MILITARY PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1913, Page 3

MILITARY PENSIONS

! SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME. AUCKLAND, 25th February. La-test information regarding the operation of the Military Pensions Act of last session has been given to a Herald representative by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher. , "The Scheme has been eminently suecesuful," Mr. Fisher remarked. '"The total number of pensions • granted under the Act to date is 512, involving &n annual liability of £17,300. There have been 815 enquiries regarding pensions, and 70 of these have reached tho Pensions Office- in completed form. Of those applications on which pensions have not been granted, Tj have been rejected, principally on thf3 grounds that the claimants were disqualified by the possession of income or property in excess of statutory allowances. Seventy-four hayo been deferred owing to lack of evidenco of (hu issus of a, v,*ar medal, and 33 are under investigation." Tho possession of tho New Zealand war medal is an €s.«ential qualification fov pension, and (said Mr. Fisher) tho veterans do no'o seem to comprehend that. The medul was issued by tho Imperial Ciineruraenfc on conditions •vylxiL'h are not subject- to alteration by tho New Zealand ,Go\ eminent. Thoie

are many men^ alive to-day who undertook most hazardous duties duvinpc the Maori ware, but, owing to conditions prescribed by tho Imperial Government, that medal could be awarded only to men who were actually under fire. Many men were thu6 deprived of receiving decorations, and that difficulty could pot be overcome by the- New Zealand Government until the War Office agreed to altei" the conditions upon which the medal.; wore granted. It was proposed to make representations to the Imperial authorities, urging that the medal should be granted to those who underwent hardships ot the campaign though they wero not actually under fire. Another r'egrettablo disability was mentioned by Mr. Fisher. He ea'id that a claimant fox 1 a war medal was required to produce a certificate that he had been under fire, signed by tho officer commandingthe forces in which ho had served. Owin£ lo the death of so large a number of Ihe officers engaged in the war, tho survivors have the utmost difficulty in establishing their qualification for tho medal, though they were apparently bona fide claimants. "It is a matter of sincere regret to me," said Mr. Fisher, "that we are unable to ovctcome this difficulty. Nevertheless, it is gratifying that, after a long period cf delay. 512 veterans are to-day receiving benefits under tho Act."