WAR PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 55, 2 September 1916, Page 5

WAR PENSIONS

WORK OF THE BOARD,

The War Pensions Board, which ■ has been engaged in a tour of the South' Island since 12th August, has returned; to Wellington. The board consists o£, Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M. (chairman);; Colonel R., J._ Collins, .. Controller, and.! Auditor-General; and Dr. H. Pollen, with Mr. G. Fache (Commissioner of Pensions) as secretary. During its tour the board sat at Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Gore, Dunedin, and Invercargill, and dealt with 332 cases—loo at Christchurch, 6 in North Canterbury, 7. at Gore, 48 at Invercargill, 115 at Dunedin, 15 at Oamaru, 33 at Timaru, and 8 at Ashburton. .

The chief object of the board was tosee people who had received temporary, pensions and to judge, from personal interviews, whether those pensions should be made permanent or otherwise dealt with. As a result'of the board's interviews 43 allowances were converted into permanent, pensions; 63 were notified that their allowances, would cease at the expiration, .of the term ;' 33.were," continued for a further term and notified that that !

would be the final payment jim-six cases the pensions were increased ;' in 77 cases it was decided to continue the allowance and 'to reconsider at the end of the extended, .term; in/11 cases the allowance was - continued and the pensioners jjqtlr fied that at-the end of- the temi"'the jamount of their '"'permanent"; pension would be considered; in 48 cases it.was decided to reconsider at ,the expiry of the term.

One person notified the board that he did not require a renewal of liis pension, but asked for an assurance that if anything went wrong with him his case could be brought up again. . The assurance was given.

Another man wanted to know why he; having lost an-arm, did not-get the.full pension..; The .board..' replied that "it could not-very well give him the same pension as a man who had lost both arms. The applicant, who gets a., pension" of 30s a week, appeared*.to be satisfied with tlie reply. - A pensioner who is now in gaol had fiis allowance cancelled. .. .." ..... .77.7".'..,..

Seventeen fresh-cases were .adjourned to Wellington to enable the board to inspect the medical files.

In addition to seeing the applicants in person, the board also got into tcuch with various patriotic and other societies which interest themselves in returned soldiers, and was able to clearly explain its methods and obviate possible misunderstandings. Tlie board will sit in Wellington on Monday.

Claims have been coming in at an average rate of something between 100 and 120 a week since April last. „In one week in May they exceeded 200, and during the last three weeks they averaged 150 from • soldiers and 49 from depeiv dents. Up to date the total is 2995 claims from soldiers and 1232 from dependents.

Lieut. Stanley Moore, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, recently killed in action, was, before enlisting", chief inspector. of physical education under the Education Department. He had previously to his death bee» recess-, mended for Military Cross.