WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 302, 15 September 1921, Page 9

WAR PENSIONS

DEPENDANTS OF A DISABLED SOLDIER • ’ NURSES’ PENSIONS (Contributed by R..5.A.) The mere fact of a soldier receiving a pension does not necessarily imply that the wife and children of that soldier jriust also receive a pension. The Pensions Act, however, is not very clear on this point, and at present a test case, forwarded by the N.Z.R.S.A., is under consideration by tho Supreme Court Judges, as to whether every wife can claim a pension if her 'husband is in receipt of one. Mrs. Wheeler, of Auckland, claims a pension by right because her husband is receiving one irrespective of the income and property of either her husband or herself. At the time of writing no decision has been made; hundreds of wives are eagerly awaiting tho decision of the Court. . At present, it must Im clearly proved to the Pensions Board that the disabled soldier cannot-properly-support his wife, before a tension is granted to the wife qf a disabled soldier. Here is a specific case. A soldier, who was a farmer before the war, was wounded in the leg and had to hare it amputated. He is nt present receiving a permanent pension qf £6 18s. Bd. a month, but is unable' to resume his pre-war occupation. During the last six months, he earned about -fill, and .in order to live, - his wife applied for a’pension claiming that her ■husband’s pension, plus his earnings, were insufficient to keep them. After consideration of tjie case, the Pensions Board declined to grant her a pension, because the members considered that tfio soldier was potentially capable of supporting his wife. History tells us that thousands of women married the wounded veterans of the American Civil War in order to participate in the pension allowed to the wives of wounded soldiers. A year after tho surrender of General Lee there were 120,722 persons on the American pension roll, involving 'an expenditure of 15,450,550 dollars. Forty-four years later the number of beneficiaries had risen to 940.014. and the amount expended to 161,973,703 dollars!. i In order to prevent a recurrence or this, the New Zealand pensions law. which is very intricate and complicated regarding the wives of soldiers, states that even if a wife can .prove that her wounded husband is unable to support -her, she had alsp to prove that (1) she was married before her husband was disabled, ox (2) she was engaged to the soldier before* his departure, and became his wife within two years of his discharge. However, later legislation gave the Pensions Board power to grant all the benefits of a dependant, after con-' sideration of all tho circumstances of the case/to (a) any woman who became by marriage elsewhere than in New Zeif* land the wife of a- member of the Forees at any time before his discharge; (b) any woman who became by marriage in New Zealand the wife of a. member of the Forces at any time before the expiration of two years after tho date of his discharge: or (c) any woman. who became by marriage in New Zealand the wife of a member of the Forces at any time after the expiry, of two years from the date of his discharge. z Here the position regarding the wife of a disabled soldier remains at present.

The above> shorn of its legal phrasing, practically means that all wives can now have their claims investigated by the Pensions Board, if they so desire, byt the granting of a pension to them Will depend upon (1) the extent of the disability of the soldier, and (2) his ability to support his wife, having, regard, to his i(and her) income and property. For pension purposes the board will not recognise the marriages of men who married in bad health. If the wife and children are receiving dependant’s pensions, a father or another of a disabled soldier, in necessitous cases, may receive up to threefourths of the amount payable to'the wife.

Just as the' wife must conclusively prove that the soldier is unable to support her, so must any other dependants of the disabled eoldier, viz., father, mother, sister, etc. If a partially disabled soldier in receipt of a pension is in regular employment, and if it is foynd accessary that he should .continue to receive medical treatment, thp Pensions Board may grant him a special allowance of jBl per week, in consideration of any loss of wages.' The N.Z.R.S.A. considers that at present there is no need to advocate an increase in the pensions of dependants of disabled soldiers, except in the case of widowed mothers who are totally dependant .upon their flisabled sons. Of course, if an’increase is granted to these widowed mothers, .then fliri pen.sions of'widowed mothers partially dependent upon their sons will also automatically increase, as tho Pensions Act specifies "that if a widowed mother is partially dependent on her son, she shall receive not less than 50 per cent, of the amount allowed a widowed mother totally dependent.’’ For all purposes of pension, a. New Zealand nurse who /served beyond New Zealand and who was in the pay of tho New Zealand Government, ranks as a soldier. However, tho scale is a little different, as the following shows:— 1. In case,, of death—The dependants of a deceased nu.rsa receive £2 per week, while thosa of a deceased sister or matron receive .£2 "10s. a week.

2. In the case of disablement—A nurse receives £2 2s. 6d. a week, and a dependant Is. 3d. a week.- whilst sister or matron receives 412 ss. a wee<r, and a dependant 2s. 6d.