GRADE I MEN

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 60, 4 December 1942, Page 6

GRADE I MEN

Eligibility For Pension

The eligibility for pensions of men accepted by the Anny as Grade I and discharged after serving overseas, was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) in a question to the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. He asked whether the Minister would apsure the House that such men would uot be denied the usual pension. '

Mr. Broadfoot quoted the ease of a member of the Expeditionary Force sent overseas as Grade I and returned after two years’ service as medically unfit. The man was granted a pension for two months and then it was cancelled because lhe injury was alleged to be only an aggravation of a defect which existed before he was medically examined for service.

Tbe Minister said that when a man returned from overseas his case was dealt with by the War Pensions Board just as was the procedure in the last war. If the man was not satisfied with the board’s decision he could appeal to the War Pensions Appeal Board, which consisted of Mr. Justice Frazer, a judge of the Supreme Court, as chairman, and two medical officers, one being nominated by the Returned Services Association. Mr. Broadfoot was presumably questioning tbe decision of this board, ami it was not his function to answer for it, continued the Minister. Tbe soldier had a remedy in an appeal to the House for a review of his case. As far as the Government was concerned it was out to do all it possibly could for the returned serviceman.