WAR PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 35, 10 August 1923, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

AN ANOMALY POINTED OUT.

Speaking in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon upon the second reading of the War Pensions Amendment Bill, the Hon. Dr. A. K. Newman drew attention to an anomaly in respect to several men who had had their legs off at the hip-joint and received only 2b more than the man who had had his leg amputated above the knee. Ho thought they should receive a' higher pension, as their disability was greater than that' of the man with the lesser injury, and in many cases they had not long to live.

Sir Francis Bell said he would lay the point before the Government, but he suggested that the case was covered by the economic pension. Dr. Newman: "Yes, but will it be granted in one case and not in another?" The Hon. G. J. Garland said it was essential that all cases should be treated on their merits. He welcomed the right of appeal, and was certain the Bill would do good, although it might not satisfy everybody. He urged the Leader of the Council to do something in respect to the permanent cripples referred to by Dr. Newman. They should not be treatod parsimoniously, and he felt sure the people of the country wished to do tho best for those unfortunates during the short time they had to live.

The Hon. Sir Thomas Mackenzie said he felt sure the country was entirely with the Government in doing the ri"lit thing for the men. °

In Committee on the Bill, the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones expressed the opinion that a disabled soldier should be permitted to supplement his pension by earnings free of restriction. Sir Francis Bell: "He can earn as niuch as he can in addition to his ordinary pension. His ordinary pension is not affected, but, his economic pension would be affected in that case." The Bill was read a second time, put through the Committee stage, and reported to the Council.