CIVILIAN VICTIMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20826, 3 July 1942, Page 2

CIVILIAN VICTIMS

PENSION PROVISION DEATH OR DISABLEMENT RESULT OF WAR ACTION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. Provision for civilians disabled by war actioii and for dependants of those killed by such action, is made in the war injuries to civilians emergency regulations issued with last night’s Gazette. The regulations provide for the payment of pensions to civilians or a civilian’s dependants where death or disablement is caused by the direct result of enemy action, or sustained in an attempt to combat the enemy or in activities taken with intent to repel an imagined attack by the enemy. Injuries may result from the discharge of any missile, including 'liquids and gas, the use of any [weapon, explosive or other noxious thing, or doing of any injurious act or through being struck toy an aircraft or 'anything dropped from aircraft. I Aircraft includes enemy or friendly machines. I The provision of pensions is limited in that persons whose earnings or ability to earn are not affected cannot [claim a pension. The pensions, which ! are to be paid out of the public 'account and administered by the Social Security Commission are as followks:—Widow, without children, £7B per annum; widow, with children, x. iO4, plus £26 for each child. The pension will be reduced £ for £ of the widow’s income in excess of £lO4 a year and the pension for children ceases at the age of 16 and for the widow oh re-marriage. For total disablement, a pension of £52 a year is provided for those under 21 without dependants, the maximum income allowed, without reductions, being £lO4. In other cases the pension is £lO4 for a personal claim, £52 for the wife and £26 for each child. Where the disablement is partial, the amount of the pensipn is io be decided by the Social Security Commission. A pension may be refused to a person of notoriously bad character. The right of appeal is provided for in cases where a pension is refused.