SOLDIERS’ PENSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 11

SOLDIERS’ PENSIONS

EX-SERVICEMEN BREAKING DOWN WORK OF THE R.B.A. Dealing with soldiers’ pensions, the annual report of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association states: “ Although as time goes on one would naturalls think that there would be less work in this important phase of your association’s work, unfortunately with the advancing ol the years of each <sx-soldiei this work has shown once more a marked increase, and wc regret very much indeed having to report the largo numbers of ex-servicemen that are breaking down in health. Many have had to lodge pension claims for the first time, and we would again reiterate what has already appeared in previous reports —the necessity of obtaining medical Evidence, statements from employers, past employers, and also men with whom they served overseas, in order to support their claims. “ At the sitting of the War Pensions Appeal Board in August, 3934, appeals were dealt with as follows: Attributability to war service—upheld 16, dismissed' 15. Assessment of pension—upheld 7, dismissed 7. At the sitting in February and March ot this year LU cases of attributability were upheld and 16 dismissed, while in the case of assessment of pension live cases were uphold and five dismissed, Six eases were deferred. The percentage of appeals upheld was 58.3. . “ We have endeavoured at all times to assist the appellants in every way possible, but the onus is on the appellant to assist in obtaining evidence to the best of his ability. In our meetings throughout the year we strive to impress on the ox-serviccmen generally the vital necessity of ‘ sticking together/ for wc feel that in the Bill which is already sponsored by Mr J. A. this will eventually be the means of assisting the ex-soldier, and this result can be obtained only if the association has e strong membership. “ In Canada there is in force the War Veterans’ Allowance. Act, 3930, which provides for an allowance to be paid to anv veteran duly qualified, who has attained the age of 60 years or who is permanently unemployable by reason ol physical or mental disability. During the recent conference of the British Empire Service League, held in Melbourne during November of last year, the delegation from New Zealand made special reference to the manner in which exImperial pensioners are treated. “ We feel that perhaps the distance these pensioners are away from the Ministry of Pensions may tend to result in less interest being taken in their eases, and our delegation took over quite a number of oases to lie cited personally before the Pensions Committee. Your association sent forward three claims, which have been pressed for some years past.”