WAR PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 13

WAR PENSIONS

AMENDING BILLS DISCUSSED

BOTH WELL RECEIVED BY HOUSE

The Minister explained that when the first Bill was placed on the Statute Book a private, totally disabled with wife and one child, received £2 12s 6d a week. A private in similar circumstances today was paid £5 a week. He believed that the New Zealand War Pensions Act, taken in conjunction with the War Veterans Allowance Act, was the most liberal in (the British Empire. The latter measure, which had been passed in 1935, provided for men who had broken down after their return to New Zealand, their disability being due to war service. The highest peak in payments under the pensions legislation was reached in 1921, when war pension payments reached the sum of £1,886,952, the Minister said. Today the number of war pensioners and war veterans was 25,823, the annual payment amounting to £1,886,537. Although many soldiers had died since the original Act was passed and many of their dependants were no longer eligible* for benefits, the increases made in pensions generally had been such that the cost now was approximately the same as in 1921. REHABILITATION OF MEN. "The question of the rehabilitation of the men who have gone overseas in the present war is receiving the consideration of the Government," continued Mr. Jones. "We must make adequate provision for them either in respect to employment or medical treatment. "One of the difficulties experienced in respect to the Great War was the question of disability after the men returned due to war service. When the men got back they were glad to be taken into civil occupations and did not feel much concern at the time as to their state of health. "Better provision is to be made in connection with this war," he added. "We are going to see that every soldier who comes back from overseas is medically examined, even to the extent of X-rays, so that we can make sure that when a man is discharged he is fit. We must know what is his state of health when he returns from the front." The Minister paid a tribute to the work done by the Discharged Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment League which had rendered valuable service in obtaining employment for returned soldiers. He also expressed appreciation of the War Pensions Appeal Board, making special mention of its late chairman, Sir Walter Stringer. The country was fortunate in obtaining the services of Sir Francis Frazer to carry on the chairmanship. His great knowledge of compensation gained in the Arbitration Court would be of great value to the board. EXTENSION BILL. In referring to the War Pensions Extension Bill, the Minister said that provision had been made in respect to pension payments for men who had been sent Home to join any of the armed forces of Great Britain. In the event of any of those men being granted a British pension that was lower than the New Zealand pension, the difference would be paid by the Dominion. The Bill did not make provision, however, for men who had gone Home on their own account, but it was a position that could be faced. The Minister emphasised the point that under the new legislation there was no restriction on dependants' allowances as far as the date of the soldier's marriage was concerned. In reply to Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill), the Minister said there was no provision for the adoption of children after the departure of the soldier for overseas. In respect to military service in New Zealand, disability had to be proved, but that did not apply to disability suffered overseas. Mr. S. G. Holland (National, Christchurch North): Why has a man in New Zealand to prove his case and not the man overseas? The Minister said that the Government assumed responsibility for the man who left New Zealand, but with a man who was in the Territorial Force he might be injured in the course of his civil occupation, or at sport. If he were injured during training the responsibility would rest with the Government. IMPROVED PROVISIONS. "I am sure'we are all happy to see this Bill," Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) said. The removal of the disqualification on men who married after a certain date was particularly pleasing, he added. After the last war disabled men were practically prevented from marrying because the State would not accept pension responsibility for their wives. Mr. Lee said that he did not think there would be nearly so many disabled men from this war as from the last. War from the air did not cause the casualties caused in a battle such as the Somme. The damage was more to property. However, a war of movement might develop later and men might be injured in large numbers, and pensions provisions must be made. There was a great need • for adequate pensions for disabled men because it was difficult for such men to return to industry. Men without a limb always found it hard to secure work. The State could help by laying down a rule that where men suffered from gunshot disabilities only, the Civil Service should take a quota at full rates of pay. In spite of fairly liberal pensions allowances there had been a good deal of hardship amongst men who had lost limbs in the last war. Was the £2 a week for 100 per cent, disablement sufficient? Mr. Lee asked. Through all the years the basic rate had not altered, but the time had arrived when the rate should be considered in the light of present-day wages and costs compared with those of the time when the rate was laid down. PERCENTAGE OF DISABILITY. Mr. S. G. Holland (National, Christchurch North) said he was particularly pleased'to hear the Minister pay such a well-deserved tribute to the pensions scheme of the last war. In

Two measures dealing with pensions for men who serve in the armed forces—the War Pensions Amendment Bill and the War Pensions Extension Bill—were considered and passed by the House of Representatives yesterday. The measures were fully outlined by the Minister in Charge of War Pensions (the Hon. F. Jones) and met with a good reception. The debate was taken on both Bills at once and was consequently considerably shortened.

his opinion, if a man was 85 per cent, disabled and the other 15 per cent, of his capacity was insufficient to get him a job, then he should be considered as 100 per cent, disabled. He thought the guiding factor should be whether the disability was such as to prevent a man getting a job. Mr. Holland said he was not very satisfied with the part of the Bill which laid upon soldiers on home service the responsibility of proving disability. When a man signed up he had no say where his services could best be utilised. He would like the Minister to reconsider the question of requiring men who rendered service at home to prove that their disability was due to military service. He thought there was a case to be made for the same conditions to apply to these men as Jo those who had gone overseas. It seemed to him, said Mr. E. B. K. Gordon (National, Rangitikei), that the pension should start automatically when a man was discharged from camp and that it should continue until such time as he was fit for work. NO ESTIMATE OF COST. There was no doubt the Minister was correct in saying that New Zealand had treated its soldiers by way of pensions as well as any other British country, and very likely as well as any country in the world, said the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton). The people of this country were willing to pay good pensions to the soldiers who went to fight for them. At the same time he would have liked to have heard the Minister, when outlining the proposals, give an estimate of what they were likely to cost. The Minister of Defence: As far as the force going overseas is concerned, it is an unknown quantity. "It is, as the Minister says, an un- j known quantity, and that can come up later on," said Mr. Hamilton, "but this mainly applies at the present time, anyway, to soldiers of the last war." It might have been difficult for the Minister to give ah estimate of the cost, but it was usual to have a shot at it. Continuing, Mr. Hamilton commented that it was a strange fact that the number of war pensioners from the last war was still increasing. That, he suggested, went to prove that after a man had been through four years of a war of the magnitude and fierceness of the last, it told on him in after life, and that he would need some help. There was nothing much he wished to comment upon or criticise in either | of the Bills. . Other speakers from both sides of the House commended the Bills, and in his reply the Minister said that he did not think that these amendments would be the last that would be made. Both Bills were read a second time, and, after a brief discussion in Committee, were read a third time and passed.