WAR PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CCX, Issue 145, 22 June 1933, Page 9

WAR PENSIONS

RETURNED MEN'S VIEWS

AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED

War pensions and the after-treatment of incapacitated soldiers were matters considered at length at the annual meeting of delegates to the Dominion Council of the Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday, and , number of resolutions were passed on the recommendation of the special committee, of which Mr. "WV Perry (vice-president.) was convener. A Christchurch remit was approved in the following amended form:—"That the war pensions legislation be amended to provide that the wives" or widows of ex-soldiers be eligible for war pensions whether married before or after disablement, outside or in New Zealand, and at any time after discharge, subject always to the qualifications that the ex-soldier was in reasonable health at the time of marriage. In view of the fact that the above representations have been reaffirmed by council for several years 'past and no progress has been made, this council as a whoi* should wait on Cabinet to urge thosa important reforms." Other remits passed were:— "That the council make representations to the Minister of Pensions to have the Old Age Pensions Act, .1926, part 5, section 45 (1) amended, so that the old age pension can be granted to members of the South African and New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers on attaining the age of sixty years, and that the New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers be eligiWa for the extra grant of 5s per week (£l3 per annum), on the same basis as paid to South African veterans." (Dunedin). "That suitable accommodation b» provided by the • State for ex-service-men whose-condition, through war ser«. vice, is not sufficiently serious to warrant their being committed to a mental hospital." (Invercargill.) EXAMINATION OF PENSIONERS. "That ex-soldier,s in receipt of temporary pensions in respect of which they are required to present themselves for periodical medical examination, b« examined at the principal town of thevjr own district, except where no specialist is available when required." (Invercargill.) ■••■■ Claiming that several cases had coma under notice of pensioners developing ailments not connected with war ser-> vice, the Invercargill branch moved that the Departmental Medical Officers responsible for the periodical ex-, animations' should advise such pensioners to consult a doctor. It was decided to refer to headquarters for consideration a. remit from Christchurch, "That the Government be.requested to make civilian .widows' pensions available irrespective of placa of residence to widows of New Zealand returned soldiers whoso death was not attributed to war service." It was stated that a soldier's widoiv who returned to England after her husband's death could receive a .Avar widow's pension. If the soldier's death was not attributable to war service the widow could not receivo a civilian, widow's pension unless she resided :ia New Zealand. The following extra remit, submittedby the committee, was approved:— "That in the case of a totally-incapaci-tated economic pensioner who obtains work not more than one-half of his earnings,' up to & 2 per week, be deducted from the economic pension pay-; able to himself and his dependants." THE APPEAL BOARD. }■ Before the pensions committee's report was adopted, Mr. W. E. Leadlcy(Christchurch) drew attention to a re-. port that the Auckland Patriotic and War Belief Association had recommended'the abolition of the "Wat. Pensions Board and the institution of a pensions appeal board in" each island. Mr. Leadley urged that headquarters should" give its attention to the. matter, and make a strong protest against th» proposed change. Sir George Richardson explained that the recommendation was made with a view of o avoiding the delay" which occurred from the time an appeal was made until it was heard. Mr. Harper attributed the delay to the fact that the doctors who examined, the appellants could give only two or three hours each day to the examination of appellants. The Appeal Board was doing good work, but was handicapped because the doctors wers unable to give full-time service.