GOVERNOR'S VIEWS ON PATRIOTIC DISBURSEMENTS: NO DISCRIMINATION URGED

Evening Star, Issue 26185, 21 August 1947, Page 11

GOVERNOR'S VIEWS ON PATRIOTIC DISBURSEMENTS: NO DISCRIMINATION URGED

(P.A.; WELLINGTON, August 20. Addressing the annual meeting of •the Joint Council of the Order ol : St. ■John and the New Zealand lied Cross, ;the. Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, said he did not think there should be a separate system for men who served in the First World War and those who served in the second, for the men who served in the merchant navy and those who served in the Middle East. The policy of the control of war funds presented a difficult problem. There was a good deal of money in the separate funds in watertight compartments. There was a legal aspect regarding their amalgamation. For example, the canteen funds belonged by usage to the men and women who served in the Middle East, the home service funds belonged to those who contributed to them, but most of those who served in the Middle East had served in the home forces, though not all who served in the home forces had been in the Middle East. There were funds for the First World War veterans and funds for the Second World War veterans, but some men had served in both wars, the result being that there were persons who had claims on more than one fund.

He thought there should be one committee to review all the funds and to deal with all men and women, no matter where they served. When the first war funds were used up there would be a crisis and a demand for one fund to be established. VETERANS’ HOMES. . Sir Bernard also hoped that one day the question of veterans’ homes would be tackled. After visiting the homes and establishments for limbless persons and St. Duiistan’s, he had been very happy about the care given to ex-servicemen and women, but he was certain that what should be aimed at was the concentration of all such servicemen in large groups which afforded the opportunity for better care. Jt was anomalous to have the care of sick and wounded under two separate organisations. There was a complicated set-up, and he hoped the joint, council would examine ways and means to improve and regularise the work in hospitals.