to apply for a pension, provided that unless apphcation be made within eix months after such notification a grant of pension may date only from the date of application.