DISABLED SOLDIERS AND PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 75, 21 December 1929, Page 13

DISABLED SOLDIERS AND PENSIONS

Sir, —At the present moment a commission is investigating the matter of the employment of disabled soldiers. At one time there existed a Returned Soldiers’ Information Department, which, I believe, did valuable work in the direction of finding work for soldiers who sought 'employment. The organisation of this Department was excellent, and its work was done efficiently. No commission was needed to invent the Department. The machinery was designed and perfected by one or two able Public servants, without precedent and without external help. Why this Department was destroyed I am unable to state. But although it has ceased to exist it might be of advantage to this commission were it to make itself familiar with the principles upon which the Department founded its labours. _ But there is another matter in which I. as an oppressed taxpayer, am interested. The subject is war pensions, In the course of its inquiries and investigations could the commission procure for the enlightenment of the public the following information about British and New Zealand war pensions? When did the British War Pensions Bill reach its highest point? What was the amount of Great Britain’s Bill at that point? What is it now? To what sum has the British War Pensions Bill fallen as a result: (1) of deaths, (2) of dependants ceased to be be dependants by effluxion of time, ,(3) of widows remarrying, and 14) as a result of other causes? Has the Imperial Government ceased from granting new pensions and increases of existing pensions? In New Zealand has our Pensions Bill declined after eleven years of peace? Has any reduction happened as a result of deaths, the remarriage of widows, or because, for other reasons, persons have ceased to be dependants? If the answer is in the affirmative, then to what extent has the Bill fallen?

We have two War Pensions Boards in New Zealand. One a board of first instance upon which there is a returned soldier." It is generally understood that this board does its work admirably. It investigates cases with patient care, and decides what should be done with fine discrimination. The other board is an appellate institution, the chairman of which is a superannuated Judge, who. in addition to his superannuation allowances receives as a supplement to his pension a handsome salary and liberal travelling'' allowances. In passing, I ask the question : Does the Government propose to extend to the Public Service generally the principle of providing sinecures for retired Public servants, or is 'his special privilege to remain the peculiar perquisite of retired Judges? But to return to the Appeal Board. It would be as well for the commission now sitting to investigate some of its decisions. It is understood that this institution, which must cost the country a substantial sum. spends a few hours of each week merrily overturning the decisions of the more experienced War Pensions Board, and that some of its decisions are sufficiently remarkable to call for investigation. I have no doubt that the head of th". War Pensions Department is aware of the cases hinted at.

I suggest that the time has come when some final policy about war pensions and the employment of disabled soldiers should be formulated. I do not forget the scandalous state of affairs that arose after the American Civil War, in regard to pensions. and I remember that in an attempt to settle soldiers on the land ns much money has been flung away as would have kept many disabled men in comfort until the journey’s end. Such memories make the taxpayer anxious. Cases of hardship which a War Pensions Board cannot alleviate are bound to arise, but such cases could be <'enlt with effectively and economically by the permanent head of the Department, acting in consultation with the Wai" Pensions Board, and so the cost of the maintenance of an expensive Appeal Board could be avoided. The country is, of course, bound to provide for men disabled as a result of war service with bountiful - eneros.ity. No taxpayer would dream of complaining, if under this head, the Government erred somewhat on the side of extravagance. But whilst acting with open-handed liberality there is no need to be imbecile. Already millions have been thrown away.—l am. ett., TAXPAYER. ,Welluutio®. Deoeiabwt 13.